How to prepare for the EU Soil Monitoring Law

A sweeping piece of legislation is on its way into force in the European Union (EU) that will radically increase the demand for comprehensive, multi-parameter soil monitoring. 

The EU’s Soil Monitoring and Resilience Directive, more commonly known as the EU Soil Monitoring Law, is the first comprehensive legislation dedicated to protecting and restoring soil across the European Union.  

Proposed in July 2023 and expected to be adopted in 2025, the law mandates that all EU member states systematically monitor soil health and take action to restore degraded soils.  

It is a key instrument of the European Green Deal, aligning with the EU Soil Strategy for 2030 and the Zero Pollution Action Plan, with the ultimate objective of achieving healthy soils by 2050. 

More than 60% of EU soils are currently unhealthy, undermining food production, biodiversity, water regulation, and carbon sequestration.  

For monitoring professionals, this law marks a turning point: it embeds soil health in legal, operational, and data management systems in much the same way water or air quality has long been regulated. 

Monitoring obligations under the EU Soil Monitoring Law 

Under the new law, member states must assess the health of all soils across their territories using a common EU methodology. Monitoring must include agricultural, forested, urban, and industrial soils, with countries determining representative sampling points based on guidance provided by the European Commission. The methodology is expected to cover: 

Sampling depth and frequency, such as 0–30 cm topsoil cores taken every 5–10 years. 

Sampling patterns, including grids or stratified random designs that reflect land use and soil diversity. 

Field protocols referencing international standards, such as the ISO 18400 series. 

Importantly, the directive allows flexibility to use existing national datasets and monitoring systems as long as they align with the EU’s standardized approach. This enables many countries to build on their current frameworks while ensuring data comparability across the EU. 

Mandatory parameters  

Soil health assessments will rely on a core set of indicators, known as soil descriptors, which reflect physical, chemical, and biological functions: 

Physical: bulk density, compaction, texture, erosion status, and land sealing. 

Chemical: soil organic carbon, nutrient status (e.g. nitrogen, phosphorus), pH, and pollutant concentrations (e.g. heavy metals, PFAS, pesticides). 

Biological: microbial respiration (a proxy for biological activity), with further biodiversity metrics expected in the future. 

Measurement methods must meet minimum quality requirements, and will include standardized laboratory protocols, such as dry combustion for organic carbon, ICP-MS for metals, or gas chromatography for organic pollutants. The law encourages use of remote sensing and digital technologies, such as satellite data or proximal sensing, to complement ground-based sampling. 

A two-tier soil assessment system 

The directive introduces a double-value system for assessing soil health: 

EU Sustainable Target Values: Aspirational thresholds that define what healthy soil looks like. These are not legally binding but guide long-term objectives. 

National Operational Trigger Values: Country-specific thresholds that determine when a soil is deemed degraded and in need of action. These values are binding and must be aligned with or more ambitious than the EU targets. 

Soils may be classified as healthy, vulnerable, or degraded based on these values. Exceeding a trigger value for a harmful parameter (e.g. cadmium concentration) will require authorities to investigate and apply corrective measures. 

Implications for laboratories and instrument manufacturers 

Laboratories conducting soil analysis under this directive must meet quality assurance standards. Likely requirements include: 

Accreditation to ISO/IEC 17025 or participation in proficiency testing schemes. 

Use of certified reference materials and methods listed in directive annexes. 

Demonstrated traceability, accuracy and sensitivity, especially important for trace contaminants like PFAS or cadmium. 

Instrumentation manufacturers may see increased demand for: 

ICP-MS, AAS, GC-MS, LC-MS/MS, and elemental analysers. 

Portable XRF analysers, infrared spectrometers, and MIR sensors for field screening. 

Automated lab systems and LIMS platforms capable of formatting data for EU-wide interoperability. 

The directive emphasizes harmonisation and comparability, making standardised and well-calibrated instrumentation essential. 

Data reporting, interoperability and public access 

Member states must report soil monitoring data electronically to the European Commission and the European Environment Agency (EEA), using standardised formats in line with the INSPIRE directive. This includes: 

Georeferenced measurements with full metadata. 

Use of consistent units and descriptors. 

Periodic updates (likely every 5 years). 

Soil health data will also feed into publicly accessible platforms, anonymized for privacy. Monitoring professionals must ensure data traceability and integrity, and align with existing platforms like the European Soil Data Centre (ESDAC) and European Soil Observatory (EUSO). 

Contaminated site identification 

In addition to general soil monitoring, the law requires each country to: 

Identify and map all potentially contaminated sites. 

Maintain a public register of these sites. 

Prioritise investigation based on risk, land use and proximity to sensitive receptors. 

This stepwise, risk-based approach will increase demand for field surveys, soil and groundwater testing, and remediation planning. Laboratories and monitoring firms should prepare for a rise in contaminated land projects and may need to expand capacity for site-specific risk assessments. 

How to prepare for the Soil Monitoring law 

The Soil Monitoring Law is expected to enter into force in mid- to late-2025, with a two-year transposition period. Key upcoming milestones include: 

2025–2027: Development of national monitoring plans, sampling schemes, and trigger values. 

2027–2030: First full monitoring cycle; setup of contaminated site registries. 

2030 onward: Implementation of sustainable soil management guidelines; possible expansion of indicator sets. 

Monitoring professionals should: 

Audit capabilities and align procedures with EU requirements. 

Invest in compliant instrumentation and data systems. 

Engage in training for staff and coordination with EU-level forums. 

Prepare for increased collaboration with landowners, industry, and government bodies. 

The EU Soil Monitoring Law will significantly reshape how soil health is monitored, managed, and restored across the Union.  

For environmental monitoring professionals, it presents both a regulatory obligation and an opportunity to contribute to a critical area of sustainability.  

Through harmonized instrumentation, quality-controlled analysis, and robust data systems, professionals will play a key role in advancing soil resilience across Europe.