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4-3 Extracts from the Report on Implementation of the EU Nitrates

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4-3 Extracts from the Report on Implementation of the EU Nitrates Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission Sixth Meeting of the HELCOM Agriculture and AGRI/ENV 6-2014, 4-2 Environment Forum Tallinn, Estonia, 7-8 April 2014 Title 4-3, Extracts from the report on implementation of the EU Nitrates Directive, 2008-2011 Category INF Agenda Item 4 – Initial planning for implementation of agriculture-related actions from 2013 HELCOM Ministerial Meeting Submission date 27.3.2014 Submitted by Secretariat Reference Minutes of HELCOM AGRI/ENV 5/2013 (para 4.15-4.17) Background The Nitrates Directive (1991) aims to protect water quality across Europe by preventing nitrates from agricultural sources polluting ground and surface waters and by promoting the use of good farming practices. The Nitrates Directive forms an integral part of the Water Framework Directive and is one of the key instruments in the protection of waters against agricultural pressures. More information on the aims, implementation and impact of the Nitrates Directive can be found in the Fact Sheet on the Nitrates Directive State of implementation of the Nitrates Directive (Article 11) by the Member States is reported every four year by the European Commission to the Council and the European Parliament, see below the links to full reports and supporting background material 2008-2011 report (2008-2011 Commission Staff Working Document) 2004-2007 Report (Corrigendum) (2004-2007 Commission Staff Working Document (Corrigendum)) 2000-2003 Report (2000-2003 Commission Staff Working Document) 1996-1999 Report On 4 October 2013, the European Commission published a Report on the implementation of Directive 91/676/EEC concerning the protection of waters against pollution caused by nitrates from agricultural sources based on member states Reports for the period 2008-2011. The extracts of the Report and the Commission Staff Working Document relevant for HELCOM Contracting Parties that are also EU Member States (EU Baltic-8) are attached. Action required The Meeting is invited to take note of the attached Extracts as a supporting material for planning of implementation of agriculture-related actions from 2013 Ministerial Meeting. Page 1 of 53 EUROPEAN COMMISSION Brussels, 4.10.2013 COM(2013) 683 final 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 2008–2011 {SWD(2013) 405 final} EN EN 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 2008–2011 1. INTRODUCTION Council Directive 91/676/EEC (the Nitrates Directive) aims to reduce water pollution caused by nitrates from agricultural sources and to prevent such pollution through a number of steps to be fulfilled by Member States: water monitoring of all water body types (with regard to nitrate concentration and trophic status); identification of waters that are polluted or at risk of pollution, on the basis of criteria defined in Annex I to the Directive; designation of nitrate vulnerable zones, which are areas that drain into identified waters and contribute to pollution; the establishment of codes of good agricultural practices, implemented on a voluntary basis throughout the Member State territory; the establishment of action programmes, which include a set of measures to prevent and reduce water pollution by nitrates and are implemented on an obligatory basis within designated nitrates vulnerable zones or throughout the entire territory; the review and possible revision at least every 4 years of the designation of nitrate vulnerable zones and of action programmes; and the submission to the Commission every four years of a progress report on the implementation of the Directive. Reports submitted by the Member States under Article 10 of the Nitrates Directive should in particular contain information pertaining to codes of good agricultural practice, designated nitrate vulnerable zones, results of water monitoring, and a summary of the relevant aspects of action programmes drawn up for nitrate vulnerable zones. Based on these reports, this report fulfils the Commission's obligations under Article 11. It is mainly based on the information submitted by the Member States referring to the period 2008–2011 and is accompanied by a Staff Working Document (SEC(2013)xxx), which includes maps and tables on indicators of nutrient pressures from agricultural sources, water quality and designated nitrate vulnerable zones, both at EU level and per each Member State. This is the second time that all 27 Member States have submitted a report. A comparison with the previous reporting period is now possible for all Member States. Reports were submitted in 2012, with additional information submitted in early 2013. 