Responses to the Nitrates Directive evaluation’s findings, which were published on Wednesday, 15 July, are mixed (see EUROPE 13910/15).
The EU’s agricultural organisations and cooperatives (Copa-Cogeca) lament the fact that the evaluation did not lead to a modernisation of the rules.
The text does not take the profound changes that have taken place since 1991—whether they concern farming practices, scientific progress, climate change, or new technologies—into account to a sufficient degree. They also note with regret that the evaluation does not provide sufficient analysis of the costs and constraints borne by farmers, particularly in the context of the fertiliser crisis.
Copa-Cogeca is thus calling for the directive to be revised, for instance, in order to develop solutions based on the circular economy and manure management systems—which refers to digestates and recycled fertilisers specifically and RENURE implicitly. In addition, the organisation is calling for greater flexibility in nutrient management.
In contrast, the European Environmental Bureau (EEB) has welcomed the European Commission’s evaluation, which, in its opinion, confirms that the Nitrates Directive still plays a necessary, relevant, and effective role in protecting European waters and combatting agricultural pollution caused by nitrates. According to the NGO, the main challenge lies not in the rules themselves but in Member States’ failure to adequately implement and enforce them.
The EEB stresses that nitrate pollution continues to have a very high cost—estimated at more than €22 billion a year—with regard to the environment, health, and the economy. Nevertheless, the organisation laments the fact that, at the same time, the European Commission is considering relaxing certain provisions, notably the rules regarding the use of certain fertilisers derived from manure (RENURE), which, in its view, could increase pollution risks. Lastly, it considers full compliance with the directive to be a worthwhile investment: the benefits being three to seven times higher than the implementation costs.
EurEau, which represents European water service operators, has also welcomed the European Commission’s evaluation, believing it to confirm that the directive remains fit for purpose. The organisation emphasises that the economic benefits of the directive—estimated to be between €10 billion and €22 billion a year—far outweigh its implementation costs (€2.8 billion to €3.1 billion a year). As a result, EurEau is calling on the European Commission to concentrate its efforts on ensuring Member States fully implement this piece of legislation rather than on revising the text. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)