EEB workshop on the Thematic Strategy for Soil Protection:
"Towards a Soil Framework Directive: from dirt to a dream resource"

Venue : Brussels, Amazone conference centre, Rue de Meridien 10
Date : Monday, July 4, 2005

Background to the workshop:
The EEB has for a number of years now taken a great interest in soil and followed the development of EU soil policy. Soil is one of the thematic strategies under the 6 Environmental Action Programme but has until now received scant protection at an EU level. After a first Commission Communication and a stakeholder consultation through technical working groups, the Commission is now planning to come forward with a legislative proposal in November 2005. This proposal, the Soil Framework Directive, will seek to address key threats to Europe 's soils such as contamination, erosion, sealing, organic matter decline and salinisation. With this workshop the EEB aims to provide further input into the Commissions proposal as it now stands and explore ways to achieve the targets and timetables that will set an EU level playing field. An internet based public consultation will take place in the months July and August.

Key questions to address during this workshop and throughout the discussions:

What do we want from an EU soil policy?
How to set clear targets that are quantifiable, enforceable and will ensure an adequate level of protection?
How to define risk areas?
What measures to prevent threats, specifically contamination?

Items on the agenda:

Introduction

9.30 - 9.45 Stefan Scheuer

Why do we need an EU soil policy, what do we want to achieve with it?

The draft proposal for a Soil Framework Directive

9.45 - 10.30 Micheal Hamell, DG Environment, presentation and update on the draft Soil Framework Directive and accompanying policy measures

10.30 - 11.00 Questions and Answers

11.00 - 11.15 Coffee break

INSPIRE, a future framework for gathering soil data

11.15 - 11.45 Marc Vanderhaegen, DG Environment on Infrastructure for Spatial Information in Europe/INSPIRE

Monitoring and Indicators: What are the information needs? How to monitor?

11.45 - 12.15 Gerassimos Arapis, University of Athens/Greece

12.15 - 13.15 Lunch break

A focus on soil erosion and desertification

13.15 - 13.45 Teresa Goulao, GEOTA - MED Forum/Portugal

What measures are needed? How to set objectives? How to prevent threats?

A farmers perspective

13.45 - 14.30 Keesje Avis, Bristish Agriculture Bureau/UK and Marco Schlueter, IFOAM EU Group

How can farming, conventional and organic, contribute to tackling soil degradation?

A focus on Organic Matter

14.30 - 15.00 Florian Amlinger, European Compost Network/ECN

What measures are needed? How to set objectives? How to prevent threats?

Wrap up of the meeting

15.00 - 15.15 - Stefan Scheuer

NGO Session between 15.15 till 17.00

For more information contact: Pieter de Pous, EEB policy officer : pieter.depous@eeb.org , tel: +32-2-2891306