1. The Nitrates Directive implementation in the EU Blue Waters and Green Agriculture Conference 10 May 2017 Bucharest
Marco Bonetti
ENV D1 – Land Use & Management

2. Nutrients
Important natural resource, essential to agriculture and life
Phosphorus is an irreplaceable, limited natural resource
Inefficient use and losses to environment can impact water, soil, air, ecosystems and biodiversity, etc.
Eutrophication is one of the key threats to reach "good ecological status" for EU surface waters

3. Nutrients from agriculture in the EU: trends and outlook
Trends and outlook: Water quality and nutrient loading
5-10 year trends: Water quality has improved, although concentrations of nutrients in many places are still high and affect the status of waters
20+ year outlook: In regions with intensive agricultural production, diffuse nitrogen pollution will still be high, resulting in continued eutrophication problems
Progress to policy targets: although the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive and the Nitrates Directive continue to deliver pollution control, diffuse nitrogen pollution remains problematic
Source: EEA State of the Environment Report 2015

4. Livestock density & N surplus
(LSU/ha)
2010 Copyright, JRC, EU Commission
Livestock density NUTS 2 regions (2013)
Estimated nitrogen surplus across Europe (2005)

5. Costs of nutrients pollution
Economic Losses
Drinking water treatment costs
Tourism and recreation
Commercial fishing
Human health

6. Water legislation relevant to nutrients
Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC)
'Framework Directive' bringing together EU water policies
Aim: Achieve good status of EU waters by means of integrated RBM
Instrument: RBMP and Programme of Measures  integrated approach based on identified pressures
Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC)
Aim: Protect environment from the adverse effects of waste water discharges
Instrument: Establishment of proper collection systems for waste water; Ensure appropriate treatment of collected waste water; Ensure reinforced treatment in areas sensitive to eutrophication
Marine Strategy Framework Directive (2008/56/EC)
Aim: Achieve Good Environmental Status (GES) for marine waters by 2020 by means of coherent approaches across sea basins
Instrument: Marine strategies and programmes of measures based on identified pressures
Nitrates Directive (91/676/EEC)
Aim: Reduce water pollution caused by nitrates from agricultural sources and prevent further such pollution
Instrument: Codes of Good Agricultural Practices, designation of vulnerable areas, Action Programmes

7. Other relevant legislation and initiatives
Air emissions from livestock manure
Critical raw materials
Circular economy
Consultation on sustainable use of phosphorus
Industrial Emissions
Fertiliser regulation
Nature and biodiversity
Common agricultural policy
Animal by-product regulation
Soil quality
R&D
Waste policy

8. Nitrates Directive (91/676/EEC)
Monitoring
Identification of polluted waters (or waters at risk of pollution)
Identification of Nitrates Vulnerable Zones (NVZ)
Codes of Good Agricultural Practice (voluntary)
Action Programmes (mandatory)
Reporting
Reduction of water pollution caused by nitrates from agricultural sources and prevention of further pollution

9. Identification of polluted waters
1. Surface freshwaters, in particular those used or intended for the abstraction of drinking water, which contain or could contain > 50 mg/l nitrates, if no action is taken
2. Groundwaters which contain > 50 mg/l nitrates or could contain > 50 mg/l nitrates if no action is taken
3. Natural freshwater lakes, other freshwater bodies, estuaries, coastal waters and marine waters which are found to be eutrophic or in the near future may become eutrophic if no action is taken

10. NVZ designation
Land draining into polluted waters or waters at risk of pollution designated as NVZ Art.3(1) and Art.3(2)
Alternatively, MS can take the "whole territory approach" (establishment of obligatory measures for the entire territory) Art, 3(5)
Territory designated as NVZ
Member States applingthe whole territory approach
Non-EU countries
NVZ Status

11. Action Programmes
Measures referred to in Annexes II and III to the Directive
Periods when fertilizer application is prohibited
Min. requirements for capacity and construction of storage facilities
Limitation of land application of fertilizer (balanced fertilization)
Max. application standard of 170 Kg N/ha/year from livestock manure
Application on water-saturated, flooded, frozen or snow-covered ground
Buffer strips near water courses
Application of fertilizer on steeply sloping ground

12. Balanced fertilisation
It is one of the cornerstones of the Nitrates Directive
A balance is needed between the foreseeable nitrogen requirements of the crops and the nitrogen supply to the crops from all sources
Respecting balanced fertilisation means avoiding waste of nutrients
This principle is a key element of circular economy at farm level: before thinking how to recycle wasted nutrients, it is important to avoid the waste of nutrients.

13. Practices in EU Member States to apply balanced fertilisation
Crop specific application standards, often differentiated (e.g. by historical yields or soil type)
Other methodologies, using various approaches and indicators (e.g. field balance vs.farm gate balance)
Pros and cons can be observed for the various approaches in terms of: accounting of different nutrient sources, controllability, etc.

14. Article 10 of the Nitrates Directive
Member States shall, in respect of the four-year period following the notification of this Directive and in respect of each subsequent four-year period, submit a report to the Commission containing the information outlined in Annex V.
A report pursuant to this Article shall be submitted to the Commission within six months of the end of the period to which it relates
1st Reporting period
2nd Reporting period
3rd Reporting period
4th Reporting period
5th Reporting period

15. Article 11 of the Nitrates Directive
On the basis of the information received pursuant to Article 10 the Commission shall :
Publish summary reports within six months of receiving the reports from Member States; and
Communicate them to the European Parliament and to the Council.

16. 2008-2011: Water quality is improving
% of groundwater stations exceeding 40 and 50 mg/l nitrates
% of surface water stations exceeding 40 and 50 mg/l nitrates
Challenges and "hot spots" remain in some countries
New data on the period will be available this year

17. Relevant developments
Manure is increasingly being considered as a valuable resource
Improvement in processing technologies and efficiency of the final product
Improved balanced fertilisation technologies, methodologies and accounting systems
Measures more and more targeted to specific areas and type of farm

18. Conclusions
Nitrates Directive: a piece of an integrated policy towards protection of water quality and environment
Nitrates Directive: successful policy approach  water quality improvement
Improvements of nutrient management related practices (manure storage, phase feeding to match animal N needs and reduce excretion, better application timing and advanced spreading techniques)
Balanced fertilisation is a key principle. It is important to take account of all nutrient sources and the specific conditions (type of system, boundaries, etc.)
Challenges still remain (hot spots of pollution, eutrophication, controls, etc.). Improving nitrogen use efficiency remains key in this regard

19. Thank you for your attention