REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS The implementation of the Soil Thematic Strategy and ongoing activities
Date: 2012-02-13
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: biodiversity, desertification, land use, soil pollution, soil protection, soil resources, sustainable development

EUROPEAN COMMISSION 

Brussels, 13.2.2012  
COM(2012) 46 final 

REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE 
COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE 
COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS 

The implementation of the Soil Thematic Strategy and ongoing activities 

 
 
 
 
 
 
REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE 
COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE 
COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS 

The implementation of the Soil Thematic Strategy and ongoing activities 

1. 

INTRODUCTION 

This  report  provides  an  overview  of  the  implementation  of  the  Thematic  Strategy  for  Soil 
Protection1 since its adoption in September 2006. The objective of the Strategy is to protect 
the  soil  while  using  it  sustainably,  through  the  prevention  of  further  degradation,  the 
preservation  of  soil  function  and  the  restoration  of  degraded  soils.  This  report  also  presents 
current  soil  degradation  trends  both  in  Europe  and  globally,  as  well  as  future  challenges  to 
ensure protection. 

2. 

THE FOUR PILLARS OF THE STRATEGY – AN UPDATE 

2.1. 

Awareness raising 

Soil functions – despite their fundamental role for the ecosystem and the economy, and unlike 
air  and  water  –  are  taken  for  granted  and  perceived  to  be  in  abundance.  Soil  degradation 
generally goes unnoticed, as it is a slow process in which immediate dramatic effects rarely 
occur.  For  these  reasons,  raising  awareness  about  soil  presents  a  particular  challenge. 
Recently it has been helped by several films and documentaries2. 

The  Commission  has  organised  several  public  events  dedicated  to  soil,  including  major 
conferences  on  soil,  climate  change  and  biodiversity,  contributions  to  meetings  on  the 
Convention on Biological Diversity, and several talks at Green Week. Moreover, leaflets and 
brochures have been made available in a number of EU languages3. The Commission has also 
published a number of soil atlases, including the Soil Atlas of Europe and the European Atlas 
of  Soil  Biodiversity.  It  has  also  established  a  working  group  on  Awareness  Raising  and 
Education in the context of the European Soil Bureau Network (ESBN)4. 

The Strategy has acted as an important driver for numerous soil awareness raising tools and 
networks  that  have  been  developed  in  Member  States,  including  the  European  Network  for 
Soil Awareness (ENSA). 

1 
2 

3 
4 

COM(2006) 231. 
For example  Dirt (USA), Humus (Austria), Solutions locales pour un désastre global (France), and Il 
suolo minacciato (Italy). 
More information at http://ec.europa.eu/environment/soil/index_en.htm. 
http://eusoils.jrc.ec.europa.eu/esbn/Esbn_overview.html. 

EN 

2 

   EN 

 
                                                 
2.2. 

Research 

Since the adoption of the Strategy, around 25 research projects have been funded under the 
Seventh  Framework  Programme  for  Research5  specifically  to  address  soil  issues  and  help 
complete the knowledge base for action. For example, RAMSOIL has identified a number of 
risk  assessment  methodologies  for  soil  degradation  processes,  demonstrating  comparability 
among  different  methodologies;  ENVASSO  has  proposed  minimum  requirements  for  a 
gradual  harmonisation  of  soil  monitoring  activities  and  policy-relevant  soil  indicators; 
SOILSERVICE  has  drawn  up  long-term  land  use  change  scenarios  and  indicated  that 
intensive  agricultural  production  which  fails  to  pay  proper  attention  to  soil  biodiversity  and 
soil functions may not be economically profitable after 2050, unless corrective action is taken. 

Interesting  results  are  expected  from  LUCAS,  a  survey  on  land  cover,  land  use  and  agro-
environmental  indicators6.  In  the  2009  and  2012  surveys,  a  specific  soil  module  has  been 
integrated  in  order  to  provide  statistics  and  indicators  for  the  European  Soil  Data  Centre 
(ESDAC)7  hosted  by  the  Joint  Research  Centre  (JRC)  of  the  Commission.  This  could  be  a 
starting  point  for  harmonised  European  monitoring  of  soil  parameters  for  a  whole  range  of 
statistical, research and policy purposes. 

