Ukraine’s Ministry of Economy and representatives of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Environment (DG ENV) discussed measures to protect surface water and groundwater from nitrate pollution originating from agricultural sources. The Ukrainian side presented progress in implementing the EU Nitrates Directive and outlined the next steps, while European Commission representatives provided recommendations. Ukraine aims to ensure practical compliance with the directive’s requirements by the end of 2028.
An important step towards this goal was the adoption in the first reading of draft law No. 11486 on protecting water from nitrate pollution from agricultural sources. The bill was supported by 248 members of parliament. It introduces European approaches to fertiliser use and the prevention of water pollution.
The meeting also focused on monitoring. As agricultural activities take place across almost the entire territory of Ukraine, water quality monitoring must cover the whole country. Existing data remains insufficient to determine the actual level of pollution and identify areas where priority measures are needed.
When designating nitrate-vulnerable zones, their boundaries will need to be justified by monitoring results. Modelling that takes into account soil types, climate, crops grown and farming practices will help assess the risk of nitrates entering water sources and identify appropriate measures for specific areas. Water quality data will also indicate how much pollution needs to be reduced to achieve the objectives of the EU Water Framework Directive.
“To reduce nitrate pollution, we need to know where and to what extent it affects water quality. This requires measurements across the entire country. The results will help us identify priority areas for action and propose clear, practical measures that farmers can implement on their farms,” said Iryna Ovcharenko, Deputy Minister of Economy and Environment of Ukraine.
