13th EUROPEAN SOIL PARTNERSHIP PLENARY MEETING

23 April 2026, 10:00 – 16:00
(Sustainable soil management in Europe)

24 April 2026, 09:00 – 15:00
(ESP Action Areas)

Online Meeting

Chair: Rainer Baritz, EEA
Secretariat: Nicole Wellbrock and Julia von Guilleaume
(Federal Research Institute for Rural Areas, Forestry and Fisheries)

Meeting link:
https://thuenen.webex.com/thuenen-en/j.php?MTID=m53560a3f1792ae6bfe068503ca6ae17e

Meeting number: 2740 604 7421
Password: ESP26_join_

Draft AGENDA

23 April 2026
10:00 – 13:00 and 14:00 – 16:00

Theme: Sustainable soil management in Europe
Presentations, discussion, thematic round tables

1. Policy framing
Towards a European voluntary guideline for sustainable soil management

Overview presentations:

• Guidelines for sustainable soil management in Europe: design options, expectations, synergies, implementation conditions and requirements
• EU repository of measures and practices to increase soil resilience

Statements:

• Reflections by stakeholders
  (Each participating stakeholder to summarize their engagement for sustainable soil management)

2. Management impact on soil health
What is possible, feasible, efficient and effective?

Practices and implementation conditions
(Expert pitches and round tables)

Topics:

• Sustainable soil management (SSM) of the forest sector
• Can soil organic carbon (SOC) be sustainably increased?
• How can polluted soils be risk-managed, particularly in agriculture and urban areas?
• How can new soil sealing be reduced despite needs for urban development?
• What are the challenges for balanced nutrient management?
• Which practices improve soil biodiversity?
• Through which management can topsoils and subsoils be restored or decompacted?
• How to manage soils suffering from high susceptibility to erosion

3. Writing and coordination process

• Extended Table of Content (eToC)
• Input and writing process
• Review and revision

24 April 2026
09:00 – 13:00 and 14:00 – 15:00

Theme: ESP Action Areas

Introduction into the day

1. Action Area 1
Sustainably manage soils across all land uses

• Conclusions of Day 1 including stakeholder input

2. Action Area 2
Strengthen participation in soil protection

• Soil policies: EU Soil Monitoring Law developments and implications
• Subregional and National Soil Partnerships: reports and contributions

Subregional partnerships:

• Western Balkan Soil Partnership
• Pyrenean Soil Partnership
• Alpine Soil Partnership
• Eurasian Soil Partnership

3. Action Area 3
Research for stakeholders

• European soil research landscape: overview, structure, key facts, role of stakeholders
• EU Soil Mission clusters: output for stakeholders
• EJP Soil Roadmap

4. Action Area 4
Make the difference: awareness and advocacy

• Summary of activities, needs and outlook
  (JRC, EU Soil Mission projects, ELSA)
• NB Soil Academy for farm advisors (NBSOIL)

5. Action Area 5
Assess, map and monitor soil health

• Soil monitoring and indicators: global, continental, national, regional, local
• Cooperation: harmonized soil analytics (EUROSOLAN)
• Laboratory study supporting the EU Soil Monitoring Law (EUSoil Lab)
• EU SoilHarmony project (transfer functions)

6. Action Area 6
Foster technical cooperation

• Activity overview
• Global Soil Partnership Plenary Assembly 2026
• ESP preparatory webinar

Meeting Conclusions

• Responsibilities
• Roadmap
• Cooperation
• Other business