The vast majority of bathing waters in Europe meet the most stringent quality standards

Brussels – From the Atlantic to the Mediterranean, according to the latest annual report on bathing waters published today, by 2025 the vast majority of bathing waters in Europe met the European Union’s most stringent “excellent” quality standards. This represents 85 per cent of European bathing sites, with 96 per cent of all monitored EU sites meeting minimum quality standards and only 1.5 per cent classified as “poor“. These figures also show, as highlighted in a statement by the Commission and the European Environment Agency, that the overall quality of bathing waters across Europe has remained stable compared to last year. 

The highest proportion of bathing waters of excellent quality is found in Austria, Bulgaria, Cyprus, and Greece, with 95 per cent or more. The bathing water quality of coastal waters is generally better than that of rivers and lakes. In 2025, 88 per cent of coastal bathing waters in the EU were classified as excellent, compared with 78 per cent of inland bathing waters. 

The assessment and interactive map, compiled by the European Environment Agency (EEA), show where swimmers can find the safest bathing sites in Europe. The assessment examines the suitability of the water for bathing, focusing on monitoring bacteria that can potentially cause serious illnesses. 

The Commission states that the excellent quality of European bathing waters “is underpinned by the lasting impact of EU law.” Thanks to “the
Bathing Water Directive and other EU water legislation, the quality of European bathing waters has steadily improved in recent years,” says the EU Commission. This includes improved monitoring and management practices, investment in urban wastewater treatment plants, better wastewater collection, and improved assessment of cyanobacterial blooms that can be harmful to human health and the environment.

 Thanks to these ongoing efforts, it is now possible to swim in many urban waterways and rivers that were previously heavily polluted. At the same time, achieving healthy and resilient water systems requires continued progress in addressing broader pressures on surface and groundwater, including chemical pollution and climate-related impacts. Improving water quality for both people and nature is a key component of EU water resilience strategy. 

How was the survey conducted?

The assessment in today’s report is based on monitoring of over 22 200 bathing sites across Europe that were reported to the EEA for the 2025 season. This includes sites in all EU Member States, Albania, and Switzerland. 

In addition to this year’s
Europe’s bathing waters briefing, the EEA has also published a updated interactive map showing the performance of each bathing site. Updated country-specific factsheets and further information on the implementation of the directive in the assessed countries are also available. 

The Bathing Water Directive, which supplements the Water Framework Directive, is one of several pieces of EU legislation designed to protect water: the Directive
on environmental quality standards, the Directive on groundwater,the
Directive
on nitrates,the Marine
Strategy Framework Directive and the
Directive on urban
waste water treatment.