The BIOSOIL project, launched in the context of the Forest Focus Regulation8, has reported 
an increase in organic carbon in some European forest soils. 

2.3. 

Integration 

Different Union policies play a key role in working towards the goal of sustainable use of soil. 
Since the Strategy was adopted, the Commission has continued its work on soil integration, in 
particular in the context of the following: 

• 

5 
6 
7 
8 
9 
10 
11 
12 

Common  Agricultural  Policy  (CAP).  Aspects  of  soil  protection  have  been  an 
integral part of Good Agricultural and Environmental Conditions (GAEC) since the 
introduction  of  cross  compliance  in  2003.  Emphasis  has  been  placed  on  limiting 
erosion,  retaining  and  improving  organic  matter,  and  avoiding  compaction.  Taking 
stock of the experience gained, in October 2011 the Commission proposed to further 
clarify and specify soil-related standards in the context of the overall CAP reform to 
20209. In particular, it proposed a new GAEC on organic matter protection, including 
a ban on arable stubble burning and an obligation not to plough wetlands and carbon-
rich soils. Member States have a broad margin of discretion in determining national 
GAEC obligations for farmers provided that the EU framework is respected10. Cross 
compliance  provides  for  minimum  soil  protection  conditions  and,  by  its  nature, 
cannot adress all soil degradation processes. Rural Development11 provides for agri-
environment  schemes  which  may  specifically  support  soil-protective  operations 
(8.8% of the budget spent in 2007-200812). It is expected that 21.4% of the utilised 

http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/projects_en.html. 
Decision No 1578/2007/EC. 
http://esdac.jrc.ec.europa.eu/. 
Regulation (EC) No 2152/2003. 
http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/cap-post-2013/legal-proposals/index_en.htm. 
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/soil/study1_en.htm. 
Regulation (EC) No. 1698/2005. 
Rural Development Information System-Indicator Database Information Monitoring. 

EN 

3 

   EN 

 
                                                 
agricultural  area  will  be  covered  by  measures  targeting  soil  quality  in  the  period 
2007-2013, as compared to 30.7% dedicated to avoiding marginalisation and 33.0% 
to  protect  biodiversity13.  There  is  therefore  scope  for  increasing  the  uptake  of 
measures to improve soil quality and extend the surface area covered. In addition, the 
new Rural Development proposal includes the objectives of sustainable management 
of  natural  resources  and  climate  mitigation  and  adaptation,  including  by  means  of 
improved  soil  management  and  enhanced  carbon  sequestration  in  agriculture  and 
forestry. The greening of the first pillar of the CAP, as proposed by the Commission, 
would  improve  the  situation  further,  particularly  in  relation  to  erosion  and  soil 
organic matter. 

Industrial  installations.  The  recently  adopted  Industrial  Emissions  Directive 
(IED)14 has introduced provisions to ensure that the operation of an installation does 
not lead to a deterioration in the quality of soil (and groundwater). These provisions 
set  a  sort  of  "zero  tolerance"  policy  for  new  pollution  and  underpin  the  ‘polluter 
pays’  principle.  However,  a  large  number  of  potentially  polluting  activities  are  not 
within the scope of the IED, which in any event only covers active installations. A 
potentially important tool for tracking industrial pollutants is the European Pollutant 
Release and Transfer Register (E-PRTR)15. However, in 2009 only 144 installations 
reported a release of pollutants to soil, compared to almost 3,000 for water and more 
than 11,000 for air. 

Cohesion  Policy.  Despite  the  fact  that  there  is  no  specific  EU  legal  basis  for  soil 
protection, around €3.1 billion ha ve been allocated to the rehabilitation of industrial 
sites and contaminated land as part of the Cohesion Policy in the period 2007-2013 
out  of  a  total  of  around  €49.6  billion  of  planned  EU  investments  under  the 
Environment theme16. Hungary, the Czech Republic and Germany have allocated the 
most funding (€475, 371, and 332 million respec tively). By the end of 2010, Member 
States  had  allocated  about  28%  of  funds  to  specific  projects.  Thus,  considerable 
resources  are  available  to  tackle  the  EU’s  industrial  legacy  in  eligible  regions  (see 
Figure 1). The Commission has proposed that the Cohesion Funds and the European 
Regional  Development  Fund  should  continue  to  support  the  regeneration  of 
brownfield  sites  in  the  next  programming  period  2014-202017.  In  addition,  the  EU 
include  some  specific  actions  on  soil  protection 
macro-regional  strategies 
(particularly on solid waste). 

