“`html
German Agriculture Ministry Faces Criticism Over Proposed Fertilizer regulation Changes
Table of Contents
By Anya Schmidt | BERLIN – 2025/06/25 09:43:07
The Ministry of Agriculture, Nutrition and Home in Germany is under fire for its plan too abolish the regulation concerning the “fabric power balance,” a move criticized by the BDEW (Federal Association of Energy and Water Management), several environmental associations, and ver.di, a German trade union, as a setback in monitoring nitrate pollution.
Critics argue that this decision, expected to bypass the approval of the Federal Council and the Bundestag, undermines established consent laws. Furthermore, thay contend that eliminating the “fabric power balance” will increase bureaucracy, rather than reduce it. According to these groups, a robust database is essential for effective monitoring, as mandated by the EU, but this is unachievable without documenting operational nutrient flows.
Water management and environmental organizations are advocating for a “polluter pays” approach to fertilizer policy. They propose digitizing individual company nutrient accounting and making it accessible to authorities to streamline processes. Concerns are rising that relaxing fertilizer regulations could lead to increased nitrate levels in many regions. Given that the current “fabric power balance sheet regulation” has only been in effect since 2023,its potential abolition in 2025 is seen as a threat to planning security for both agriculture and water management.
“Clean water is a high asset.”
The coalition of concerned organizations is urging the federal government to:
- Maintain the obligation to create a nutrient balance in the fertilizer law and refrain from abolishing it.
- Acknowledge the obligation to seek approval and coordinate changes with the Federal Council and the Bundestag, as well as relevant associations and stakeholders, within a reasonable timeframe.
- Implement a standardized, nationwide nutrient balance system for individual companies to enable the “polluter pays” principle.
- Utilize the “Once-Only” principle for data collection to simplify bureaucracy, reduce reporting burdens, conserve resources, improve data quality, and optimize administrative efficiency.
frequently Asked Questions
- What is the “fabric power balance”?
- The “fabric power balance” likely refers to a nutrient balance sheet, a tool used to track the flow of nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, into and out of agricultural systems. It helps assess nutrient use efficiency and identify potential sources of pollution.
- Why are environmental groups concerned about the proposed changes?
- Environmental groups fear that abolishing the nutrient balance regulation will lead to increased nitrate pollution in water bodies, undermining efforts to protect water quality and perhaps violating EU regulations.
- What is the “Once-Only” principle?
- The “Once-Only” principle aims to reduce administrative burden by requiring individuals and businesses to provide facts to public authorities only once. The information can then be shared between different agencies, eliminating the need for repeated submissions.
Source and Contact
Source: (BDEW) Federal Association of Energy and Water Management EV
Contact: Julia Weber, Deputy press spokesman, Reinhardtstr. 32, 10117 Berlin, phone: 030 300199-0
