EUROPEAN COMMISSION Brussels, 11.10.2021 SWD(2021) 1001 final COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT Accompanying the document REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL AND THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT on the implementation of Council Directive 91/676/EEC concerning the protection of waters against pollution caused by nitrates from agricultural sources based on Member State reports for the period 2016–2019 {COM(2021) 1000 final}



Contents 1.EVOLUTION OF PRESSURES FROM AGRICULTURE9 Agricultural area and livestock9 Use of fertilisers23 Nutrient balance28 N-discharge into the environment from agriculture31 2.WATER QUALITY32 Monitoring32 Groundwater quality40 Surface water quality …………………………………………………………………………... 58 3.NITRATE VULNERABLE ZONES107 4.COUNTRY FICHES111



TABLES Table 1: Average livestock numbers (106) presented in the article 10 reports of the Member States (MS) for reporting periods 2012-2015 and 2016-2019, and the change between the two reporting periods.9 Table 2: Utilized agricultural area (1 000 ha) in the periods 2008-2011, 2012-2016, 2016-2019, and the change between periods (Source: Eurostat, December 2020).10 Table 3: Number of total cattle (1 000 heads) in the periods 2008-2011, 2012-2016, 2016-2019, and the change between the periods (Source: Eurostat, December 2020).11 Table 4: Number of dairy cattle (1 000 heads) in the periods 2008-2011, 2012-2016, 2016-2019, and the change between the periods (Source: Eurostat, December 2020).12

Table 5: Number of pigs (1 000 heads) in the periods 2008-2011, 2012-2016, 2016-2019, and the change between the periods (Source: Eurostat, December 2020).13 Table 6: Number of sheep (1 000 heads) in the periods 2008-2011, 2012-2016, 2016-2019, and the change between the periods (Source: Eurostat, December 2020).14 Table 7: Number of poultry (1 000 heads) in the 2010, 2013 and 2016, and change between years (Source: Eurostat, December 2020).15 Table 8: Number of Livestock Units (1 000) in 2010, 2013 and 2016, and the change between the years (Source: Eurostat, December 2020).16 Table 9: Livestock density index (LU per ha UAA) in 2010, 2013 and 2016, and the change between the years (Source: Eurostat, December 2020).17 Table 10: Average annual animal manure nitrogen and mineral fertiliser nitrogen use (1 000 tons N) presented in the article 10 reports of the Member States for reporting periods 2012-2015 and 2016-2019, and the change between the two reporting periods.23 Table 11: Mineral fertiliser nitrogen use (1 000 kg N) in the periods 2008-2011, 2012-2015 and 2016-2019, and the change between the reporting periods (Source: Eurostat, December 2020).24 Table 12: Mineral fertiliser phosphate use (1 000 kg P) in the periods 2008-2011, 2012-2015 and 2016-2019, and the change between the reporting periods (Source: Eurostat, December 2020).25 Table 13: Animal manure nitrogen use (1 000 kg N) in the periods 2008-2011, 2012-2015 and 2016-2019, and the change between the reporting periods (Source: Eurostat, December 2020)26 Table 14: Animal manure phosphate use (1 000 kg P) in the periods 2008-2011, 2012-2015 and 2016-2019, and the change between the reporting periods (Source: Eurostat, December 2020)27 Table 15: Gross nitrogen balance per hectare UAA (kg/ha N - UAA) in the periods 2008-2011, 2012-2015 and 2015-2019, and the change between the periods in kg N per ha. (Source: Eurostat, December 2020)28 Table 16: Net nitrogen balance per hectare UAA (kg/ha N - UAA) in the periods 2008-2011, 2012-2015 and 2015-2019, and the change between the periods in kg N per ha. (Source: Eurostat, December 2020).29 Table 17: Gross phosphate balance per hectare UAA (kg/ha P - UAA) in the periods 2008-2011, 2012-2015 and 2015-2019, and the change between the periods in kg N per ha (Source: Eurostat, December 2020).30 Table 18: Annual average nitrogen discharge (kton N) to the aquatic environment and relative contribution of agriculture (%), presented in the article 10 reports of the Member States for reporting periods 2008-2011, 2012-2015 and 2016-2019.31 Table 19: Number of stations and station density (stations per 1 000 km2 of land) of reported groundwater monitoring of annual average nitrate measurements in reporting periods 2008-2011, 2012-2015 and 2016-2019, the change (%) between the last two periods, and the annual average sampling frequency in 2016-2019.32 Table 20: Number of stations and station density (stations per 1 000 km2 of land) of reported fresh surface water monitoring of annual average nitrate measurements in reporting periods 2008-2011, 2012-2015 and 2016-2019, the change (%) between the last two periods, and the annual average sampling frequency in 2016 -2019.34 Table 21: Number of stations of reported saline surface water monitoring of annual average nitrate measurements in reporting periods 2008-2011, 2012-2015 and 2016-2019, and the change (%) between the last two periods.36 Table 22: Number of stations with trends for groundwater monitoring points in the periods 2008-2011, 2012-2015 and 2016-2019.38 Table 23: Number of stations with trends for surface water monitoring points in the periods 2008-2011, 2012-2015 and 2016-2019.39 Table 24: Percentage of groundwater monitoring points per water quality class (annual average nitrate concentration in mg nitrate per l) for all stations of the EU 27 Member States and UK for the period 2016-2019.40

