Soil Thematic Strategy - The Way How to Protect European Soils

Soils should be considered as integral part of the environment and not only as mean for agricultural production or place for building houses or dumping the wastes. In the past this approach was missing and now for the soils in many parts of Europe the degradation phenomena are visible. Soil degradation processes in general, do not follow the state’s borders, so the degradation is a complex process which is influencing also the other countries, not just the country where soil protection has not high importance. Is has been necessary to start a common and complex soil protection process dealing with soils as specific environmental compartment which may be destroyed in very short time but which needs for its recovery thousands of years. Therefore soil has been recognized as a non renewable source that requires protection in order to assure the sustainable development goals of Europe. Among EU member and candidate countries the thematic strategy for Soil Protection was elaborated and proposed by the European Commission in September 2006.JRC.H.7-Land management and natural hazard