During the Agriculture and Fisheries Council meeting, the European Member States discussed the implementation strategy for bio-based fertilizers. The dialogue focused on removing technical barriers to RENURE products, which play a role in the transition of European agriculture and biochemistry.
The focus of the discussions in Brussels was the practical application of the recently established technical criteria. Although the recognition of RENURE (REcovered Nitrogen from manURE) is legally enshrined, challenges remain in the harmonization of quality standards. The ministers addressed how Member States can jointly monitor agronomic efficiency, ensuring that these products can be used consistently throughout the EU, just like fertilizers.
Focus on strategic autonomy
A key point of discussion was the contribution of bio-based fertilizers to European independence. By recovering nutrients from local biomass and manure streams, the EU can reduce imports of fossil-based fertilizers. However, this requires not only new legislation but also the scaling up of advanced biorefining and processing techniques.
During the council meeting, it was emphasized that facilitating cross-border trade in these recovered raw materials is essential for market functioning. Now that the technical feedback reports are public, the focus is on minimizing environmental impacts, such as ammonia emissions and leaching, while maximizing the commercial value of the residual flows.
Consequences for the Dutch sector
The European approach provides a framework for the further development of Dutch manure processing capacity. Now that the technical preconditions have been established by Brussels, investments in technologies such as nitrogen stripping and struvite extraction can be continued within a clearer legal framework. This shifts the discussion from political recognition to practical integration into national manure legislation. For the Dutch bioeconomy, the rollout of these frameworks by mid-2026 will determine the extent to which residual flows can be marketed as raw materials.
Sources:
Europese Commissie
Council of the European Union
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