Protecting the soil to protect the environment and the European populations. Today, the EU Parliament approved a report that endorses the strategy adopted by the EU Commission, because "it clearly shows the need of effective and productive soil-protection measures within the EU countries". Such strategy must "locate and solve the problems of the deterioration of the soils damaged either by natural phenomena or human action" and must be based on prevention, awareness raising, the location of endangered areas, "to tackle the problem on a EU-wide scale". The speaker, the MEP Vittorio Prodi, spoke of the need to "implement synergisms with other EU policies", to lay down a tax on carbon leaks, and to promote "sustainable agricultural policies". The Strasbourg Parliament therefore wants a framework directive to be implemented (as one on the subject does not exist yet), along with a "survey of the causes of desertification and attendant remedies", common rules to "prevent contamination and the monitoring of natural risks".
