ENVIRONMENT : EXEMPTIONS GRANTED TO NITRATES DIRECTIVE.

Three decisions adopted at the end of December by the European Commission grant the Belgian regions of Flanders and Wallonia, and also Northern Ireland, the authorisation, subject to conditions, to spread a higher quantity of breeding effluents than that provided for by Directive 91/676/EEC relating to the protection of waters against pollution caused by nitrates from agricultural sources. These three exemptions are valid until 31 December 2010.

The first of these decisions (C(2007)6281) concerns Northern Ireland whose bovine breedings are authorised to use, on the spot, the totality of breeding effluents that they produce, even if the quantity of corresponding organic nitrogen involves exceeding the general limit of 170 kg/ha/year, provided for by the directive, provided that the nitrogen for cultivation requirements is far superior to the quantity provided by these effluents. This exemption only applies to grazier farms and authorises the spread of herbivorous breeding effluents up to a limit of 250 kg of nitrogen/hectare. It relates to approximately 730 bovine farms, corresponding to 2.7% of farms in Northern Ireland, 4% of arable land and heads of cattle. Farmers wishing to benefit from this exemption must make an annual request and present a fertilisation plan' describing the crop rotation and establishing forecasts for the spread of manure as well as of nitrate phosphate fertilisers. The exemption is valid until December 2010.

The two other decisions relate to Belgium. Decision...