2 2. EVOLUTION OF PRESSURES FROM AGRICULTURE Livestock population Livestock population is one of the main agricultural pressures on the environment. Large numbers concentrated locally or regionally pose high risks to the environment as manure production is out of balance with land availability and crop needs. This imbalance creates a surplus of nutrients, much of which is sooner or later lost to water (nitrates and phosphates) and air (ammonia and nitrogen oxides), if not exported out of the region. Because not all Member States have submitted comprehensive data on the number of livestock1, official statistics from Eurostat are presented below. As regards cattle2, the comparison between the reporting periods 2004–2007 and 2008–2011 shows a slight decrease in EU-27 (-2%)3. Largest relative increase among EU Baltic-8 was observed especially in Poland (+4%). In EU-27, dairy cattle numbers decreased by 5% between 2004–2007 and 2008– 20114. The biggest relative decreases among EU Baltic-8 were in Estonia and Lithuania (-11%), while the population increased in Denmark (+3%). Pig numbers decreased by 5% in EU-27 between the reporting periods 2004–2007 and 2008–20115. The largest relative decreases among EU Baltic-8 were in Poland (- 22%) and Lithuania (-16%), while increased in Estonia (+3%). For poultry, Eurostat data are only available for years 2003, 2005, 2007, and 20106 and show no change on average in EU-27, despite large variations across Member States. Among EU Baltic-8 numbers increased significantly in Latvia (+28%), while decreases took place in Estonia (-17%) and Finland (-11%). Large variations in sheep numbers were also visible7, with a strong relative increase between the two reporting periods among EU Baltic-8 in Lithuania (+67%) and a strong relative decrease in Poland (-26%). According to the data reported by Members States, the manure N use decreased between the two reporting periods among EU Baltic-8 by more than 10% in Lithuania, while it increased by more than 10% in Sweden. Not all Member States have reported data on manure N use, hence a total for EU-27 cannot be calculated. Mineral fertilizer use According to Eurostat and Fertilizers Europe8, the mineral N fertilizer use in EU-27 in 2008–2010 decreased by 6% compared to that in 2006–20079. Since 2010, the N fertilizer use remained stable10. Annual N fertilizer consumption in the EU is currently about 11 million tonnes – almost 30% below the peak of twenty five years 1 Data submitted by Member States are presented in Table 1 of Section I of the staff working document. 2 'Cattle' means all cattle categories. 3 See Table 2.1 of Section I of the staff working document; the change in % was calculated as the change in average number of the period 2008–2011 compared to the average number in the period 2004-2007: [(average 2008–2011) – (average 2004–2007)]/[(average 2004–2007)] x 100. 4 See Table 2.2 of Section I of the staff working document. 5 See Table 2.3 of Section I of the staff working document. 6 See Table 2.4 of Section I of the staff working document. 7 See Table 2.5 of Section I of the staff working document. 8 Fertilizers Europe is an association of fertilizer manufacturers. 9 See Table 4 of Section I of the staff working document. Table 3 presents data on annual fertilizers and manure N use, as reported by Member States. 10 See Figure 1 of Section I of the staff working document. 3 ago. The use of P and K fertilizers was about 2.5 million tonnes in 2010 – almost 70% down on their peaks of the late 1980s11. N-balance and N-discharge into the environment As regards the N-balance, large variations can be observed across Member States. Large variations can be observed also for phosphorus12. The information on N-discharge into the environment has not been provided by all Member States13. However, according to the available data, a decrease in discharge has been observed. Agriculture remains the predominant source of nitrogen discharged into the environment, as in the previous reporting periods. The relative contribution from livestock manure, mineral fertilizers and other sources of pollution varies among and within Member States, depending on many factors including the population density, especially in some coastal areas. 3. WATER MONITORING, QUALITY AND TRENDS Monitoring networks Groundwater The total number of reported groundwater monitoring stations in EU-27 has increased by around 10%, to 33 493 stations in the reporting period 2008–2011 in comparison to 2004–2007. The average density of the network in the EU is 8 stations per 1 000 km2 of land area14. The highest densities are found in Malta and Belgium with almost 130 and almost 100 per 1 000 km2 land area, respectively. On the contrary, the lowest densities are found in Finland and Germany with less than 1 station per 1 000 km2.
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