Table 25: Percentage of groundwater stations (at all depth) with decreasing, stable or increasing trends in average groundwater nitrate concentrations between the reporting periods 2012-2015 and 2016-2019.42 Table 26: Percentage of groundwater stations by classes of annual nitrate concentration, at different sampling depths, aggregated over all Member States. Reporting period 2016-2019.44 Table 27: Percentage of groundwater stations with decreasing, stable or increasing trends at different depths, aggregated over all Member States. Reporting period 2016-201945 Table 28: Percentage of fresh surface water monitoring points per water quality class (annual average nitrate concentration in mg nitrate per l) for all stations of the EU27 Member States and UK for the period 2016-2019.58 Table 29: Percentage of saline surface water monitoring points per water quality class (annual average nitrate concentration in mg nitrate per l) for all stations of the EU27 Member States and UK for the period 2016-1019.60 Table 30: Percentage of fresh surface water stations (rivers and lakes) with decreasing, stable or increasing trends in average fresh surface water nitrate concentrations between the reporting periods 2012-2015 and 2016-2019.62 Table 31: Percentage of saline surface water stations with decreasing, stable or increasing trends in average saline surface water nitrate concentrations between the reporting periods 2012-2015 and 2016-2019.64 Table 32: Percentage of surface water stations by classes of annual nitrate concentrations for different stations type and aggregated over all Member States. Reporting period 2016-201966 Table 33: Percentage of river stations at different trophic status for all EU27 Member States and UK in reporting period 2016-2019.67 Table 34: Percentage of lake stations at different trophic status for all EU27 Member States and UK in reporting period 2016-2019.69 Table 35: Percentage of transitional water stations at different trophic status for all EU27 Member States and UK in reporting period 2016-2019.71 Table 36: Percentage coastal water stations at different trophic status for all EU27 Member States and UK in reporting period 2016-2019.73 Table 37: Percentage of marine water stations at different trophic status for all EU27 Member States and UK in reporting period 2016-2019.75 Table 38: Percentage of surface water stations at different trophic status for the reporting period 2016-2019. Note that the number of underlying Member States is different per water type.77 Table 39: Percentage of fresh surface water monitoring points per water quality class, aggregated by sea regions and sub-regions. Reporting period 2016-2019.78 Table 40: Percentage of fresh surface water monitoring points per water quality class, aggregated by sea regions. Reporting period 2016-2019.78 Table 41: Percentage of marine, coastal and transitional water monitoring points per water quality class, aggregated by sea regions and sub-regions. Reporting period 2016-2019.79 Table 42: Percentage of marine, coastal and transitional water monitoring points per water quality class, aggregated by sea regions. Reporting period 2016-2019.79 Table 43: Percentage of marine, coastal and transitional water monitoring points per water trophic status classes, aggregated by sea regions and sub-regions. Reporting period 2016-2019.80 Table 44: Percentage of marine, coastal and transitional water monitoring points per water trophic status classes, aggregated by sea regions. Reporting period 2016-201980

