Soil Protection in the European Union (EU)

Within this multi-level governance landscape, the European Union represents one of the most significant regional arenas for soil policy development. However, EU soil protection has historically evolved in a fragmented manner. 

For many years, soil issues were addressed indirectly through sectoral policies related to agriculture, water management, waste regulation, chemicals, and biodiversity (European Commission, 2021). Although these policies influenced soil conditions, they did not create a comprehensive legal framework dedicated specifically to soil protection. 

An attempt to address this gap emerged in 2006 with the proposal for a Soil Framework Directive, which aimed to establish a coordinated European approach to soil protection. However, the proposal encountered strong political resistance and was ultimately withdrawn in 2014 after failing to reach agreement among Member States (European Commission, 2006; European Commission, 2021). This episode illustrates the political sensitivity surrounding soil governance, particularly because soil management is closely linked to land-use sovereignty and agricultural policy. 

The political context began to shift with the launch of the European Green Deal, which renewed attention to soil as a key component of natural capital and climate policy (European Commission, 2019). In this framework, soil health was increasingly recognised as essential for achieving climate neutrality, protecting biodiversity, and ensuring long-term food security. 

Building on this renewed political momentum, the European Commission adopted the EU Soil Strategy for 2030 in 2021. The strategy frames soil as a critical resource for resilient ecosystems and sustainable land management and establishes the long-term objective that all soils in the European Union should be in healthy condition by 2050. 

A further step followed in 2025 with the adoption of Directive (EU) 2025/2360 on Soil Monitoring and Resilience, which represents the first comprehensive EU-wide legal framework specifically dedicated to soil. 

The Directive introduces: 

• A harmonised soil monitoring system across Member States 

• Common criteria and descriptors to assess soil health 

• Requirements for identifying and managing contaminated sites 

• Obligations to promote sustainable soil management 

• Regular reporting and data-sharing mechanisms 

Like other EU directives, the legislation is binding with regard to the objectives to be achieved, while allowing Member States flexibility in determining how these objectives are implemented within their national legal systems. This reflects the broader structure of EU environmental governance, where common goals are set at the European level but implementation remains largely national. 

© Evolution of EU soil governance from fragmented policies to a coordinated framework, figure developed by Ana Machado, University of Aveiro, with the assistance of ChatGPT (OpenAI) for visual design.