State  aids  for  the  remediation  of  soil  contamination.  Member  States  may  grant 
State aid for carrying out soil remediation under the Environmental aid guidelines18. 
However,  such  aid  can  be  granted  only  if  the  ‘polluter  pays’  principle  is  fully 
respected, i.e. the polluter liable for the contamination is unknown or cannot be made 
to bear the costs. In the period 2005-2010, the Commission deemed several schemes 
or individual measures aiming at remediating contaminated sites in Austria, Belgium, 
the  Czech  Republic,  Estonia,  Germany,  the  Netherlands,  Slovakia  and  the  United 
Kingdom  to  be  compatible  with  the  Treaty.  It  verified  that  the  ‘polluter  pays’ 

COM(2011) 450. 
Directive 2010/75/EU. 
http://prtr.ec.europa.eu/. 
SEC(2010) 360. 
COM(2011) 612 and COM(2011) 614. 
OJ C 82, 1.4.2008, p. 1–33. 

• 

• 

• 

13 
14 
15 
16 
17 
18 

EN 

4 

   EN 

 
                                                 
principle was properly applied, in particular by ensuring that environmental liabilities 
were correctly transferred. The total aid thus approved was in excess of €8 billion 19. 

Figure 1: Eligible areas under the Structural Funds (2007-2013)20 

Convergence Regions 

Phasing-in Regions 

Phasing-out Regions 

Competitiveness and Employement Regions 

2.4. 

Legislation 

Based on a need to tackle soil productivity, risks to human health and the environment, and to 
provide  opportunities  for  climate  mitigation  and  adaptation  as  well  as  stimulating  business 
opportunities for soil remediation, the Commission proposed a Soil Framework Directive21 in 
2006,  which  also  addresses  the  transboundary  nature  of  soil  degradation.  The  European 
Parliament adopted its first reading on the proposal in November 2007 by a majority of about 

19 

20 
21 

Aid  above  the  de  minimis  threshold  (currently  set  at  €200,000  over  three  years)  provided  for  by 
Regulation (EC) No 1998/2006. 
http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/atlas2007/index_en.htm. 
COM(2006) 232. 

EN 

5 

   EN 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                 
two  thirds.  At  the  March  2010  Environment  Council,  a  minority  of  Member  States  blocked 
further  progress  on  grounds  of  subsidiarity,  excessive  cost  and  administrative  burden.  No 
further progress has since been made by the Council. The proposal remains on the Council's 
table. 

3. 

SOIL DEGRADATION CONTINUES… 

Land degradation in its various forms is a fundamental and persistent problem. The situation 
in  Europe  is  mirrored  and  magnified  in  many  parts  of  the  world.  It  is  also  a  global 
development  issue,  as  soil  degradation,  poverty  and  migration  are  mutually  reinforcing,  but 
that is often largely ignored, because observed impacts are gradual. 

3.1.  … globally… 

Desertification, land degradation and drought affect over 1.5 billion people in more than 110 
countries, 90% of whom live in low income areas. According to UNEP22, up to 50,000 km² 
are lost annually through land degradation, mainly due to soil erosion. Each year, the planet 
loses 24 billion tonnes of topsoil. Over the last two decades, enough has been lost to cover the 
entire cropland of the United States. Desertification costs the world more than $40 billion a 
year in lost productivity23. 

Soil  degradation  caused  by  human  activities  contributes  to  climate  change.  It  is  responsible 
for 20% of the carbon emitted to the atmosphere between 1850 and 199824. The drainage and 
conversion  of  the  world's  peatlands  alone  causes  emissions  of  up  to  0.8  billion  tonnes  of 
carbon a year, much of which could be avoided through restoration25. 

A  legacy  of  contaminated  sites  is  common  to  all  old  industrial  heartlands,  but  also  affects 
developing countries and countries with economies in transition. A recent report estimates the 
number of contaminated sites (mainly waste dumps) in India26 at 36,000; experts believe that 
there are between 300,000 and 600,000 contaminated sites in China27. 

