A new law to ensure soil is monitored in all EU countries has been adopted by the European Parliament.

On Thursday (October 23), the European Parliament adopted the provisional political agreement on the European Commission’s proposal for a soil monitoring law.

The overall objective is to have healthy European soils by 2050, in line with the EU’s 'zero pollution' ambition.

It should also provide for a "more coherent and harmonised EU framework" for soil monitoring.

Monitor and assess soil health

According to the new law, member states will have to monitor and assess soil health across their territories using common soil descriptors - characterising the physical, chemical, and biological aspect of soil health for each soil type - and an EU methodology for sampling points.

Member states can build on their own national soil monitoring campaigns or other equivalent methodologies.

The commission will be reinforcing its current EU soil sampling programme, LUCAS Soils.

To reflect different levels of soil degradation and local conditions, national governments will set non-binding, sustainable targets for each soil descriptor, in line with the overall objective of improving soil health.

No new obligations for farmers

The agreed directive "does not pose any new obligations on landowners or land managers".

It obliges EU countries to help farmers improve soil health and soil resilience.

"Support measures may include independent advice, training activities, and capacity building, as well as the promotion of research and innovation, and measures to raise awareness of the benefits of soil resilience," the parliament said.

"Member states will also have to assess regularly the financial cost to farmers and foresters' of improving soil health and soil resilience."

Complying with soil monitoring law

The law will require member states to draw up a public list of potentially contaminated sites within 10 years of its entry into force and to address any unacceptable risks to human health and the environment.

An indicative watch list of emerging substances that could pose a significant risk to soil health, human health or the environment, and for which data is needed, will be drawn up 18 months after the law enters into force.

The directive will enter into force 20 days after its publication in the EU Official Journal.

From this date, EU countries will have three years to comply.

An estimated 60 to 70% of European soils are unhealthy due to urbanisation, low land recycling rates, intensification of agriculture practices and climate change.

Degraded soils are major drivers of the climate and biodiversity crises, and they reduce the provision of key ecosystem services.

This costs the EU at least €50 billion per year, according to the European Commission.

Irish soil sampling scheme

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine this week told Agriland that at this time, no decision has been made regarding the continuation of the Soil Sampling and Analysis Programme in 2026.

"Specific funding has not been allocated for a future programme at this stage," a department spokesperson said.

The Soil Sampling and Analysis Programme most recently opened for applications in October 2024. This was phase 3 of the programme.

There were approximately 4,300 applicants approved to participate, according to the department.