Healthy soils are essential for agricultural productivity, pest resilience, and the nutritional quality and safety of food, all of which are fundamental for the long-term viability and profitability of the EU’s agricultural sector, the Commission notes.
Brussels points out that soil degradation is a problem across all EU countries. Between 60% and 70% of soils are in unhealthy condition, costing the EU more than EUR 50 billion every year, more than the total GDP of countries such as Latvia and Cyprus.
The Soil Monitoring Law addresses all aspects of soil degradation, from erosion and compaction to pollution and sealing. It applies to all soils, including forests, farmland and urban areas.
Member States will be required to monitor and assess soil health, and the new law offers significant flexibility for them to adapt these requirements to their local conditions.
They will also be able to benefit from Commission support, including capacity building and a new soil health data portal.
In this regard, the Commission has already published guidance on the funding opportunities currently available at EU level and will continue assessing gaps and needs.
Support for farmers
The Directive provides support to farmers and land managers to help improve soil health and resilience. In addition, land take mitigation principles will help protect soils, particularly agricultural land, and the multiple services it provides, including food security.
The Directive does not set binding targets, does not prohibit activities, and does not require new permitting procedures. It also does not affect national competences on spatial planning.
Instead, it establishes a solution to the long-standing issue of contaminated sites in the EU. In cases of unacceptable risks to human health or the environment, appropriate risk-reduction measures must be adopted. Relevant information on these sites must be made publicly available free of charge.
The new Directive will improve knowledge on soil health and increase resilience, contributing to the EU’s objectives on climate, biodiversity, competitiveness and food security.
EU Soil Strategy for 2030
The EU Soil Strategy for 2030, adopted on 17 November 2021, focuses on harnessing the multiple benefits provided by healthy soils, which are vital for human well-being: sustainable food production, biodiversity and climate resilience.
By prioritising soil health, the EU aims to secure a thriving ecosystem that supports the needs of people, nature and the environment alike.
The strategy outlines the EU’s commitment to fostering sustainable soil management practices, restoring degraded soils and mobilising resources to achieve long-term soil health for the prosperity of future generations.
Through this comprehensive approach, the EU seeks to create a balanced relationship between human activity and the natural world, ensuring a sustainable future for all.
In this sense, the EU Soil Strategy is designed to reach the following long-term (2050) objectives:
- Ensure all EU soil ecosystems are healthy and more resilient, enabling them to continue delivering essential services.
- Achieve net-zero land take and reduce soil pollution to levels safe for humans and ecosystems.
- Establish soil protection, sustainable management practices and the restoration of degraded soils as EU-wide standards.
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The strategy includes several key actions whose ultimate goal is to achieve optimal soil health by 2050. These actions include:
- Developing a specific legislative proposal on soil health by 2025 (now achieved with the Soil Monitoring Directive).
- Promoting sustainable soil management as a standard practice through a programme allowing landowners to analyse their soils at no cost and share best practices.
- Restoring managed and drained peatlands to help tackle and adapt to climate change.
- Assessing the need for a binding “soil passport” to encourage a circular economy and improve the reuse of clean soil.
- Developing a common methodology to assess desertification and land degradation.
- Increasing research efforts, data collection and monitoring through social participation and financial mobilisation.
Among the upcoming milestones, 16 December 2031 is the deadline for Member States to submit their first report to the Commission on the implementation and assessment of soil health.
Before that, 16 December 2028 is the deadline for Member States to transpose the Directive into their national legislation.
As noted, the Soil Monitoring Directive enters into force on 16 December 2025.
