Commission welcomes RENURE agreement in Nitrates Committee

The Commission has welcomed the support given by EU Member States for its RENURE proposal on Friday (19 Sep).

By allowing the use of RENURE fertilisers above the limit for the application of manure and processed manure set by the Nitrates Directive, Member States and farmers will have the possibility to replace chemical fertilisers with RENURE fertilisers.

This will be done safely to ensure the continued protection of waters and the environment. It will also reduce costs for farmers and increase the strategic autonomy of the EU agricultural sector.

Following today's meeting of the Nitrates Committee, the Commission's RENURE proposal will be shared with the European Parliament and the Council for a three-month scrutiny period. If there are no objections from the European Parliament and the Council, the Commission will be able to adopt this amendment to the Nitrates Directive.

Established by the Nitrates Directive, the Nitrates Committee is composed of Member States' Representatives. It assists the Commission on matters relating to the implementation of this Directive and to its adaptation to scientific and technical progress.

The amendment would apply only in Member States choosing to authorise RENURE. They will need to transpose the amendment into national law.

Speaking on the issue, Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy, Jessika Roswall, said:

"The use of RENURE fertilisers can support efficient nutrients management and make our agriculture more resilient, while remaining safe for the environment. Our proposal gives flexibility for those Member States that wish to use RENURE fertilisers, while ensuring that pollution hotspots can be tackled. This is a concrete step towards empowering our farmers while protecting our shared natural resources."