This is apparent from a letter from the new agriculture minister Henk Staghouwer (CU) and Nature and Nitrogen Minister Christianne van der Wal (VVD). The ministers write that the water quality leaches fertilizers into the ground and surface water. To turn the tide, the actions that were carried out, completed guidelines.

That is why the European Commission strives to classify. The Netherlands has an exceptional position in Europe – the amended derogation – are applied to the land of elders in Europe. Brussels will be there if the water quality does not improve quickly. The announcement of the letter follows an introduction to the responsible European Commissioners in Brussels. That is where patience with the Netherlands is over. The Netherlands will already be given homework. In order for the European Commission to be in the future, the new cabinet must now come up with plans with stronger guarantees for change.

“At the moment, there is therefore a major task in arriving at additional measures to achieve the water quality targets and thus also providing the European Commission with the justification for granting derogation from the Nitrates Directive to the Netherlands,” according to Staghouwer and Van der Wal.

panic football

LTO Nederland says it is unpleasantly surprised that the European Commission has not yet taken a step towards derogation. The farmers’ organization that it is very important that there is soon about the exceptional position for Dutch farmers and situations for panic football.

“The agricultural sector and rural areas are facing an unprecedented transition,” said LTO chairman Sjaak van der Tak. “The government is right to set aside many billions for this. That should give the Brussels officials the confidence that we are serious about making more sustainable efforts. Consistency and maintenance of improving earning capacity are of great importance to entrepreneurs.”

Cabinet appointments

The coalition agreement of VVD, D66, CDA and CU already includes an ‘area-oriented approach’ in which per area (and together with the provinces) not only water quality, but also nitrogen, composition and soil condition will be looked at. But for the European Commission, ‘certainty is needed that this integrated approach will yield actual results and that the range of results for the water quality task will be achieved’, according to the ministers.

What additional measures they are now taking in the short term remains shrouded in mystery. But it is clear that a lot will change for farmers. For example, extended ring (fewer animals), innovations, buy-out and farmers are ‘important instruments for achieving the goals’.

Manure production

A lot of leaching of fertilizers can be done. If ranchers are bought up or bought out, the production of phosphate and nitrogen can be extracted. “This reduces the livestock and thus also removes the production of (phosphate and nitrogen from) production manure.”

According to Staghouwer and Van der Wal, the measures to be taken for the agricultural sector are ‘drastic’. “But we also consider this necessary to prevent us from ending up in a situation in which the European Commission intervenes because the Netherlands is not meeting its obligations. In addition, a situation in which the Netherlands is targeted for a derogation is desirable, as this will lead to a further deterioration of water quality and we may still have to take measures.”

Staghouwer and Van der Wal hope to offer the additional package of measures in Brussels ‘mid-February’. In doing so, they must take into account that the European Commission’s patience with the Netherlands is running out. After all, the Netherlands is given homework when they come and it must be provided with better guarantees for improvement.

LTO is convinced that by investing billions in innovation, extensive purchase and voluntary purchase ring, the Netherlands will make a major step towards sustainability. “It is up to our ministers to surprise the Commission,” says Tineke de Vries, portfolio holder Soil and Water at LTO. “The ministry should not offer Brussels the space to halt the derogation process or to rush to impose extreme requirements on the nitrate directive action programme.”