Table 45: Implementation of Article 3 of the Nitrates Directive in 2016-2019. In blue the MS that changed NVZ in RP7, in grey the not valid or drafted zone that are excluded from the total value. (Source: JRC)107 Table 46: Analysis of added and removed NVZ respect to the previous reporting periods. In the table only the countries that changed NVZ. See countries in blue in Table 45 (Source: JRC)108 FIGURES Figure 1: Groundwater station density (stations per 1 000 km2 of land) in reporting period 2016-2019. Stations with data of average annual nitrate measurements.33 Figure 2: Average annual groundwater sampling frequency in reporting period 2016-2019. Stations with data of average annual nitrate measurements.33 Figure 3: Fresh surface water station density (stations per 1 000 km2 of land) in reporting period 2016-2019. Stations with data of average annual nitrate measurements.35 Figure 4: Annual average fresh surface water sampling frequency in reporting period 2016-2019. Stations with data of average annual nitrate measurements.35 Figure 5: Annual average saline surface water sampling frequency in reporting period 2016-2019. Stations with data of average annual nitrate measurements.37 Figure 6: Frequency diagram of annual average nitrate concentrations in groundwater, at all depths, in reporting period 2016-2019.41 Figure 7: Frequency diagram of trends in annual average nitrate concentrations in groundwater, at all depths, in reporting period 2016-2019.43 Figure 8: Frequency diagram of annual average nitrate concentrations in groundwater at different depths, aggregated over all Member States. Reporting period 2016-201944 Figure 9: Frequency diagram of trends in annual average nitrate concentrations in groundwater at different depths, aggregated over all Member States. Reporting period 2016-201945 Figure 10: Frequency diagram of annual average nitrate concentrations in fresh surface waters (rivers and lakes), in reporting period 2016-2019.59 Figure 11: Frequency diagram of annual average nitrate concentrations in saline surface waters, in reporting period 2016-2019.61 Figure 12: Frequency diagram of trends in annual average nitrate concentrations in fresh surface water (rivers and lakes). Reporting period 2016-201963 Figure 13: Frequency diagram of trends in annual average nitrate concentrations in saline surface water. Reporting period 2016-201965 Figure 14: Frequency diagram of annual average nitrate concentrations in different surface waters, aggregated over all Member States. Reporting period 2016-2019.66 Figure 15: Frequency diagram of the trophic status of rivers in reporting period 2016-2019.68

Figure 16: Frequency diagram of the trophic status of lakes in reporting period 2016-201970 Figure 17: Frequency diagram of trophic status classes of transitional waters in reporting period 2016-2019.72 Figure 18: Frequency diagram of trophic status classes of coastal waters in reporting period 2016-2019.74 Figure 19: Frequency diagram of trophic status classes of marine waters in reporting period 2016-2019.76 Figure 20: Frequency diagram of trophic status classes of different water types in reporting period 2016-2019.77 MAPS Map 1: Livestock density by NUTS2 expressed as livestock units per hectare of UAA, year 2016 (Source: Eurostat, February 2021)18 Map 2: Bovine density by NUTS2 expressed as livestock units per hectare of UAA, year 2016 (Source: Eurostat, February 2021).19 Map 3: Poultry density by NUTS2 expressed as livestock units per hectare of UAA, year 2016 (Source: Eurostat, February 2021)..20 Map 4: Sheep density by NUTS2 expressed as livestock units per hectare of UAA, year 2016 (Source: Eurostat, February 2021)..21 Map 5: Swine density by NUTS2 expressed as livestock units per hectare of UAA, year 2016 (Source: Eurostat, February 2021)..22 Map 6: Annual average nitrate concentrations in groundwater at the NUTS2 level, for the reporting period 2016-2019.46 Map 7: Annual average nitrate concentrations in groundwater at the NUTS3 level, for the reporting period 2016-2019.47 Map 8: Annual average nitrate concentrations in groundwater for the reporting period 2016-2019.48 Map 9: Comparison between annual average nitrate concentrations in groundwater for each concentration class separately. Reporting period 2016-201949 Map 10: Stations with annual average nitrate concentrations equal to or exceeding 50 mg/l in groundwater for the reporting period 2016-201950 Map 11: Maximum nitrate concentrations in groundwater for the reporting period 2016-2019..51 Map 12: Strong trends in nitrates concentrations in groundwater between the reporting periods 2012-2015 and 2016-2019 in all stations.52 Map 13: Strong trends in nitrates concentrations in groundwater between the reporting periods 2012-2015 and 2016-2019, for stations with an average annual nitrate concentration below 25 mg/l in 2016-201953

