The final endorsement of the EU Fertilising Productions Regulation (FPR) is expected in Council before end May and publication of the Regulation in the Official Journal before end June 2019. There will then be a three year delay period before implementation, that is before companies can place on the market CE-Mark fertilisers. The JRC “STRUBIAS” report (struvite and recovered phosphate salts, biochars and pyrolysis materials, ash-based materials) is expected to be published at the same time, and then the European Commission will launch the necessary comitology processes to validate FPR annexe texts to bring these products into the FPR. ESPP participated at the EU Fertilisers Working Group meeting of 10th May which progressed a number of questions concerning implementation of the FPR, including:
- Defining agronomic and safety criteria for by-products (CMC11 of the FPR). It was clarified that this concerns both industrial by-products but also organic by-products (plant materials, food industry by-products - but not Animal By-Products, composts or digestates covered in specific CMCs) where such materials are used as components of future CE-mark fertilising products (as defined under the FPR, this includes soil improvers, liming materials, biostimulants …). It was also clarified that this should concern agronomic “indirect” value, in a wide sense, so as to not exclude by-products used in fertilising products for non-agronomic purposes (such as additives used in processing, such as anti-caking or pelleting agents).
- Mandate to CEN to develop harmonised standards for testing methods, to accompany FPR implementation and CE-Mark validation. The current draft list of required new standards can be consulted at www.phosphorusplatform.eu/regulatory This mandate is expected to be transmitted to CEN very rapidly after FPR publication.
- ESPP notes that the Commission proposes to request CEN to develop standards to determine the “organic nitrogen content” of organic fertilisers, soil improvers, etc., which be transposable to discussions of “processed manure” under the Nitrates Directive.
- Preparation of a European Commission “FAQ” (frequently asked questions and answers) document on the FPR. This is proposed to replace the ‘Implementation Guide’ requested by ESPP and industry. Please send to ESPP any questions concerning understanding and implementation of the FRP which you think it would be useful to include in such a document, and ESPP can forward to the European Commission.
EU Fertilising Products Regulation (FPR) final adopted text: www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-//EP//NONSGML+TA+P8-TA-2019-0306+0+DOC+PDF+V0//EN