The European Commission today announced its plan to promote the use of manure — recycled biological fertilisers — in agricultural production in the European Union (EU), which would reduce dependence on imported chemical fertilisers.
In the assessment released today of the Nitrates Directive (adopted in 1991 to protect European waters from pollution by nitrates of agricultural origin), the community executive aims to promote more efficient and circular nutrient management, which would provide cleaner waters, while at the same time reducing costs for farmers.
Brussels also advocates better utilisation of nutrients, which can reduce dependence on imported mineral fertilisers and the prices associated with the volatility of global energy markets.
Reducing dependence on synthetic nitrogen in the EU could strengthen the resilience of agricultural holdings and contribute to Europe’s strategic autonomy, with the Commission preparing the groundwork to broaden the ‘Recovered Nitrogen from Manure’ (Renure – nitrogen recovered from manure) regulation to certain types of liquid digestates based on manure.
According to Brussels, digestates have a high potential to contribute to a larger global supply of biofertilisers available for use in Europe, and the first step will be the presentation of an initial scientific assessment still this year.
The European Commission also wants to reduce the administrative burden on farmers, with particular emphasis on small farms, and to review practices based on fixed calendars, instead promoting nutrient management tailored to local conditions and the reality of each farm.
By the end of 2027, the monitoring cycles of the Nitrates Directive and the Water Framework Directive will converge and be carried out simultaneously, reducing administrative work and facilitating data sharing.
The current assessment concludes that EU rules remain effective in protecting Europe’s waters from agricultural nitrate pollution.
