News » Germany violates the Nitrates Directive - EU Court ruling

24.09.2018

Expand

Back in 2016 the European Commission referred Germany to the Courtof Justice of the European Union because the country failed to takeaction on water pollution caused by nitrates. On the 21st of June, theCourt has ruled that Germany has breached EU law by exceeding the limitsset out in the EU?s Nitrates Directive because of excessive use ofmanure as a fertiliser.

The Nitrates Directivestipulates that nitrate concentration in water must not be higher than50 milligrams per litre. In 2016 Germany admitted that this limit wasexceeded in 28% of its groundwater monitoring stations. One year later,the German federal government implemented new restrictions andestablished fertiliser-free areas but the Court has deemed these effortsstill insufficient.

High levels ofnitrate in water can be dangerous to human health as well as tofreshwater- and marine ecosystems. Excessive nitrate levels causeeutrophication and algae blooms, which pose a threat to fish, wildlifeand biodiversity.

If the federalgovernment doesn?t take measures to comply with the Court ruling, theEuropean Commission may impose fines on Germany through the penaltyprocedure.

EAA comment: EAA warmly welcomes thisruling. It is worth noticing that Denmark intervened in support ofGermany at the Court. Denmark also has compliance difficulties with theNitrates Directive.

Source: www.eaa-europe.org/news/12638/germany-violates-the-nitrates-directive-eu-court-ruling.html.

Federacja Zielonych GAJA
5 Lipca 45, 70-374 Szczecin, Poland
Phone. +48 91 489 42 33
Fax + 48 91 489 42 32
fzbiuro@gajanet.pl


Coalition Clean Baltic
Östra Ågatan 53
SE-753 22 Uppsala, Sweden
SHORT ABOUT THE PROJECT

Project Industrial animal farms in the Baltic Sea Region - sustainable practices to reduce nutrient loads is a part of a long-term campaign of the Coalition Clean Baltic and Green Federation "GAJA", aiming to reduce the negative impact of large-scale animal production on the environment and local communities in the Baltic Sea Region, particularly by reducing nutrient run-off into the sea. The project is part-financed by the European Union. This website reflects only the view of the Coalition Clean Baltic. The Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (EASME) is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains.

SITEMAP