Only after election debate about phosphate reduction

The European Commission is giving the Netherlands the benefit of the doubt in the derogation file. For example, it was announced at the beginning of February, which means that State Secretary Martijn van Dam can continue drawing up the ministerial regulation. Only after the elections will there be a debate about the phosphate reduction plan. 

Thanks to it green light from Brussels can Van Dam continue with the ministerial regulation. Something in which the Senate and House of Representatives are not involved and which does not have to be put to the vote. When the regulation is ready, it will be published in the Government Gazette. 

These developments increase the chance that the sector plan for phosphate reduction can be launched from 1 March. This concerns the livestock reduction components via a stop scheme, which will start on 20 February, and the reduction via milk production. The Nevedi has already started with the less phosphorus in feed component. Statistics Netherlands will monitor progress on a monthly basis. 

This does not mean that the dust that has blown up around the sector plan has settled down again. Jaco Geurts, CDA, made another attempt to schedule a plenary debate about the phosphate reduction package before the elections. However, there was not enough support for this. For example, the PvdA and VVD voted against, while PVV, CU, SGP and D66 were already willing to talk about the subject before the elections. Also during the expert meeting in the Senate it became clear that there are still many questions about the bill, the ministerial regulation and the sector package.

In 2017, approximately 19.500 companies applied for a derogation to use 230 or 250 kg of nitrogen per hectare. Which underlines the importance of a derogation. Talks will continue after the election.     

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