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The WFD defines its Environmental Objectives in Article 4 and sets the aim for long-term sustainable water management. Article 4(1) defines the general objective of good status to be achieved in all groundwater bodies by 2015, and introduces the principle of preventing any further deterioration of status.

A number of exemptions to the general objective are possible under certain conditions. Article 4(4) allows for an extension of the deadline beyond 2015, Article 4(5) allows for the achievement of less stringent objectives, Article 4(6) allows a temporary deterioration in the status of water bodies and Article 4(7) sets out conditions in which deterioration of status or failure to achieve certain of the WFD Environmental Objectives may be permitted for new modifications to the physical characteristics of surface water bodies, and deterioration from high to good status may be possible as a result of new sustainable human development activities.

The WFD provides the general framework on exemptions but there is scope for differences in understanding and implementation. From the outset of implementation it was clear that the use of exemptions needed to be explained further and the rules for application had to be made clearer. These clarifications can be found in the CIS Guidance Document No 20 on exemptions, which was developed over several years.

In addition, Article 6(3) of Directive 2006/118/EC on the protection of groundwater against pollution and deterioration allows Member States to exempt inputs of pollutants to groundwaters from the programme of measures under certain specified circumstances.