The trilogue agreement on the EU Fertilisers Regulation was approved by Member States’ representatives in Council on 12th December. It now goes to formal validation by the European Parliament and Council, before publication. ESPP understands that trilogue fixed then a three year implementation period before entry into force. The European Commission press release underlines that ‘national’ fertilisers and mutual recognition of these will continue after implementation of the new Regulation, so offering two different possible routes for producers and farmers. The Commission estimate that 30% of mineral phosphate fertilisers in Europe could be replaced by phosphorus recycling. According to our information, the agreement reached maintains the Commission mandate to modify the annexes of the new Regulation by ‘comitology’. This means that the STRUBIAS materials (recovered phosphate salts, ash based materials, biochars) can be added into the Regulation rapidly after its adoption. The JRC final STRUBIAS report proposing criteria is expected end 2018, then the Commission will hopefully rapidly consult Committees and write into a modification of Annex II (CMCs).
European Commission press release “Circular Economy: Agreement on Commission proposal to boost the use of organic and waste-based fertilisers” IP/18/6161 http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-18-6161_en.htm
Council press release www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2017/12/20/eu-fertilisers-council-agrees-terms-of-mandate/#
Text of regulation with changes, as agreed in trilogue http://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document/ST-15103-2018-INIT/en/pdf