There’s good news for those planning a beach holiday in Europe this summer – 92 per cent of bathing waters in the EU now meet the minimum water quality standards.

“Cyprus, Croatia, Malta and Greece had excellent reports on their bathing water sites, all with more than 90 per cent of bathing water sites meeting the most stringent guide values (excellent quality),” the European Environment Agency (EEA) said on Wednesday.

Spain, Italy and Portugal had more than 80 per cent of sites with excellent water quality, it added.

But the Netherlands, Bulgaria, Latvia, Luxemburg and Belgium had “relatively low proportions of sites meeting the strict guide values, especially as regards inland waters.”

The report was compiled by water analyses carried out in 2011 at more than 22,000 bathing sites at beaches, rivers and lakes, the EEA said.

Among the sites meeting the minimum water quality standards set by the Bathing Water Directive were the Serpentine Lake in London, which will host several Olympics events, including the Open Water Marathon Swim and the swimming section of the triathlon.

The report noted that in France, home to 16 per cent of bathing sites in the EU, only two-thirds were of excellent quality while 88 per cent met the minimum mandatory water quality requirements.

“In several countries there is still a problem with pollution from agriculture and sewage, so we need to see more efforts to ensure safe and clean water for the public,” EEA executive director Jacqueline McGlade said.