Nitrates Directive

The 1991 Nitrates Directive (91/676/EC) is one of the earliest pieces of EU legislation aimed at controlling pollution and improving water quality and forms integral part of the Water Framework Directive.

Main objectives

The Nitrate Directive aims to protect water quality across Europe by preventing nitrates from agricultural sources polluting ground and surface waters (nitrate is perhaps the most widespread groundwater contaminant and originates from natural sources, organic sources, atmospheric deposition, and inorganic fertilizer) and by promoting the use of good farming practices.

Implementations

1. Identification of surface waters and groundwater affected by pollution (or at risk) based on criteria described by the Directive (specifically when the concentration of nitrates in groundwater or surface water (especially those intended for drinking water) reaches more than 50 mg/l or when the surface water found to be eutrophic (or could become eutrophic)
2. Designation of Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (Areas of land that become polluted by nitrates - in Europe they are identified as vulnerable when they exceed or being at risk of exceeding 50 mg/l of nitrates)
3. Establishment of a code of Good Agricultural Practice to be implemented by farmers on a voluntary basis to prevent nitrate losses to water by leaching and run-off (see Annex 2)
4. Setting up compulsory action programmes to be implemented by farmers who work in nitrate vulnerable zones based on measures listed in the Good Agricultural Codes (see Annex 2) and those concerning the limitation of fertilizer application.(see Annex 3)

The Directive authorises Member States to take additional measures or to reinforce their action programmes in order to achieve the objectives of the Directive. Member States must monitor water quality, applying standardised reference methods to measure the nitrogen-compound content. The Commission has provided Member States with recommendations on monitoring methods and on the information which must be included in their reports on the application of this Directive. These reports shall be submitted by Member States to the Commission every four years.

External links

• The European Commission, The Nitrates Directive

• Text of The Nitrates Directive (PDF)