Soil: A key resource for the EU
This factsheet (PDF) by the European Commission highlights 4 facts about soil: 1) Soil is a key, largely nonrenewable and very complex natural resource and yet it is increasingly damaged by certain human practices; 2) EU law does not address all the threats in a comprehensive way and not all Member States have specific legislation on soil protection; 3) Since 2006, the European Commission has been working on a global cross-EU strategy to deal with all aspects of soil protection while taking into account the variety of situations in each country; and 4) The Soil Framework Directive will be a cornerstone in the implementation of a proper soil protection policy in the European Union. The factsheet also provides suggestions for further reading.
The factsheet is also available in German and French.