COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL, THE

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EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE

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AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS Towards a Thematic

Strategy for Soil Protection

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Directorate-General for the Environment, European Commission

2002

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Introduction. 6

2. Definition, functions and distinctive features for policy development .. 7

2.1. Definition . 7

2.2. Functions.. 7

2.3. Distinctive features of soil relevant for policy making 8

3. Main threats to soil in the EU and Candidate Countries .. 9

3.1. Erosion.. 9

3.2. Decline in organic matter 10

3.3. Soil contamination. 12

3.3.1. Local soil contamination.. 12

3.3.2. Diffuse soil contamination.. 13

3.4. Soil sealing 15

3.5. Soil compaction.. 15

3.6. Decline in soil biodiversity 15

3.7. Salinisation16

3.8. Floods and landslides 17

3.9. The situation in Candidate Countries 17

3.10. Conclusions on soil threats . 18

4. The international dimension .. 18

5. Member States and Candidate Countries action 20

6. Community policy relevant for soil protection.. 21

6.1. Environmental Policy .. 22

6.2. The Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) . 23

6.3. Regional Policy: Structural and Cohesion Funds. 24

6.4. Transport Policy . 25

6.5. Research Policy.. 25

7. Existing soil data gathering systems .. 26

7.1. Soil surveys .. 26

7.2. Monitoring systems .. 27

7.3. Soil data networks . 27

7.4. Soil data comparability 28

8. The way forward: Building blocks of a thematic strategy on soil . 28

8.1. Actions in relation to the threats to soil 29

8.1.1. Environmental policy 29

8.1.2. Common agricultural policy .. 31

8.1.3. Other Community policies.. 31

8.2. Monitoring soil threats. 32

8.3. Future soil protection 33

9. The Work-Plan and Timetable for Building the Thematic Strategy. 33

10. Conclusions 35