3.2.  … and in the EU 

The  2010  Status  of  the  Environment  Report  of  the  European  Environment  Agency 
demonstrates that soil degradation is increasing28, as the following examples show: 

• 

22 
23 
24 

25 
26 

27 
28 

Soil  sealing  (the  permanent  covering  of  soil  with  an  impermeable  material)  and 
associated  land  take  lead  to  the  loss  of  important  soil  functions  (such  as  water 
filtration  and  storage,  and  food  production).  Between  1990  and  2000,  at  least  275 
hectares  of  soil  were  lost  per  day  in  the  EU,  amounting  to  1,000  km²  per  year. 
Between 2000 and 2006, the EU average loss increased by 3%, but by 14% in Ireland 

http://www.unep.org/geo/GEO4/report/GEO-4_Report_Full_en.pdf. 
http://www.nyo.unep.org/action/15f.htm. 
R.  Lal  (2004),  Soil  Carbon  Sequestration  Impacts  on  Global  Climate  Change  and  Food  Security, 
Science 304, 1623-1627. 
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/soil/pdf/report_conf.pdf. 
Remediation  of  contaminated  sites.  Sharing  experiences  and  international  practice  feasible  for  India, 
APSF, 2011 (http://apsfenvironment.in/). 
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/2011-03/10/content_12146168_2.htm. 
http://www.eea.europa.eu/soer. 

EN 

6 

   EN 

 
                                                 
and Cyprus, and by 15% in Spain29. In the period 1990-2006, 19 Member States lost 
a  potential  agricultural  production  capability  equivalent  to  a  total  of  6.1  million 
tonnes  of  wheat,  with  large  regional  variations  (see  Figure  2).  This  is  a  far  from 
insignificant figure, given the levelling off of agricultural productivity increases that 
has  already  been  experienced  and  the  fact  that,  to  compensate  for  the  loss  of  one 
hectare of fertile land in Europe, it would be necessary to bring into use an area up to 
ten times larger in another part of the world30. 

Figure 2: Potential wheat yield losses (%) in 19 EU countries (1990-2006). 

• 

29 
30 

31 

A recent new model of soil erosion by water constructed by the JRC has estimated 
the surface area affected in EU-27 at 1.3 million km² (see Figure 3). Almost 20% of 
these are subjected to a soil loss in excess of 10 t/ha/y. Erosion is not only a serious 
problem  for  soil  functions  (estimated  to  cost  €53  million  per  year  in  the  United 
Kingdom alone31); it also has an impact on the quality of freshwater, as it transfers 
nutrients  and  pesticides  to  water  bodies.  For  example,  agricultural  losses  of 
phosphorus exceed 0.1 kg/ha/y across much of Europe, but reach levels in excess of 

http://ec.europa.eu/environment/soil/sealing.htm. 
C. Gardi, P. Panagos, C. Bosco and D. de Brogniez, Soil Sealing, Land Take and Food Security: Impact 
assessment of land take in the production of the agricultural sector in Europe, JRC, 2011 (under peer 
review). 
Safeguarding our Soils. A Strategy for England, DEFRA, 2009, p. 11. 

EN 

7 

   EN 

 
 
                                                 
1.0  kg/ha/y  in  hotspots32.  Addressing  erosion  will  thus  be  a  key  contribution  to 
achieving  EU  water  objectives.  Soil  erosion  is  particularly  intensive  in  forest  fires 
areas,  estimated  at  500,000  ha/y  by  the  European  Forest  Fire  Information  System 
(EFFIS)33. 

Figure 3: Soil erosion by water in the EU (t/ha/y). 

• 

32 
33 

As  an  extreme  form  of  land  degradation,  desertification  results  in  a  serious 
impairment  of  all  soil  functions.  While  there  is  still  no  scientifically-sound 
assessment  at  European  level,  one  factor  that  contributes  to  desertification  is  an 

http://www.eea.europa.eu/soer/europe/freshwater-quality. 
http://effis.jrc.ec.europa.eu. 

