The European Commission is set to introduce its first law proposal focused on improving soil health on July 5, as reported by Reuters on June 30. A draft document showed that the law will not include binding targets to address pollution or soil degradation. Instead, it will require member countries to monitor soil health using a set of indicators, such as erosion levels, carbon content, and the presence of harmful chemicals. The proposal also emphasizes the need to manage risks associated with soils contaminated by chemicals harmful to human health. This initiative is part of the Commission’s broader food and biodiversity package, which encompasses various measures targeting the agri-food sector.

This proposal represents the EU’s first comprehensive effort to restore soils. Commission estimates that about 60% to 70% of the land in Europe is unhealthy, increasing the risk of droughts, wildfires, and food insecurity. However, environmental groups and major companies, such as Nestlé [NESN:SW] and Unilever [UNA:NA] have expressed disappointment with the draft, as they had called for ambitious and binding targets to be included. Some stakeholders have also raised concerns that the new environmental rules could further burden farmers and potentially undermine the competitiveness of EU businesses. The draft proposal estimates the annual cost of implementing soil restoration policies to range between EUD28bn (USD30.5bn) and EUD38bn (USD41.4bn), with anticipated economic benefits to be twice as high.

Sources:

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/eu-set-swerve-binding-targets-improve-soil-health-2023-06-30/

https://www.ft.com/content/ec8a9a39-6812-417c-b4a0-ff4952c27fd4

https://www.politico.eu/article/commission-delays-green-deal-package/