1. Latest developments in the sphere of agri-environmental indicators

2. Main conclusions of Commission Communication September 2006 (COM(2006)508):
streamlining the IRENA indicator set, while strengthening its relevance for policy purposes;
consolidating the selected set of indicators, extending the coverage to the new Member States and correcting existing weaknesses;
setting up a permanent and stable arrangement needed for the long-term functioning of the indicator system.
Agri-environmental indicators

3. Council of Agriculture and Fisheries 19-21.12. 2007
A coherent set of agri-environmental indicators is required to capture the regional diversity of agriculture and environmental conditions as well as their positive and negative influences;
need for comparable data at the appropriate geographical level, and covering the whole Community, using, as far as possible, existing data sources and data collection structures;
the list of indicators could be adjusted as a result of policy requirements or on the basis of experience with the further development of the indicators and their use in policy making;
close account should be taken of the costs and resource implications of any new initiative related to data collection that goes beyond existing legal requirements;
a long-term information system for monitoring environmental integration to be set up, with the help of the CPSA.
Agri-environmental indicators

4. Chosen Indicators
Operational indicators, for which the concept and measurement are well-defined and for which data are available at national and, where appropriate, at regional level
Indicators that are well defined, but cannot realise their full information potential due to a lack of regional data or weaknesses in the modelling approaches on which they are based
Indicators that need substantial improvements in order to become fully operational. These include indicators that have conceptual limitations or are not well defined and indicators where the quality of existing data needs to be improved, new data collection systems need to be set up, or where modelling tools need to be further developed
Agri-environmental indicators

5. Operational indicatorsNo
Title
Main data source 2
Agricultural areas under Natura 2000
ENV database 4
Area under organic farming
AGRI admin. Data, FSS 7
Irrigation
FSS 12
Intensification/extensification
FADN, FSS 13
Specialisation 19
Greenhouse gas emissions
UNFCCC reports, EEA
Agri-environmental indicators

6. Indicators that are well defined (I)No
Title
Main data source 1
Agri-environmental commitments
AGRI admin. data 3
Farmers’ training levels and environmental farm advisory services
FSS, AGRI admin. data 5
Mineral fertiliser consumption
New fertiliser survey 8
Energy use
Energy stats, FADN 9
Land use change
OECD/Eurostat joint questionnaire 10
Cropping/Livestock patterns
FSS 11
Farm management practices
FSS, new SAPM 15
Gross nitrogen balance
New data collection
Agri-environmental indicators

7. Indicators that are well defined (II)No
Title
Main data source 18
Ammonia emissions
UNECE/EMEP reports 21
Soil erosion
JRC soil database 24
Production of renewable energy
FSS, admin. and other sources 25
Population trends of farmland birds
Pan-European Common Bird Monitoring project 27
Water quality – Nitrate pollution, Pesticide pollution
Eurowaternet
Agri-environmental indicators

8. Indicators that need substantial improvementsNo
Title
Main data source 6
Consumption of pesticides
New pesticide survey 14
Risk of land abandonment
Modelling 16
Risk of pollution by phosphorous
New data collection 17
Pesticide risk 20
Water abstraction
SAPM, modelling 22
Genetic diversity
FAO 23
High nature value farmland 26
Soil quality
JRC soil database 28
Landscape – state and diversity
Agri-environmental indicators

9. Setting up the indicator system (I)
A Memorandum of Understanding is being set up between Eurostat, AGRI, ENV, JRC and the EEA
A lead institution will be assigned for each indicator. This role includes drafting and updating the AEI fact sheets, compiling the indicator, consulting other partners, coordinating the work to be done, prepare progress reports and work programs
All partners are collaborating in data collection and management, improving concepts and methodology, modelling and data
Eurostat will coordinate all activities related to data acquisition, validation and dissemination, as well as the development, compilation and maintenance of the indicators
DG AGRI will assess periodically if the AEI set and the work carried out serves the needs and if needed initiate discussions on possible further work to be done
Agri-environmental indicators

10. Setting up the indicator system (II)
Eurostat will take the lead for those indicators that are related to the European statistical system.
DG AGRI will take the lead for certain indicators that have a specific political interest and/or that have not yet been fully developed.
DG ENV will take a lead for indicators where the policy developments have been assigned mainly to this institution, for example on pesticide risks.
DG JRC will take the lead for those indicators relying on the pan- European geo-environmental databases or where models need to be built.
EEA will take the lead in areas where the responsibility has been assigned mainly to this institution, by agreements between ENV, JRC, Eurostat and EEA.
Agri-environmental indicators

11. Other AEI lists with nutrient balances
The nutrient balances are considered to be a good indicator, and thus it is included in many indicator lists.
The Sustainable Development Indicators is one of the most used indicator lists in the EU, containing 3 different indicator levels. The nitrogen surplus is one of the indicators, but has not been included in the last monitoring report due to lack of EU-wide data.
The Rural Development Impact and Context Indicators (Axis) also includes the Gross nutrient balances as an Axis 2, environment Objective related baseline indicator. The changes in gross nutrient balance is an impact indicator.
EEA has chosen the Gross Nutrient Balances as part of their Core Set of Indicators.
The Joint Working Party on Agriculture and Environment of the OECD has decided on a set of AEI to be published regularly. In the last meeting in July, it was decided to suggest to include the GNB in the joint Eurostat/OECD Questionnaire on the State of the Environment.
Agri-environmental indicators