EN 

8 

   EN 

 
 
                                                 
unfavourable  trend  in  productive  capacity.  Figure  4,  produced  by  the  JRC  in 
preparation  for  the  World  Atlas  of  Desertification34,  shows  the  areas  where 
productive  capacity  has  been  constantly  decreasing  in  the  past  few  decades.  If 
confirmed  by  other  factors,  this  could  indicate  increasing  desertification  across 
Europe. 

Figure 4: Evolution of net primary productivity (1982-2006). 

Unfavourable 

Favourable 

Fluctuating (negative) 

Fluctuating (positive) 

Bare areas 

• 

While naturally saline soils exist in certain parts of Europe, irrigation water – even if 
it is of high quality – includes minerals and salts that are gradually accumulated in 
the soil, causing salinisation. The continuing expansion of irrigation – with related 
problems of water scarcity and the increasing use of groundwater of marginal quality 
– accelerates salinisation, thereby affecting soil productivity. However, there are no 
systematic data available on trends across Europe. 

34 

http://wad.jrc.ec.europa.eu. The Atlas is due at the end of 2012. 

EN 

9 

   EN 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                 
• 

• 

• 

• 

Deposition of acidifying air pollutants (e.g. ammonia, sulphur dioxide and nitrogen 
oxides)  contributes  to  soil  acidification,  which  lowers  the  pH  of  the  soil,  thereby 
modifying  the  soil  ecosystem,  mobilising  heavy  metals  and  reducing  crop  yields. 
While  air  deposition  models  predict  a  significant  improvement  in  the  period  1990-
2010,  at  least  a  quarter  of  the  measured  samples  in  a  recent  assessment  of  forest 
monitoring  plots  showed  that  critical  limits  for  acidifying  substances  were  being 
exceeded  to  a  substantial  degree.  The  situation  for  other  soil  cover  types  is  not 
known,  as  there  is  no  systematic  monitoring  of  soil  acidification  across  Europe  for 
non-forested soils35. 

Soil biodiversity provides numerous essential services, including releasing nutrients 
in  forms  that  can  be  used  by  plants  and  other  organisms,  purifying  water  by 
removing  contaminants  and  pathogens,  contributing  to  the  composition  of  the 
atmosphere  by  participating  in  the  carbon  cycle,  and  providing  a  major  source  of 
genetic  and  chemical  resources  (e.g.  antibiotics).  An  indicator-based  map  prepared 
by  the  JRC36  (see  Figure  5)  shows  a  preliminary  assessment  of  where  soil 
biodiversity  is  threatened.  This  includes  areas  of  high  population  density  and/or 
intense  agricultural  activity  (e.g.  cereals  and  industrial  crops,  animal  husbandry, 
greenhouses, fruit orchards, vineyards and horticulture). 

Landslides  are  a  major  threat  in  mountainous  and  hilly  areas  across  Europe  (land 
abandonment  being  an  aggravating  factor),  often  producing  serious  impacts  on 
population,  property  and  infrastructure.  Over  630,000  landslides  are  currently 
registered in national databases. The areas prone to landslides are shown in Figure 6. 

It  is  difficult  to  quantify  the  full  extent  of  local  soil  contamination,  as  the  vast 
majority of Member States lack comprehensive inventories, although this is covered 
by  the  proposed  Soil  Framework  Directive.  In  2006,  the  European  Environment 
Agency  estimated  that  there  were  a  total  of  three  million  potentially  contaminated 
sites  in  the  EU,  of  which  250,000  were  actually  contaminated.  Remediation  is 
progressing,  although  there  are  wide  variations  between  Member  States,  reflecting 
the  presence  or  absence  of  national  legislation.  It  has  been  estimated  that,  in  2004, 
the turn-over of the soil remediation industry in EU-27 amounted to €5.2 billion, of 
which 21.6% spent in Germany, 20.5% in the Netherlands, and 5.9% each in France 
and the United Kingdom37. 

35 
36 
37 

http://www.eea.europa.eu/soer/europe/soil, p. 16. 
http://eusoils.jrc.ec.europa.eu/library/maps/biodiversity_atlas/index.html, p. 62-63. 
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/enveco/eco_industry/pdf/ecoindustry2006.pdf (Table 3, p. 30). 

EN 

10 

   EN 

 
                                                 
Figure 5: Potential threats to soil biodiversity. 

