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Vilnius, 14 September 2004

Vilnius, 14 September 2004. Nitrates Directive: requirements and experiences of implementation Liliana Cortellini European Commission, ENV B1 Soil and Agriculture This presentation does not necessarily represent the view of the European Commission or its Services. Outline.

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Vilnius, 14 September 2004

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  1. Vilnius, 14 September 2004 Nitrates Directive: requirements and experiences of implementation Liliana Cortellini European Commission, ENV B1 Soil and Agriculture This presentation does not necessarily represent the view of the European Commission or its Services

  2. Outline • Directive requirements • Implementation experiences • Water monitoring • Designation of nitrate vulnerable zones • Design and implementation of the action programmes • Conclusions

  3. Nitrate concentration in rivers, 2000-2001Source EEA, 2004

  4. Nitrate concentration in rivers in relation to land useSource EEA, 2004

  5. Nitrate concentration in groundwaters Source EEA, 2004

  6. The Nitrates Directive Objectives Directive 91/676/EEC concerning the protection of waters against pollution caused by nitrates from agricultural sources • Reducing water pollution caused or induced by nitrates from agricultural sources • Preventing further such pollution

  7. The Nitrates Directive Obligations for Member States (1) • Water monitoring • Identification of polluted waters, identification of waters which could be affected by pollution if measures are not taken • Nitrates Vulnerable Zones (NVZs) designation, revision every four years • Designation of NVZs not required if an action programme is implemented on the whole territory

  8. The Nitrates Directive Obligations for Member States (2) • Establish a code or codes of good agricultural practice, to be implemented by farmers on a voluntary basis • Design and implement action programmes in NVZs • Assess effectiveness of action programmes • Report on the implementation to the Commission

  9. Adoption ofDirective 12/12/91 Art. 10Member StatesReports Transposition 12.93 Designationof vulnerable zones (NVZs) 12.1997 Revision NVZs 1st Action Programme 12.2001 Revision NVZs 2nd Action Programme Elaboration Action Programme Code of goodpractices 12 98 12 02 WaterMonitoring 210 kg N 170 kg N 1993 1997 2001 2005 1996 2004 Years: 1992 2000 The Nitrates Directive Implementation calendar 12.2005 Revision NVZs 3rd Action Programme

  10. The Nitrates Directive Commitments of the new Member States In advance of accession establish a complete monitoring system (surface and ground waters) detect and designate waters affected by pollution designate the Nitrates Vulnerable Zones (at least one year before accession) By accession establish a Code of Good Agricultural Practices establish action programmes

  11. Water monitoring and identification of polluted waters (1) Nitrate concentration in Freshwaters where • sampling stations Directive 75/440/EEC • other sampling stations representative of surface waters when • at least one year every four years • monthly and more frequently during flood periods

  12. Monitoring and identification of polluted waters(2) Nitrate concentration in Ground waters where • sampling stations representative of groundwater aquifers when • At regular intervals

  13. Water monitoring and identification of polluted waters (3) Eutrophic Status • Fresh surface waters • Estuarial and coastal waters Definition of Eutrophication • Enrichment of water by nitrogen compounds causing an accelerated growth of algae and higher forms of plant life to produce an undesirable disturbance to the balance of organisms present in the water and to the quality of water concerned

  14. Criteria for identification of polluted waters (Annex I) • Nitrate concentration equal or higher than 50 mg/L in groundwaters and surface waters • Upwards trends so that 50 mg/L nitrate concentration could be reached if actions are not taken • Eutrophic status of freshwaters, estuaries and coastal waters • Trend towards eutrophication if actions are not taken

  15. Towards the standardisation of the monitoring procedures under Nitrates Directive (1) Monitoring guidelines prepared by EC • Procedures for monitoring of surface waters (sampling frequency, sampling site selection, timing) • Procedures for monitoring of groundwaters (frequency, site selection, timing) • Procedures for monitoring of estuarine, coastal and marine waters

