The ECN welcomes the evaluation of the EU Nitrates Directive and expresses its support for sustainable agricultural management practices that promote the use of recycled nutrients from organic resources, especially bio-waste. There is a need for a proper assessment of fertilisers from organic resources, such as compost, with a high content of stabilised organic carbon and organically bound nitrogen. When calculating nutrient balances in crop production, both soil quality and plant nutrition need to be considered together in order to improve soil health by building soil organic carbon and to ensure adequate fertilisation of crops.
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