Extremely low 

Very low 

Low 

Intermediate / moderate 

High 

Very high 

Extremely high 

EN 

11 

   EN 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Figure 6: Landslide susceptibility in the EU and neighbouring countries (preliminary map)38. 

Very low 

Low 

Moderately low 

Moderately high 

High to very high 

38 

A. Günther, M. Van Den Eeckhaut, P. Reichenbach, J. Hervás, J.P. Malet, C. Foster, F. Guzzetti, New 
developments  in  harmonized  landslide  susceptibility  mapping  over  Europe  in  the  framework  of  the 
European Soil Thematic Strategy. Proc. Second World Landslide Forum, Rome, 3-7 October 2011 (in 
press). 

EN 

12 

   EN 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                 
4. 

CURRENT AND UPCOMING CHALLENGES 

Both in the EU and worldwide, soil degradation has increased in the past decade. This trend is 
likely to continue unless several factors are addressed: 

• 

• 

• 

Land use. The growth in world population, the rising consumption of meat and dairy 
products in the emerging economies, and the increased use of biomass for energy and 
other industrial purposes, will all lead to increased global land use and potential soil 
degradation.  At  the  same  time,  weather  events  linked  to  climate  change, 
desertification and  land  take  for urbanisation and infrastructure will exacerbate this 
trend.  This  matters  to  Europe  because  competition  for  land  and  water  resources 
creates serious risks of geopolitical imbalances. In addition, land degradation leads to 
a global decrease in the amount of multi-functional land. The EU will thus be even 
more  dependent  in  future  on  its  finite  land  resources  –  which  include  some  of  the 
most fertile soils in the world – and on their sustainable use. 

Preservation of soil organic matter. EU soils contain more than 70 billion tonnes 
of organic carbon, which is equivalent to almost 50 times our annual greenhouse gas 
emissions.  However,  intensive  and  continuous  arable  production  may  lead  to  a 
decline  of  soil  organic  matter.  In  2009,  European  cropland  emitted  an  average  of 
0.45 tonnes of CO2 per hectare (much of which resulted from land conversion)39. The 
conversion of peatlands and their use is particularly worrying. For instance, although 
only 8% of farmland in Germany is on peatland, it is responsible for about 30% of 
the  total  greenhouse  gas  emissions  of  its  whole  farming  sector40.  However,  with 
appropriate  management  practices,  soil  organic  matter  can  be  maintained  and  even 
increased.  Apart  from  peatlands,  particular  attention  should  be  paid  to  the 
preservation  of  permanent  pastures  and  the  management  of  forests  soils,  as  carbon 
age in the latter can be as high as 400-1,000 years41. Keeping carbon stocks is thus 
essential for the fulfilment of present and future emission reduction commitments of 
the EU. 

A more efficient use of resources. Agriculture is highly dependent on soil fertility 
and  nutrients  availability.  For  example,  it  used  20-30  million  tonnes  of  phosphorus 
annually  over  the  last  thirty  years,  largely  coming  from  outside  the  EU.  Phosphate 
fertilisers used in the EU do contain cadmium impurities, which accumulate in soil. 
At  the  same  time,  large  amounts  of  manure,  bio-waste  and  sewage  sludge  are 
produced every year, and are sometimes disposed of despite the fact that they contain 
nutrients and organic matter. A way forward to address security of supply, improve 
soil  conditions  and  limit  cadmium  pollution  is  to  ensure  a  proper  collection, 
treatment and use of these wastes and residues. 

39 
40 
41 

http://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/european-union-greenhouse-gas-inventory-2011. 
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/soil/pdf/report_conf.pdf, p. 17. 
Ibid., p. 13. 

EN 

13 

   EN 

 
                                                 
5. 

ONGOING ACTIVITIES 

The challenges outlined above and the fact that soil degradation in Europe continues, make it 
important that the EU improves the way in which it deals with soil-related issues, particularly 
in  the  absence  of  Union  legislation.  Whilst  the  Soil  Thematic  Strategy  has  helped  raise  the 
profile  of  these  issues,  there  is  still  no  systematic  monitoring  and  protection  of  soil  quality 
across Europe some five years after its adoption. This means that knowledge about the status 
and quality of soils remains fragmented and soil protection is not undertaken in an effective 
and coherent way in all Member States. 

