The Münster Higher Administrative Court (OVG) has rejected an application for enforcement by Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH) against the Federal Republic of Germany due to alleged delays in water protection (Ref.: 20 F 4 /26.AK of 22 April 2026). 

The Federal Administrative Court (BVerwG) had ruled in the October 2025 ruled that the Federal Ministry of Agriculture must protect water bodies from contamination by nitrate from agriculture by means of a national action programme. However, the OVG was unable to recognise any delay. The Federal Ministry of Agriculture had drawn up a detailed timetable after the written reasons for the ruling were available, which stipulated that the national action programme would be ready within 16 months by April 2027. The DUH thus failed with its application to impose a penalty payment of 10,000 against the Federal Republic of Germany for alleged delays.