The Renew Europe Group welcomes the political agreement reached last night between the European Parliament and the Council on the EU Soil Monitoring Law – a crucial step toward achieving healthy soils across the EU by 2050. This new framework will, for the first time, ensure soil health is monitored across the EU using harmonised indicators, while providing tailored support to farmers and land managers without imposing any new burdens. To protect farmers and foresters, the agreed directive obliges EU countries to support them in improving the ability of soil to preserve its functions and to maintain its capacity to provide ecosystem services (soil resilience), including through access to independent advice, training activities and capacity building, as well as in promoting research and innovation and awareness on the benefits of soil resilience. They will also have to regularly assess the financial needs. The agreement also includes the establishment of a public list of potentially contaminated sites and a new EU watch list for emerging substances such as PFAS and pesticides.
MEP Martin Hojsík (Progressive Slovakia), Renew Europe’s negotiator and Parliament rapporteur, said: “This is a historic step forward. Healthy soils are essential for clean water, climate resilience, and biodiversity, and we can no longer afford to ignore their degradation. This deal strikes the right balance – it gives us the tools to understand and restore soil health across Europe, while protecting farmers from new obligations and ensuring they are supported in this transition. With this law, we finally give soil the attention it deserves.”
“Today’s deal is an important milestone in improving support for farmers and all others in keeping the soil healthy. Providing them with better information and help, while preventing bureaucracy and new obligations, are cornerstones of the Soil Monitoring Law.”
Renew Europe has consistently pushed for a strong, science-based EU framework to tackle soil degradation, while ensuring simplification for Member States and the safeguarding of farmers’ livelihoods. |
