Page 6 of articles about nitrogen

Considering that the agricultural sector is the main responsible for the methane and nitrogen oxide emissions, the German Federal Environment Agency suggests increasing the VAT on animal foods.

Member states insisted on excluding methane from the scope of the directive. However, the EU Commission confirmed that it could trigger a review on this point.

The Commission has asked for a declaratory judgement and as such no sanctions will be imposed at first.

The European Commission is referring Germany to the Court of Justice of the EU for failing to take stronger measures to combat water pollution caused by nitrates.

EU imports around 5 million tonnes of phosphates a year but could replace up to 30% of this total by extraction from sewage sludge, biodegradable waste, meat and bone meal or manure.

After examination of the request it can be considered that the proposed amounts of respectively 250 and 200 kg per hectare per year of nitrogen from grazing livestock manure and treated pig manure, will not prejudice the achievement of the objectives of Directive 91/676/EEC.

The committee stressed that more ambitious targets should be set in order to reach 2030 goals.

The Global Livestock Environmental Assessment Model provides detailed data on animal numbers, production and emissions.

Minister Coveney noted that 83% of applications were received online for 2014 and confirmed that applications can only be submitted using the online facility for 2015. The closing date for applications is 31st March 2015.

The majority of the issues set out in the sentence of the Court of Justice of the European Union have already been corrected in the new regulation.