For  its  part,  the  Commission  is  continuing  with  the  following  activities  in  line  with  the 
Strategy: 

• 

• 

• 

• 

42 
43 
44 
45 
46 

Awareness  raising  initiatives  (e.g.  conferences,  publications,  public  campaigns), 
training for young researchers, integration of soil and soil protection aspects in EU-
funded information and training events, and specific soil deliverables for the rotating 
Presidencies of the Council (e.g. information material on national soil types). 

Supporting research projects, particularly in the areas of landslides, soil sealing, soil 
functions  and  their  link  to  biodiversity,  the  soil  carbon  and  nitrogen  cycles  (with  a 
focus  on  peatland  restoration),  soil  fertility,  and  nutrients  recycling  in  agriculture. 
Continuing to expand the activities of the European Soil Data Centre which hosts soil 
data and information at European level. 

To consolidate harmonised soil monitoring for a variety of purposes, including food 
security  and  safety,  diffuse  contamination,  and  climate  change  adaptation  and 
mitigation,  the  Commission  is  considering  repeating  soil  investigations  at  regular 
intervals  (five-ten  years),  also  by  using  new  remote-sensing  techniques.  This 
harmonised  monitoring  will  be  implemented  in  synergy  with  the  Monitoring 
Mechanism  Decision42  currently  being  revised.  The  Global  Monitoring  for 
Environment  and  Security  (GMES)  programme43  will  also  be  a  source  of 
information, particularly on soil sealing. 

Further  integration  of  soil  protection  in  different  policies.  The  Commission  is 
developing  a  European  Innovation  Partnership  on  Agriculture  Productivity  and 
Sustainability with a particular focus on land management, including the efficient use 
of resources and sustainable use of agricultural soil. It will work in the context of the 
EU Biodiversity Strategy to 202044 to improve knowledge and raise awareness about 
soil  biodiversity.  It  is  actively  engaged  with  Member  States  in  discussing  the  soil-
related  measures  in  the  Resource  Efficiency  Roadmap45,  the  CAP  and  Regional 
Policy.  Lastly,  it  will  finalise  guidelines  on  how  to  limit,  mitigate  and  compensate 
soil  sealing,  which  will  support  the  development  of  the  Blueprint  to  Safeguard 
Europe's Water46 and be used in the implementation of Cohesion Policy. 

Decision No 280/2004/EC. 
Regulation (EU) No 911/2010. 
COM(2011) 244. 
COM(2011) 571. 
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/water/blueprint/index_en.htm. 

EN 

14 

   EN 

 
                                                 
• 

• 

On  legislation,  the  Commission  in  2012  will  review  the  Environmental  Impact 
Assessment Directive47, which will provide an opportunity for better integrating soil 
concerns at an early stage of project planning. Furthermore, it will consider how to 
devise incentives to reduce carbon emissions and maintaining soil organic matter by 
accounting for the land use, land use change and forestry (LULUCF) sector as part of 
the EU's climate change commitment for 2020. 

In addition to domestic action, the Commission will work at the international level 
to promote the establishment of an inter-governmental panel on soils in the context 
of  the  FAO-sponsored  Global  Soil  Partnership48.  Along  with  Germany  and  the 
Secretariat of the United Nations Convention to Combat  Desertification (UNCCD), 
the  Commission  is  actively  supporting  an  initiative  on  the  economics  of  land 
degradation49  to  set  out  incentives  for  investment  in  sustainable  land  management 
policies.  In  addition,  it  will  assess  the  desirability  of  declaring  the  EU  an  affected 
party under that Convention50. 

The European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the 
Committee of the Regions are invited to submit their views on this report in order to protect 
European soils, while at the same time ensuring their sustainable use. 

47 
48 
49 
50 

Directive 85/337/EEC. 
http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/89277/icode/. 
http://www.ifpri.org/blog/economics-land-degradation. 
Bulgaria,  Cyprus,  Greece,  Hungary,  Italy,  Latvia,  Malta,  Portugal,  Romania,  Slovakia,  Slovenia  and 
Spain have declared to be affected by desertification under the UNCCD. 

EN 

15 

   EN