Title: Consultation on the proposed EU Soil Framework Directive and initial Regulatory Impact Assessment 
Resource Type: document --> policy documents 
Country: United Kingdom 
Year: 2007 
Availability: July 2007 
Author 1/Producer: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs - Defra 
Author / Producer Type: Agency, regulator or other governmental or inter-governmental body 
Publisher: Defra 
Publisher City: Nobel House, 17 Smith Square, London SW1P 3JR 
Report / download web link (=direct link): http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/soil-directive/ind ...  
Format (e.g. PDF): PDF 
EUGRIS Keyword(s): Contaminated land-->policy and regulatory
Contaminated land-->stats, registers, inventories etc
Soil-->Soil Overview
 
Short description: After much further preparatory work and a Europe-wide consultation with a range of expert and stakeholder interests, the Commission finally adopted such a Strategy in September 2006, accompanied by proposal for a new EU Soil Framework Directive. In summary, the Strategy concludes that soil is being degraded by a host of human activities, such as urban development, inappropriate agricultural and forestry practices, industrial activities, and tourism. The proposed Soil Framework Directive accordingly seeks to ensure the protection and sustainable use of soil based on preventing further soil degradation and preserving its functions, and restoring degraded soils. The main elements of the proposed Directive focus on requiring Member States to: • assess the impacts of policies likely to exacerbate or reduce soil degradation processes during the development of these policies; • take precautionary measures to protect soil functions; • take appropriate measures to limit sealing - the permanent covering of the soil surface with an impermeable material; • identify risk areas with regard to soil erosion, loss of soil organic matter, compaction, salinisation and landslides and draw up a programme of measures to address these risks; • take appropriate action to prevent soil contamination; establish a national inventory of contaminated sites; and remediate all contaminated sites using mechanisms to fund remediation; • raise awareness of the importance of soils. The regulatory impact assessment raises concern in relation to specific provisions of this Directive - in particular the high costs to government and stakeholders of the contamination and soil sealing provisions. The contamination provisions are very prescriptive in nature and the soil sealing provisions have far-reaching implications for the planning system. Considering the existence of EC legislation already that addresses most of these risks, there is also an issue as to whether new legislation will cause confusion and uncertainty with few additional benefits to the environment. 
Long description: Extract ' Many of these issues are already the subject of existing UK (and in some cases EU) legislation and it is this context that we present this consultation paper. We are keen to learn from policy managers, operational bodies (including local authorities) land managers and users about how they see the proposals in the Directive meeting the needs of soil protection in the UK. It is also important to find out your views on the costs and benefits of the measures if the Directive were adopted and implemented. We would also like your suggestions as to how the measures could be improved, for example, to ensure they focus on real risks and that they require policy measures proportionate to those risks. This information will be valuable input to our negotiations on the proposed Directive.' 
Link to Organisation(s): Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
 
Link to News Items(s):   UK Consultation on proposed EU Soil Framework Directive
Submitted By: Professor Paul Bardos WhoDoesWhat?      Last update: 21/08/2007

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