The Commission has proposed that soil across the entire EU should be in good condition within 25 years. This will not be a binding directive but will set requirements for more regular soil quality measurements. Most countries agree with this but also state that soil conditions are so diverse and varied that no single criterion can be established to define what is or is not ācontaminatedā soil.
It is also still unclear which criteria Brussels will use to decide whether contaminated soil needs to be ācleaned upā and who will cover the costs. The results of soil samples must be stored by member states in a public register, after which neighbors and citizens can file damage claims against the polluters.
A system of soil registration and clean soil certificates can, according to Brussels, also be combined with subsidies for landowners, farmers, and horticulturists. The EU counts more than 3 million known contaminated sites, while in recent years, not all EU countries have even conducted intensive soil investigations. The Netherlands has approximately 250,000 sites that may be severely contaminated.
Although the Netherlands basically supports the proposal, the cabinet fears the practical consequences in our country. Labeling underperforming soils would also be āunfeasible,ā the cabinet already communicated in a parliamentary letter.
Nature organizations have urged the European Commission to already set binding targets to counter further soil erosion. However, Environment Commissioner Virginijus SinkeviÄius said Brussels first wants to ensure that soil quality does not deteriorate further; only after that will remediation and improvement follow.