How Hercules cleans up the Augean stables: differentiated implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive

Abstract Realising the goals of European Union (EU) Water Framework Directive is difficult. The differentiation water policies according to local conditions enjoys increasing attention and may be necessary achieve good ecological status in all waters. This paper seeks explore what extent how quality determines degree coercion, i.e. which differentiated are voluntary or rather imposed upon policy addressees, spatially policies. It does so on basis seven cases five EU Member States. For highly polluted waters, tend either make use authoritative instruments, coercion by way formal regulation, rely threat introduce such regulation. preventing deterioration relatively ‘clean’ instruments based information persuasion dominate, often supported subsidies and/or direct input public resources. In relation spatial policies, issues data demand, equality legitimacy have taken into account.