Nitrate sensitive areas

The Nitrates Directive (Council Directive 91/676/EEC concerning the protection of waters against pollution caused by nitrates from agricultural sources) provides for the identification of sensitive areas of nitrogen contamination in each Member State and specific action programmes for these areas. The nitrate sensitive areas in Sweden include: • Gotland, Stockholm and Södermanland County • Parts of Skåne, Blekinge, Hallands, Västra Götalands, Kalmar, Östergötlands, Värmlands, Örebro, Västmanlands, Dalarna and Uppsala County. For these areas there are longer provisions to reduce nutrient losses from agriculture than in the rest of the country. The municipalities and parishes belonging to the sensitive area are further specified in the Swedish Board of Agriculture’s regulations (SJVFS 2004:62) on environmental considerations in agriculture with regard to plant nutrients.