Map 14: Strong trends in nitrates concentrations in groundwater between the reporting periods 2012-2015 and 2016-2019, for stations with an average annual nitrate concentration between 25 and 40 mg/l in 2016-201954 Map 15: Strong trends in nitrates concentrations in groundwater between the reporting periods 2012-2015 and 2016-2019, for stations with an average annual nitrate concentration between 40 and 50 mg/l in 2016-201955 Map 16: Strong trends in nitrates concentrations in groundwater between the reporting periods 2012-2015 and 2016-2019, for stations with an average annual nitrate concentration equal to or above 50 mg/l in 2016-201956 Map 17: Map of stations with no trend in nitrates concentrations in groundwater between the reporting periods 2012-2015 and 2016-201957 Map 18: Annual average nitrate concentrations in surface water (all categories) at the NUTS2 level, for the reporting period 2016-2019.81 Map 19: Annual average nitrate concentrations in surface water (all categories) at the NUTS3 level, for the reporting period 2016-2019..82 Map 20: Annual average nitrate concentrations in fresh surface water (river, lake/reservoir) at the NUTS2 level, for the reporting period 2016-2019..83 Map 21: Annual average nitrate concentrations in fresh surface water (river, lake/reservoir) at the NUTS3 level, for the reporting period 2016-2019.84 Map 22: Annual average nitrate concentrations in saline surface water (transitional, coastal, and marine waters) at the NUTS2 level, for the reporting period 2016-2019.85 Map 23: Annual average nitrate concentrations in saline surface water (transitional, coastal, and marine waters) at the NUTS3 level, for the reporting period 2016-2019.86 Map 24: Percentage of surface waters stations (all categories) in eutrophic status at the NUTS2 level, for the reporting period 2016-2019..87 Map 25: Percentage of surface waters stations (all categories) in eutrophic status at the NUTS3 level, for the reporting period 2016-2019..88 Map 26: Trophic status in surface water (all categories) for the reporting period 2016-2019..89 Map 27: Percentage of fresh surface water stations (river, lake/reservoir) in eutrophic status at the NUTS2 level, for the reporting period 2016-2019.90 Map 28: Percentage of fresh surface water stations (river, lake/reservoir) in eutrophic status at the NUTS3 level, for the reporting period 2016-2019.91 Map 29: Percentage of saline surface waters stations (transitional, coastal, and marine waters) in eutrophic status at the NUTS2 level, for the reporting period 2016-2019.92 Map 30: Percentage of saline surface waters stations (transitional, coastal, and marine waters) in eutrophic status at the NUTS3 level, for the reporting period 2016-2019.93 Map 31: Annual average nitrate concentrations in surface water (all categories) for the reporting period 2016-2019.94 Map 32: Comparison between annual average nitrate concentrations in surface water for each concentration class separately. Reporting period 2016-201995 Map 33: Winter average nitrate concentrations in surface water for the reporting period 2016-2019. Higher values are plotted on the top96

Map 34: Maximum nitrate concentrations in surface water for the reporting period 2016-201997 Map 35: Strong trends in annual average nitrate concentrations in surface water (all categories) between the reporting periods 2012-2015 and 2016-2019 for all stations98 Map 36: Strong trends in winter average nitrate concentrations in surface water (all categories) between the reporting periods 2012-2015 and 2016-201999 Map 37: Strong trends in annual average nitrate concentrations in surface water (all categories) between the reporting periods 2012-2015 and 2016-2019 for stations with an average annual nitrate concentration below 2 mg/l in 2016-2019100 Map 38: Strong trends in annual average nitrate concentrations in surface water (all categories) between the reporting periods 2012-2015 and 2016-2019 for stations with an average annual nitrate concentration between 2 and 10 mg/l in 2016-2019101 Map 39: Strong trends in annual average nitrate concentrations in surface water (all categories) between the reporting periods 2012-2015 and 2016-2019 for stations with an average annual nitrate concentration between 10 and 25 mg/l in 2016-2019102 Map 40: Strong trends in annual average nitrate concentrations in surface water (all categories) between the reporting periods 2012-2015 and 2016-2019 for stations with an average annual nitrate concentration between 25 and 40 mg/l in 2016-2019103 Map 41: Strong trends in annual average nitrate concentrations in surface water (all categories) between the reporting periods 2012-2015 and 2016-2019 for stations with an average annual nitrate concentration between 40 and 50 mg/l in 2016-2019104 Map 42: Strong trends in annual average nitrate concentrations in surface water (all categories) between the reporting periods 2012-2015 and 2016-2019 for stations with an average annual nitrate concentration equal to or above 50 mg/l in 2016-2019105 Map 43: Map of stations with no trend in nitrates concentrations in surface water between the reporting periods 2012-2015 and 2016-2019106 Map 44: Implementation of Article 3 of the Nitrates Directive in 2016-2019109 Map 45: Analysis of added and removed NVZ respect to the previous reporting periods.110



1.EVOLUTION OF PRESSURES FROM AGRICULTURE Agricultural area and livestock (*) NA: not available (no data from MS report); - : not applicable





































Map 1: Livestock density by NUTS2 expressed as livestock units per hectare of UAA, year 2016 (Source: Eurostat, February 2021)







Map 3: Poultry density by NUTS2 expressed as livestock units per hectare of UAA, year 2016 (Source: Eurostat, February 2021). The label ‘NA’ stands for not available data.









Map 5: Swine density by NUTS2 expressed as livestock units per hectare of UAA, year 2016 (Source: Eurostat, February 2021). The label ‘NA’ stands for not available data.



Use of fertilisers (*) NA: not available (no data from MS report); - : not applicable



(*) NA: not available





(*) NA: not available



(*) NA: not available



(*) NA: not available



Nutrient balance (*) NA = not available



Table 16: Net nitrogen balance per hectare UAA (kg/ha N - UAA) in the periods 2008-2011, 2012-2015 and 2015-2019, and the change between the periods in kg N per ha. (Source: Eurostat, December 2020).