EU’s Soil Monitoring Law enters into force

The European Union’s Soil Monitoring Law, EU's first dedicated piece of legislation on soil health, entered into force on 16 December 2025, marking a step towards improved protection and restoration of soils across all member states. The law requires countries to monitor and assess the condition of soils in forests, agricultural land, urban areas and other environments, addressing key threats including erosion, compaction, contamination and soil sealing. Member States will be required to establish soil health assessments, while benefiting from flexibility in how they tailor implementation to local conditions and support from the European Commission, including capacity building and access to a soil health data portal.

The law forms a central part of the EU’s Soil Strategy for 2030 and contributes to the objectives of the European Green Deal, which aim for healthy soils by 2050 and recognise that 60 to 70 per cent of soils in the EU are currently in an unhealthy state. Soil degradation is estimated to cost the EU tens of billions of euros each year and undermines agricultural productivity, pest resistance and food quality and safety. In addition, the directive introduces measures to better address contaminated sites, requiring appropriate risk reduction measures where soils pose unacceptable risks to human health or the environment, and making relevant information publicly accessible free of charge.

While the law does not set binding targets or impose new permitting procedures, it obliges Member States to support farmers and soil managers in improving soil health and resilience, as well as to factor land-take mitigation principles into planning to protect soil’s multiple services, including food security. Implementation will unfold as Member States transpose the directive into national law over the coming years, supported by EU funding and guidance aimed at strengthening soil monitoring networks and data comparability.