If the amount of manure that a Member State intends to apply per hectare each year is different from the one specified in the first sentence of the second subparagraph of paragraph 2 of Annex III to Directive 91/676/EEC and in point (a) thereof, that amount has to be fixed so as not to prejudice the achievement of the objectives specified in Article 1 of that Directive and has to be justified on the basis of objective criteria, such as, in the present case, long growing seasons and crops with high nitrogen uptake.

On 10 August 2007, the United Kingdom submitted to the Commission a request for a derogation under the third subparagraph of paragraph 2 of Annex III to Directive 91/676/EEC with regard to Northern Ireland.

The requested derogation concerns the intention of the United Kingdom to allow the application in Northern Ireland of up to 250 kg nitrogen per hectare per year from livestock manure in grassland farms. Approximately 732 holdings in Northern Ireland corresponding to 2,7 % of total farms, 4 % of the Utilized Agricultural Land and 5 % of the Livestock Unit are potentially encompassed by the derogation.

The legislation implementing Directive 91/676/EEC, the Nitrates Action Programme Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006 (Regulations 2006 No 489), has been adopted and applies equally to the requested derogation.

The Phosphorus (Use in Agriculture) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006 set out measures governing land application of phosphate fertilisers in order to prevent water pollution. The regulations prohibit the application of chemical fertilisers unless it is demonstrated that the amount is not in excess of crop requirement, requiring, inter alia, the assessment of soil fertility status through chemical analysis.

Water quality data submitted show that low nitrate concentrations are a common feature of water bodies in Northern Ireland. In 2005 the average nitrate concentration in groundwater was below 20 mg/l nitrates in 71 % of the monitoring sites and concentrations greater than 50 mg/l nitrates were recorded in no more than 7 % of the sampling points. Data on water quality in rivers showed that in 2005 the mean nitrate concentration was below 20 mg/l in 99 % of sampling points and no monitoring station exceeded 50 mg/l nitrates. All large lakes had an average concentration of less than 10 mg/l nitrates.

According to the third report on implementation of the Nitrates Directive 72 % of groundwater monitoring sites showed stable or decreasing trends in nitrates concentration in the period 1999-2003; nitrate concentration in surface water was stable or declining in 87 % of surface water monitoring stations in the same period.

In conformity with paragraph 5 of Article 3 of Directive 91/676/EEC, the Nitrates Action Programme Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006 applies throughout the whole Northern Irish territory.

The number of livestock and the utilisation of chemical fertilisers decreased in the last decade. Cattle, pig and sheep number decreased respectively by 2 %, 36 % and 22 % in the period 1995-2005. Chemical nitrogen fertiliser use decreased by 41 % in the period 1995 to 2005 and the application rate for 2005 was 89 kg per hectare nitrogen, phosphate fertiliser use declined by 49 % in the same period and in 2005 phosphorus use was on average 7 kg per hectare. Nitrogen surplus at national level declined from 159 kg/ha in 1995 to 124 kg/ha in 2005.

Due to high rainfall and the prevalence of soil with poor drainage, in Northern Ireland, ninety-three percent of agricultural land is devoted to grassland, of which a large part is classified as having good to very good potential for grass growth. Due to impeded drainage, the denitrification potential of the majority of soils in Northern Ireland is relatively high, reducing the nitrate concentration in soil and, therefore, the amount of nitrate susceptible to leaching.

In Northern Ireland 70 % of the land is farmed extensively and 45 % of the total land area is farmed under agro-environmental schemes.

The Northern Irish climate, characterised by an annual rainfall evenly distributed throughout the year and a relatively narrow annual temperature range promotes a relatively long grass-growing season ranging from 270 days per year in the coastal area to the east to around 260 days per year in the central lowlands where land is actively managed and farmed.

The supporting documents presented in the notification show that the proposed amount of 250 kg per hectare per year nitrogen from grazing livestock manure in grassland farms is justified on the basis of objective criteria such as long growing seasons and crops with high nitrogen uptake.

The Commission, after examination of the request, considers that the proposed amount of 250 kg per hectare will not prejudice the achievement of the objectives of Directive 91/676/EEC, subject to certain strict conditions being met.

This Decision should be applicable in tandem with the Nitrates Action Programme Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006, in force in Northern Ireland for the period 2007-2010.

The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Nitrates Committee set up pursuant to Article 9 of Directive 91/676/EEC,