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Policy Document

Council Directive (91/676/EEC) 12 December 1991

Policy Document
Council Directive of 12 December 1991 concerning the protection of waters against pollution caused by nitrates from agricultural sources (91/676/EEC).

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Related indicators

Indicator Specification Oxygen concentrations in European coastal and marine waters The indicator illustrates the geographical distribution and trends in summer/autumn concentrations of oxygen in the near-bottom waters of the regional seas of Europe. It uses oxygen concentrations in the near-bottom layer during the period July-October. The following marine regions and subregions are covered, in line with the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) (sub)regions: Baltic Sea, North-East Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea and Black Sea (see 'Regional seas surrounding Europe' map: Regional Seas ).
Indicator Specification Chlorophyll in transitional, coastal and marine waters  The indicator illustrates the geographical distribution and trends in mean summer surface concentrations of chlorophyll-a (micrograms per litre) in the regional seas of Europe. The summer period is defined as: June to September for stations north of latitude 59 degrees in the Baltic Sea (Gulf of Bothnia and Gulf of Finland) May to September for all other stations The following marine regions and subregions are covered, in line with the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (sub)regions:   Regions Subregions Baltic Sea None North-East Atlantic Ocean Greater North Sea Celtic Seas Bay of Biscay and Iberian coast Macaronesian biogeographic region Mediterranean Sea Western Mediterranean Sea Adriatic Sea Ionian Sea and Central Mediterranean Aegean-Levantine Sea Black Sea None  
Indicator Specification Nutrients in transitional, coastal and marine waters The indicator illustrates the following levels and trends in concentrations in the regional seas of Europe: winter means of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (nitrate + nitrite + ammonium) winter means of orthophosphate annual means of total nitrogen annual means of total phosphorus The winter period is defined as follows: January, February and March for stations east of longitude 15 degrees (Bornholm) in the Baltic Sea January and February for all other stations. The following marine (sub)regions are covered, in line with the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (sub)regions: Regions Subregions Baltic Sea None North-East Atlantic Ocean Greater North Sea Celtic Seas Bay of Biscay and the Iberian coast Macaronesian biogeographic region Mediterranean Sea Western Mediterranean Sea Adriatic Sea Ionian Sea and Central Mediterranean Aegean-Levantine Sea Black Sea None
Indicator Specification
Archived
Chlorophyll in transitional, coastal and marine waters This indicator illustrates the levels and trends in mean summer surface concentrations of chlorophyll-a (microgram/l) in the regional seas of Europe.
Indicator Specification
Archived
Nutrients in transitional, coastal and marine waters This indicator illustrates the levels and trends in winter means of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (nitrate + nitrite + ammonium), oxidised nitrogen (nitrate + nitrite) and phosphate concentrations (micromol/l) in the regional seas of Europe.
Indicator Specification Ammonia (NH3) emissions This indicator tracks trends since 1990 in anthropogenic emissions of sulphur dioxide. The indicator also provides information on emissions by sectors: energy production and distribution; energy use in industry; industrial processes; road transport; non-road transport; commercial, institutional and households; solvent and product use; agriculture; waste; other. Geographical coverage: EEA-32. The EEA-32 country grouping includes countries of the EU-27 (Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom) EFTA-4 (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Switzerland and Norway) and Turkey. Temporal coverage: 1990-2010
Indicator Specification
Archived
AGRI_F03: Gross nutrient balance - outlook from EEA Definition: The indicator 'gross nutrient balance' estimates the potential surplus of nutrients such as nitrogen (N), phosphate (P) and potassium (K) on agricultural land. This is done by calculating the balance between a nutrient added to an agricultural system and the nutrient removed from the system per hectare of agricultural land. The indicator should accounts for all inputs to and outputs from the farm. The inputs consists of the amount of nutrient (N, P or K) applied via mineral fertilisers and animal manure as well as a nutrient fixation by legumes, deposition from the air, and some other minor sources. Nutrient output is contained in the harvested crops, or grass and crops eaten by livestock (escape of nutrients to the atmosphere, e.g. for nitrogen as N 2 O, is difficult to estimate and therefore is usually not taken into account). This outlook indicator presents trends of the potential surpluses of nutrient (nitrogen, phosphate and potassium) by showing the expected change in nutrient balance from 2001 to 2020. Model Used: CAPSIM Ownership: European Environmental Agency (EEA) Temporal coverage: 2001-2020 Geographical coverage: EU15: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, spain, Sweden, United Kingdom; EU-8: Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia
