S OIL C ONTAMINATION Member-State motives for an European Approach Hugo von Meijenfeldt Director of Soil, Water, Rural Environment Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment (VROM)

S OIL C ONTAMINATION Member-State motives for an European Approach High-Level Conference “Vital Soil”, Nov 2004, The Hague EU soil policy based on agreed principles of env & health policies, of sustainable development and transparent/inclusive approach Soil protection requirements must be integrated into all relevant EU policies through an EU soil policy framework, clarifying long term objectives, rights / obligations of land owners / users and subsidiarity Working groups dealt with a strategic research agenda, a policy relevant monitoring system and progress in policy development built on exchange of experience and knowledge of existing legislation relating to contaminated soils

S OIL C ONTAMINATION Member-State motives for an European Approach Why would Member States need an European approach? (Informal Council conclusions; Vital Soil conclusions) a. develop/support national, regional and local policies b. reduce distortion of competition and internal market c. prevent/contain/remedy transboundary effects d. meet community obligations

S OIL C ONTAMINATION Member-State motives for an European Approach a.Develop/support national, regional and local policies Definition Risk assessment Investigation Prevention/containment/remediation Financing Information Legal and procedural expertise

S OIL C ONTAMINATION European Approach for Soil Management b.Reduce distortion of competition and internal market Product and production requirements Standards for prevention/containment/remedation techniques Composition and leaching of chemicals in a product in direct contact with the soil Services Investments Legal and financial requirements Open tender, discrimination State aid vs pollutor pays

S OIL C ONTAMINATION Member-State motives for an European Approach c.Prevent/contain/remedy transboundary effects Groundwater and underwatersoil contamination Wide-spread contamination Transport of contaminated soil/sludge/waste

S OIL C ONTAMINATION Member-State motives for an European Approach d. Meet community obligations Nitrates directive Water Framework directive / Groundwater directive IPPC directive Waste directives Agri-rural policy (cross compliance, organic farming) Environmental Liability directive Aarhus, INSPIRE, Reporting

S OIL C ONTAMINATION Member-State motives for an European Approach Do we need a directive? Fragile legal framework at local, regional and national level will be disturbed by new instruments (e.g. areas at risk, monitoring, land status report) without added value The negotiation and implementation of a directives steals away a lot of (government) capacity Chance that less harmful instruments will be added by MS or EP (e.g. fund, goals/standards)