As the month of July starts, the school year comes to an end. Congratulations to all teachers and students for all their work, projects, activities and everything learned this year!
Before the holidays, you may be interested in learning about
- the latest information about bathing water quality in Europe;
- the ongoing #EUBeachCleanup 2026 campaign.
On 16 June 2026, the European Environment Agency (EEA) released its annual Bathing Water report. The assessment and interactive map, put together by the EEA in cooperation with the European Commission, show where swimmers can find the safest bathing sites in Europe. The assessment inspects water suitability for bathing, focusing on monitoring bacteria that can potentially cause serious illnesses. According to this report, from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean, the vast majority of bathing waters in Europe met the European Union's most stringent ‘excellent' bathing quality standards in 2025. This represents 85% of Europe's bathing sites, with 96% of all EU sites monitored meeting the minimum quality standards. However, 1.5% remained of poor quality, indicating that management measures were not sufficient or not effectively implemented. The bathing quality of coastal waters is generally better compared to rivers and lakes. In 2025, 88% of coastal bathing waters in the European Union (EU) were classified as excellent, compared to 78% of inland bathing waters. Thanks to the EU's Bathing Water Directive and other EU water legislation, the quality of Europe's bathing waters has steadily improved over recent years. This includes improved monitoring and management practices, investment in urban wastewater treatment plants, better wastewater collection, and improved assessment of the cyanobacterial algal blooms that can be harmful for human health and nature. [1] Have a look at the interactive map showing the performance of each bathing site. Zoom in to see the information for specific locations.
While the Bathing Water Directive requires Member States to monitor and assess bathing water, the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) aims to achieve a good environmental status for the EU's marine waters and to sustainably protect the resource base on which marine-related economic and social activities depend. It includes 11 descriptors, including marine litter. Every year, millions of tons of litter are generated through a variety of human activities and much of this ends up in our ocean, posing environmental, economic and public health problems. Marine litter is identified as one of the fastest growing threats to the health of the ocean, the diverse marine life it supports and, ultimately, humans consuming food from the ocean. Explore the Map of the Week to learn about the different categories of marine litter (glass, textile, metal, polymer, etc.) and the percentage of each category monitored on Europe’s coastline under the MSFD. We can all help address this issue and reduce marine litter through various initiatives, including
- marine litter prevention;
- participation in the #EUBeachCleanup 2026 campaign that started on 23 May and will run until 31 October with important events on 20 September 2026 for World Clean-up Day!
Wish to know more and to engage?
- Enjoy the Atlas Ocean Sports Game to test your knowledge about sports, find out how you can help protect the ocean when taking part in sports and how you can contribute to citizen sciences;
- Learn more about the #EUBeachCleanup 2026 campaign and events;
- Find out about the Annual Call for Innovative Green Education Actions launched by the Education for Climate Coalition. They are looking for recent projects that bring climate and sustainability learning to life. The application deadline is 6 September 2026. Selected projects will be featured through spotlight articles and invited to present their activities and results at the Education for Climate Day on 22 October in Brussels! Save the date for this Education for Climate Coalition flagship annual event. This year’s edition will focus on intergenerational fairness.
Important before you go, did you know that 25 July is World Drowning Prevention Day? The theme for World Drowning Prevention Day 2026 is “Unite to turn the tide”. Have a look at the dedicated website now to know your part and get the Unite to Turn the Tide Campaign Toolkit. Bathing in natural water environments is associated with specific risks, including currents and local conditions. The sea can be a very demanding environment and is different to swimming in a pool. [2] This is why it is essential to go into the water only within delimited zones of lifeguarded beaches where trained professionals can ensure safety and to make sure to be well informed about safety measures communicated locally. [3]
The Map of the Week will be on a summer break in the coming five weeks. We will be back with new ocean and seas updates on 13 August 2026!
Happy and safe holidays to everyone!
The data in the map is provided by EMODnet.
The European Atlas of the Seas is powered by the European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet). Don’t miss the latest news, register for the monthly EMODnet News Digest.
[1] https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_26_1352
[3] https://www.inrae.fr/actualites/lutte-contre-noyades-securite-baignade-est-affaire-famille