Slovakia: derogation for cadmium content in phosphate fertilizers
The granting of the derogation concerns the ban on placing on the Slovak market phosphate fertilizers containing at least 5% P 2 O 5 and exceeding the limit value of cadmium 20 mg / kg P 2 O 5 . The decision of the EU also concerns permission for the ban in Slovakia for "EU fertilizer products" to be placed on the European market under the Regulation (EU) No 2019/1009.
The European Commission (EC) has issued a decision on August 6 on the permitted content of cadmium in phosphate fertilizers based on the request of the Slovak Republic. By that Decision, the EC approved the maintenance of a national provision derogating from the cadmium limit laid down in Regulation (EU) No 182/2011. 2019/1009 of 2019 relating to inorganic and organic mineral fertilizers with a phosphorus oxide ( P 2 O 5 ) content higher than 5% at the level of 60 mg cadmium per kilogram of P 2 O 5 .
Slovakia applies in its national legislation a limit value for cadmium in this type of phosphate fertilizers at the level of 20 mg of cadmium. In the request for the exemption Slovakia stated that it is in the interest of soil protection and subsequent protection of human and animal health in its territory to maintain this limit value for products placed on the market under Regulation (EU) No 2019/1009. Of the other Member States of the European Union, only Finland and Hungary have so far allowed it.
The decision of the European Commission on this derogation can be read here: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32020D1205