National Responses to the EC Nitrate Policy

Abstract

This paper reviews the implementation of EU nitrate policy in seven member states of the European Union. The countries reviewed are Belgium, and the UK. It summarizes the main features of the EU Nitrate Directive, and examines the national nitrate policies formulated by the seven Member States. The analysis shows substantial differences in the interpretation of the directive, and in the size of the affected agricultural area in each country. This discrepancy raises the question of ® nding a platform for future EU nitrate and nutrient policy.

Nitrate impacts on the Florida apple snail, Pomacea paludosa

“…Nitrate pollution of ground and surface waters has become a problem in recent decades at a global scale (Ronen et al, 1983;Conrad, 1990;Frederiksen, 1995;Best et al, 1997;Fennessey & Cronk, 1997;Nazaryuk et al, 2002;Fenn et al, 2003). Nitrate pollution may damage ecosystems by directly or indirectly altering biotic and abiotic components (Stevenson, 2000).…”

Quasi-Markets and the Provision of Nature Conservation in Agri-Environmental Policy

“…However, even when agri-environmental policy is not voluntary, as is the case with the UK Nitrate Sensitive Areas scheme, it is still necessary to compensate farmers for profit foregone when complying with the specified standards (Frederiksen, 1994). Unlike the UK, however, other Member States, such as Belgium and the Netherlands, implement the EU Directive relating to nitrate pollution from farms by using taxes to induce compliance under this scheme.…”