Indicator Specification
Archived
Fertilizer consumption - outlook from EEA Definition: The indicator "use of fertilizers' is presented as total amount of mineral fertilizers used per unit of agricultural land. Total fertiliser consumption refers to the total sum of nitrogen (N), phosphate (P2O5) and potash (K2O) used in agriculture. The time reference is generally the crop year (July through June). Model used: CASPIM Temporal coverage: 2001 - 2020 Geographical coverage: EU 15 : Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom; EU 8 : Czech republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia
Indicator Specification
Archived
Total fertiliser consumption - outlook from FAO Total fertiliser consumption refers to the total sum of nitrogen (N), phosphate (P2O5) and potash (K2O) used in agriculture. The time reference is generally the crop year (July through June). Model used: FAO Time horizon: 1997/99- 2020 Geographical coverage: Sub-Saharah Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, Near East/ North Africa, South Asia, South Asia excl. India, East Asia, East Asia excl. China, Industrial Coutnries, Transition Countries, World.
Indicator Specification
Archived
Nutrients in transitional, coastal and marine waters The indicator shows 1) annual winter concentrations (micromol/l); 2) classification of concentration levels (i.e. low, moderate, high) and 3) trends in winter oxidised nitrogen (nitrate + nitrite) and phosphate concentration (micromol/l)in the regional seas of Europe.  Levels and trends of winter concentrations of dissolved inorganic nutrients are used for this indicator, as it is assumed that winter concentrations are not significantly reduced due to uptake by primary producers. The winter period is defined as follows: January, February and March for stations east of longitude 15 degrees (Bornholm) in the Baltic Sea  January and February for all other stations. The used regional and subregional seas of Europe are in line with the geographical regions and sub-regions specified in the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD).  Other European Seas (Icelandic Sea, The Norwegian Sea, the Barents Sea and the White Sea) are not covered in this indicator due to current lack of data. 
Indicator Specification
Archived
Chlorophyll in transitional, coastal and marine waters The indicator shows 1) annual mean summer surface concentrations (microgram/l), 2) classification of concentration levels (i.e. low, moderate, high) and 3) trends in mean summer surface concentrations of chlorophyll-a (microgram/l) in the regional seas of Europe. Summer period is: June to September for stations north of latitude 59 degrees in the Baltic Sea (Gulf of Bothnia and Gulf of Finland)  May to September for all other stations  The used regional and subregional seas of Europe are in line with the geographical regions and sub-regions specified in the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD).  Other European Seas (Icelandic Sea, The Norwegian Sea, the Barents Sea and the White Sea) are not covered in this indicator due to current lack of data.
Indicator Specification Nutrients in freshwater in Europe This indicator shows concentrations of phosphate and nitrate in rivers, total phosphorus in lakes and nitrate in groundwater bodies. The indicator can be used to illustrate geographical variations in current nutrient concentrations and temporal trends.
Indicator Specification
Archived
Gross nutrient balance The indicator estimates the potential surplus of nitrogen on agricultural land. This is done by calculating the balance between nitrogen added to an agricultural system and nitrogen removed from the system per hectare of agricultural land. The indicator accounts for all inputs to and outputs from the farm. The inputs consists of the amount of nitrogen applied via mineral fertilisers and animal manure as well as nitrogen fixation by legumes, deposition from the air, and some other minor sources. Nitrogen output is contained in the harvested crops, or grass and crops eaten by livestock (escape of nitrogen to the atmosphere, e.g. as N 2 O, is difficult to estimate and therefore not taken into account).
Indicator Specification Oxygen consuming substances in European rivers This indicator illustrates current biochemical oxygen demand ( BOD) and concentrations of total ammonium (NH 4 ) in rivers, and examines trends in both. The key indicator for the oxygenation status of water bodies is BOD, which is the demand for oxygen resulting from organisms in water that consume oxidisable organic matter.

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For references, please go to https://www.eea.europa.eu/policy-documents/council-directive-91-676-eec or scan the QR code.

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