  16. Towards the standardisation of the monitoring procedures under Nitrates Directive (2) Monitoring guidelines prepared by EC • Indicators of eutrophic status of freshwaters, estuaries and coastal waters • Monitoring in NVZs for the assessment of action programme effectiveness • Monitoring procedures for Member States which apply the action programme to the whole territory

  17. Designation of Nitrates Vulnerable Zones Two possible approaches • Designation of specific zones • No designation and implementation of the action programme in the whole territory

  18. Whole territory approach . Implementation of the action programme on the whole territory Germany Austria The Netherlands Luxemburg Denmark Finland Ireland Malta Slovenia Lithuania

  19. Designation of Nitrates Vulnerable Zones (1) * June 2004, provisional data

  20. Designation of Nitrates Vulnerable Zones (2) . * June 2004

  21. Percentage of water samples exceeding 50 mg/l NO3Source IEEP, 2002

  22. Fertiliser consumption

  23. Trends in livestock number Source: FAOSTAT, 2002

  24. Change in the Nitrogen BalanceSource OECD, 2001

  25. The Nitrates Directive Action programmes (1) • Measures to be included in the Action Programmes: Annex III and Annex II of the Directive • Member States may establish different Action Programmes for different vulnerable zones or part of zones (art.5.2) • Member States could identify additional and reinforced actions (art. 5.5) in NVZs

  26. The Nitrates Directive Action programmes (2) Examples of measures to be included in the Action Programmes • Minimum storage capacity • Prohibition periods of fertiliser application • Maximum Nitrogen amount applied with livestock manure: 170 kg/hectare • Fertilization according to a nitrogen balance • Fertilisation procedures near water courses, on slopes, on frozen, water logged, snow covered soils • Vegetation cover in winter periods

  27. Action programmesManure storage capacity Result of the study carried on by the Commission

  28. Storage capacityCurrent situation • Requirements of storage capacity ≥ 6 months in several MS (e.g. Denmark, Austria, Finland, Belgium (Wallonia) individual regions in Italy, France, Germany • Funding storage vessels in EU 15: Rural Development and State Aids

  29. Action programmes, implementation in EU 15 Some of the area requiring improvement (Report year 2000): • Storage capacity • 170 kgN/ha from organic manure • Prohibition periods in fertiliser application • Provisions on fertiliser spreading near water course and slopes

  30. Action programmesDerogation • The procedure to obtain a derogation • Denmark derogation (Commission Decision 915/2002) • Cattle farms with at least 70% grassland: 230 kg/hectare N from livestock manure • Farms and arable land encompassed by derogation: 4% • Livestock units encompassed by derogation :11%

  31. An example of Action programmeThe Danish case (1) • Storage capacity: 9 months, construction standards • N application with livestock manure: 170 kg/ha (cattle), 140 kg/ha (pig and poultry) • N in livestock manure: tables of reference values for all livestock categories and housing systems (eg: 117-123 kgN/head dairy cattle, large breed)

  32. An example of Action programmeThe Danish case (2) • Total Nitrogen application standards for all main crops (updated yearly on the basis of data on experimental and pilot farms) • Minimum manure nitrogen efficiency: • Pig slurry: 75% • Cattle slurry: 70% • Deep litter: 45% • Other livestock manure: 65%

  33. An example of Action programmeThe Danish case (3) • Minimum winter cover • Prohibition period for manure application: from harvest to February (slurry)

  34. An example of Action programmeThe Danish case (4) • Fertiliser plans • To be prepared by all farmers every year • Fertiliser account • to be provided to the competent Authorities at the end of each year • Checking of compliance: • evaluation of fertiliser plans+on site inspections

  35. Conclusions (1) • Nitrogen losses from agriculture represent a main contribution to pollution of water • Nitrates Directive has been implemented slowly but • Significant progress has been made in the recent years

  36. Conclusions • Further progress are required in Nitrates Vulnerable Zone Designation and Action Programme implementation (EU 15) • Implementation of the Nitrates Directive is essential in the New Members States to reduce pollution and avoid extensive pollution problems over the coming years

  37. More information http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/water/water-nitrates/index_en.html • Report on the implementation of the Nitrates Directive year 2000 • Monitoring guidelines • Reporting guidelines

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