Experience of the North Sea in the OSPAR context Chisinau, 3 October 2006 Gert Verreet Currently Chairman of the OSPAR Eutrophication Committee European Commission DG Environment Unit D.2 Protection of Water and Marine Environment

Experiences with: Setting targets Measuring compliance and results Scaling up achievements in nutrient reduction Requested focus

Contents History of treatment of eutrophication in North Sea Conference and OSPAR (~ 1987 – 2006) EU: WFD and nitrates directives Concluding remarks

The North Sea is a generally shallow sea draining a densely inhabited and industrialised part of Europe.

The nutrient budget shows the dominance of Atlantic inflow. Still, the input around the margins, especially on the eastern side, are very important with respect to eutrophication.

North Sea Conferences London, 1987: 50% reduction target (1985 to 1995) into areas “where these inputs are likely, directly or indirectly, to cause pollution” Bergen 2002: « The inability to reach the 50% reduction target for nitrogen is primarily because the reduction of diffuse losses from the agriculture sector is progressing much slower than expected. »

European Community “In 1987, the second NSC agreed to cut emissions of nutrients (to sensitive areas) by 50% between 1985 and In 1988, the EU Council adopted a resolution specifically related to the North Sea requesting the Commission to take action on nitrogen particularly concerning agricultural sources as well as urban waste water treatment. This request led to the adoption of two directives in 1991: the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) and the Nitrates Directive (91/676/EEC).” Main relevant European legislation since 1987:  Urban Waste Water Directive, 1991  Nitrates Directive, 1991  IPPC Directive, 1996  Water Framework Directive, 2000  National Emission Ceilings, 2001 IN ADDITION: 1988 – 1989 POLITICAL URGENCY AS A RESULT OF TOXIC ALGAL BLOOMS IN THE NORTH SEA

OSPAR OSPAR Strategy to Combat Eutrophication, 1998: “… to achieve by 2010, and maintain, a healthy marine environment where eutrophication does not occur.”

OSPAR findings on aquatic inputs

There was also a statistically significant reduction in direct discharges of phosphorus (down 33%), but no conclusion could be reached on riverine inputs, since the loads and concentrations were flow-dependent.” “There was a statistically significant reduction in total inputs of nitrogen (down 12%), which was substantially influenced by the 29% reduction in direct discharges.

OSPAR vs. North Sea Conference “The effects have been synergetic at output, outcome and possibly impact levels” (Jon Birger Skjærseth, The Fridtjof Nansen Institute, 2001)

Water Framework Directive « Good Ecological Status » by 2015 Type and reference based classification of water bodies Coastal and transitional: intercalibration relatively well advanced

Nitrates Directive -Agriculture is the single dominating source of nitrogen pollution 50-80% of the total load (source, EEA, 2005) - It is crucial for water protection to fully implement the nitrates directive

Gross nutrient balances: improving, but…

Scheldt river : -DIN : down (~ - 30%) -N/P: up (~x 3) -Oxygen consuming substances, NH4 as DIN: down dramatically -Oxygen: up (~x 2)

Groundwater: excess nitrates

Ongoing activities ~Nitrates Directive Actual discussions with UK, DE, IR, BE on designation and/or action programmes Derogation  Follow up decisions DK, NL and AU  Discussions with IR and DE on derogation possibilities  Discussions eventually to be started with UK and BE New Member States  Discussions started with LT, HU, CZ, SK (meetings) and PL (written contacts)  Discussions with remaining NMS: to be started Autumn 2006/Spring 2007 Infringements  Follow up of open infringement procedures  Ongoing discussions with several MS on designation and action programmes  New cases might be opened if issues don’t get resolved

Manure treatment: picking up slowly

Conclusions ~ « Scaling up of achievements » After an initial phase of ‘soft law’, a strong regulatory environment helps to mobilise the resources necessary to address nutrient pollution from agriculture. In the case of the North Sea, OSPAR and the EU water policy is now providing that platform where those resources lead to exchange of information and upscaling of results. Despite many efforts, nutrient problems are hard to tackle and require perseverance, i.e. further upscaling of succesful practices is also still required even in areas where a lot of progress has already been achieved. Costs of nutrient-related environmental measures in agriculture should be a regular part of the agricultural production costs. For further charting succesful future policies a lot of diverse information needs to be combined into an overall picture that captures the essentials of a complex and persevering problem and which is comprehensive enough to satisfy all parties concerned.