Rationality Criteria for Complex Goal Systems: The case of the EU Water Framework Directive

We extend a previous list of four rationality criteria for the setting of a single goal to a list of six rationality criteria for the construction of large goal systems, such as those commonly established for sustainability policies. These criteria are applied to the European Union's Water Framework Directive (WFD). For each of the six criteria we find deficiencies that should preferably be redressed in future revisions of the framework. Based on this example, we argue that in the future, complex goal systems should be carefully analysed from the viewpoint of goal-setting rationality before they are adopted.