Splish, splash! Swimming safely in European waters this summer

At home or abroad, Europeans can safely enjoy a swim this summer as 93% of bathing sites meet minimum quality requirements set out under EU rules.

Some 83% of bathing sites monitored across the EU in 2020 are judged as excellent in the European Environment Agency's annual report, meaning they were mostly free from pollutants harmful to human health and the environment.

The countries with the highest number of bathing sites with excellent water quality - 95% or more - are Malta, Cyprus, Croatia, Greece and Austria.

Read this overview explaining how the EU improves public health.

Find out more 

• Press release: vast majority of Europe’s bathing waters meet the highest quality standards 
• Bathing water quality 
• EU health policy 
• Improving public health: EU measures explained
• Covid-19: what Parliament is doing to mitigate the crisis
• Health threats: boosting EU readiness and crisis management
• World Cancer Day: how the EU is fighting cancer
• Cancer: protecting people from carcinogens in the workplace
• Superbugs: MEPs’ ideas to fight antimicrobial resistance
• Veterinary medicines: fighting antibiotic resistance
• Vaccines: MEPs concerned about drop in EU vaccination rates
• Medical cannabis: MEPs call for research and EU-wide rules
• Medicine shortages in the EU: causes and solutions
• Drinking water in the EU: better quality and access
• Splish, splash! Swimming safely in European waters this summer 
• A new ambitious EU Disability Strategy for 2021-2030
• Accessibility: making products and services in the EU easier to use
• Getting back to work after a long sickness or injury (video)
• European Health Insurance Card: keeping you safe abroad
• Creating a sustainable food system: the EU's strategy
• From farm to fork: strengthening food checks in Europe
• Pesticides in food: what is the European Parliament doing to help?
• The EU's organic food market: facts and rules (infographic)

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