Developments in monitoring the effectiveness of the EU Nitrates Directive Action Programmes. Results of the second MonNO₃ workshop, 10-11 june 2009

Member States of the European Union are obliged both to monitor the quality of their waters and the effect of their Action Programmes on these waters and to report the results to the European Commission. These monitoring obligations have been interpreted differently by the various countries due to the lack of specific guidelines. Most countries, however, have increased their efforts to monitor water quality the last six years, primarily as a consequence of the discussion between the Member States and the European Commission on how the fertiliser policy should be designed and implemented. Member States try to underpin their position on monitoring with the results from additional monitoring efforts. Another factor contributing to the increase in monitoring is the requirement for Member States that recently joined the EU to adapt their monitoring systems to comply with the obligations of the European Directives.

These are the findings of an International Workshop (‘MonNO₃’ workshop) organised in 2009 by the RIVM together with the Danish National Environmental Research Institute (DMU), the Geological Survey for Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) and LEI, part of Wageningen University and Research Centre. Twelve countries from Northwest and Central Europe participated in the second MonNO₃ workshop. The focus was on developments since 2003, the year that the first MonNO₃ workshop was held.

Similar to the first ‘MonNO₃’ workshop, the second one has also contributed to the exchange of knowledge and information – at the international level – on monitoring the effects of the fertiliser policy. Attention was also paid to the use of monitoring data for purposes other than providing information on the status of and trends in water quality; for example, to use data for underpinning measures to be included in the fertiliser policy. In closing, the participants discussed possible amelioration and expansion of the monitoring networks.