EU Commission estimates nitrogen costs from agriculture at up to 182 billion euros

Nitrate is a nitrogen compound that plants can absorb directly. In agriculture, nitrate is used as a mineral fertilizer or in the form of slurry to promote plant growth. Because plants can only absorb it in limited quantities, excess amounts pollute soils, water bodies, and biodiversity. In many regions of Germany, groundwater is excessively polluted by fertilizer inputs from agriculture.

Impact and costs of the directive

According to the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), nitrates themselves are relatively harmless to humans. However, bacteria can convert them into harmful nitrite in food or during digestion. The Nitrates Directive sets limit values for nitrate in water and obliges EU member states to take measures to protect water bodies from nitrate pollution from agricultural fertilization.

The evaluation concludes that the requirements have helped reduce pollution in many parts of the EU. The directive has brought cost reductions of 10 to 22 billion euros per year. The Commission estimates the annual implementation costs for farmers and authorities at 2.8 to 3.1 billion euros. For agricultural holdings, the share, according to the Brussels authority, is less than one percent of production.

The German Association of Energy and Water Industries (BDEW) saw the evaluation as a "strong signal for water protection." "Europe needs not a weaker Nitrates Directive, but its full and effective implementation in all member states," the association stated. With this, the water industry positioned itself against any loosening of existing requirements.

Positions of the water industry and the farmers' association

The German Farmers' Association (Deutscher Bauernverband), meanwhile, called for more flexibility for farms that verifiably operate in a way that protects water bodies. "The directive must be geared more towards results than rigid requirements and must take account of the considerable advances in agricultural practice," Secretary General Stefanie Sabet also stated. Less rigid blocking periods are seen as one possible option.

The EU Commission is also examining under what conditions certain processed slurry products could in future be treated legally in the same way as mineral fertilizers, while maintaining environmental protection standards. During the year, the Commission intends to present a preliminary scientific assessment.

Planned simplifications and next steps

According to the Commission, agreements with the member states are also planned – including on better handling of excess fertilizer and high livestock density as well as on the administrative burden, especially for small farms. With this, Brussels is responding to criticism from agriculture that has persisted for years, which feels burdened by rigid requirements and bureaucracy. According to the Commission's account, however, the fundamental thrust of the directive is not up for discussion.

The evaluation comes at a phase in which the EU is putting its overall fertilization policy to the test. In addition to the Nitrates Directive, other regulations are affected, such as Germany's Fertilizer Ordinance, which was revised in the summer of 2025. Environmental associations are insisting on consistent implementation, while parts of the agricultural sector are calling for adjustments. The figures now presented provide both sides with material for their arguments – they show both the high macroeconomic damage caused by nitrogen pollution and the effectiveness of existing countermeasures.