CHAPTER III

EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION

Public participation
Article 11
Member States shall encourage public participation in the implementation of this Directive and shall ensure the provision of opportunities for the public concerned:
- to find out how to participate, and
- to formulate suggestions, remarks or complaints.
This shall relate, in particular, to the establishment, review and updating of lists of bathing waters in accordance with Article 3(1). Competent authorities shall take due account of any information obtained.

Information to the public
Article 12
1
Member States shall ensure that the following information is actively disseminated and promptly made available during the bathing season in an easily accessible place in the near vicinity of each bathing water:
a
the current bathing water classification and any bathing prohibition or advice against bathing referred to in this Article by means of a clear and simple sign or symbol;
b
a general description of the bathing water, in non-technical language, based on the bathing water profile established in accordance with Annex III;
c
in the case of bathing waters subject to short-term pollution:
- notification that the bathing water is subject to short-term pollution,
- an indication of the number of days on which bathing was prohibited or advised against during the preceding bathing season because of such pollution, and
- a warning whenever such pollution is predicted or present,
d
information on the nature and expected duration of abnormal situations during such events;
e
whenever bathing is prohibited or advised against, a notice advising the public and giving reasons;
f
whenever a permanent bathing prohibition or permanent advice against bathing is introduced, the fact that the area concerned is no longer a bathing water and the reasons for its declassification; and
g
an indication of sources of more complete information in accordance with paragraph 2.
2
Member States shall use appropriate media and technologies, including the Internet, to disseminate actively and promptly the information concerning bathing waters referred to in paragraph 1 and also the following information in several languages, when appropriate:
a
a list of bathing waters;
b
the classification of each bathing water over the last three years and its bathing water profile, including the results of monitoring carried out in accordance with this Directive since the last classification;
c
in the case of bathing waters classified as being ‘poor’, information on the causes of pollution and measures taken with a view to preventing bathers' exposure to pollution and to tackle its causes as referred to in Article 5(4); and
d
in the case of bathing waters subject to short-term pollution, general information on:
- conditions likely to lead to short-term pollution,
- the likelihood of such pollution and its likely duration,
- the causes of the pollution and measures taken with a view to preventing bathers' exposure to pollution and to tackle its causes.
The list referred to in point (a) shall be available each year before the start of the bathing season. The results of the monitoring referred to in point (b) shall be made available on the Internet upon completion of the analysis.
3
The information referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2 shall be disseminated as soon as it is available and with effect from the start of the fifth bathing season after 24 March 2008.
4
Member States and the Commission shall, wherever possible, provide information to the public using geo-referenced technology and present it in a clear and coherent manner, in particular through the use of signs and symbols.

Reports
Article 13
1
Member States shall provide the Commission with the results of the monitoring and with the bathing water quality assessment for each bathing water, as well as with a description of significant management measures taken. Member States shall provide this information annually by 31 December in relation to the preceding bathing season. They shall begin providing it once the first bathing water quality assessment has been carried out in accordance with Article 4.
2
Member States shall notify the Commission annually before the start of the bathing season of all waters identified as bathing waters, including the reason for any change compared to the preceding year. They shall do so for the first time before the start of the first bathing season after 24 March 2008.
As regards Mayotte, the time limit referred to in the first subparagraph shall be
30 June 2014
.
3
When monitoring of bathing water has started under this Directive, annual reporting to the Commission in accordance with paragraph 1 shall continue to take place pursuant to Directive 76/160/EEC until a first assessment can be made under this Directive. During that period, parameter 1 of the Annex to Directive 76/160/EEC shall not be taken into account in the annual report, and parameters 2 and 3 of the Annex to Directive 76/160/EEC shall be assumed to be equivalent to parameters 2 and 1 of column A of Annex I to this Directive.
4
The Commission shall publish an annual summary report on bathing water quality in the Community, including bathing water classifications, conformity with this Directive and significant management measures undertaken. The Commission shall publish this report by 30 April every year, including via the Internet. When establishing the report the Commission shall, wherever possible, make best use of data collection, assessment and presentation systems under related Community legislation, in particular Directive 2000/60/EC.
Inserted by Council Directive 2013/64/EU of 17 December 2013 amending Council Directives 91/271/EEC and 1999/74/EC, and Directives 2000/60/EC, 2006/7/EC, 2006/25/EC and 2011/24/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council, following the amendment of the status of Mayotte with regard to the European Union.