Reference metadata describe statistical concepts and methodologies used for the collection and generation of data. They provide information on data quality and, since they are strongly content-oriented, assist users in interpreting the data. Reference metadata, unlike structural metadata, can be decoupled from the data.
Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.
1.2. Contact organisation unit
E1: Agriculture and fisheries.
1.3. Contact name
Confidential because of GDPR
1.4. Contact person function
Confidential because of GDPR
1.5. Contact mail address
European Commission, Eurostat
L-2920, LUXEMBOURG
1.6. Contact email address
Confidential because of GDPR
1.7. Contact phone number
Confidential because of GDPR
1.8. Contact fax number
Confidential because of GDPR
2.1. Metadata last certified
20 February 2024
2.2. Metadata last posted
20 February 2024
2.3. Metadata last update
20 February 2024
3.1. Data description
This data set contains data on the total consumption of inorganic (or mineral) fertilisers - in tonnes of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) - reported by countries or estimated by Eurostat (data for some MS have been estimated in some cases up to 2018).
Nutrients, such as N and P, are absorbed from the soil by plants, for their growth. They mainly come in the form of mineral – inorganic – fertilisers, which are widely used in agriculture to optimise production, and organic fertilisers such as manure. While N and P mineral fertilisers greatly enhance crop production, their excessive use may lead to losses of these nutrients to the environment, contributing to environmental pollution.
N and P behave differently in terms of their availability for loss from the agricultural system. N is highly soluble with limited build-up in the soils, and research shows a positive relationship between application rate and nitrate loss from the soil root zone. P losses from land occur due to soil erosion and agricultural run-off. Historic over-fertilisation of P can build up soil P saturation, in which case even negligible new fertiliser inputs may increase pollution.
3.2. Classification system
Not applicable.
3.3. Coverage - sector
The statistics cover the consumption of inorganic fertilisers in agriculture.
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
‘Nutrients’ refers to the elemental form of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium(K).
A ‘fertiliser’ refers to a product which provides plants and mushrooms with nutrients.
An ‘inorganic fertiliser’ shall be a fertiliser containing or releasing nutrients in a mineral form, other than an organic or organo-mineral fertiliser.
‘Used in agriculture’ refers to the fertilisers used in agricultural activities in the reference year. This includes quantities of fertilisers that are bought, given for free or in exchange for transport costs only, and other similar arrangements.
3.5. Statistical unit
Most countries use data based on sales, production and trade statistics or farm surveys. They report annual data on the use of inorganic fertilisers in agriculture at NUTS 0 level. Some countries further report data at NUTS 2 level and one – Poland - at NUTS 1 level.
3.6. Statistical population
Not applicable.
3.7. Reference area
EU Member States, Norway and Switzerland, Albania and Turkey, and their regions down to NUTS 2 level where appropriate.
3.8. Coverage - Time
Reference year 1995 onwards.
3.9. Base period
Not applicable.
Tonnes of N and of P.
The reference period is the calendar year. Data collection is however not harmonised at EU level. Countries collect data for different reference periods. Countries may therefore report data collected for crop years (t-1/t) in calendar year t without any corrections.
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
The data collection on the consumption of mineral fertilisers is a voluntary collection. The publication of the indicator is foreseen in the communication COM(2006)508 final - Development of agri-environmental indicators for monitoring the integration of environmental concerns into the common agricultural policy.
6.2. Institutional Mandate - data sharing
Not applicable.
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 on European statistics (recital 24 and Article 20(4)) of 11 March 2009 (OJ L 87, p. 164), stipulates the need to establish common principles and guidelines ensuring the confidentiality of data used for the production of European statistics and the access to those confidential data with due account for technical developments and the requirements of users in a democratic society.
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
Not applicable.
8.1. Release calendar
Not applicable.
8.2. Release calendar access
Not applicable.
8.3. Release policy - user access
In line with the Community legal framework and the European Statistics Code of Practice Eurostat disseminates European statistics on Eurostat's website (see item 10 - 'Accessibility and clarity') respecting professional independence and in an objective, professional and transparent manner in which all users are treated equitably. The detailed arrangements are governed by the Eurostat protocol on impartial access to Eurostat data for users.
Annually. The Eurobase table is updated as soon as national data is transmitted and validated by Eurostat.
Methodology and data transmission are discussed with countries at different technical levels.
10.7. Quality management - documentation
Not applicable.
11.1. Quality assurance
Data quality and validation are discussed with countries at different technical levels.
11.2. Quality management - assessment
Data on fertiliser consumption is available in many countries from country specific data sources (surveys, trade/production statistics). Due to different data sources used (farmer surveys vs trade/production statistics) and inherent challenges of data sources used (for instance inclusion of non-agricultural use in statistics based on trade and production) the quality of data cannot be sufficiently verified.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
Main users are the general public and policy-makers interested in the integration of environmental concerns into the Common Agricultural Policy (see COM (2006) 508 final).
In its Farm to Fork strategy, the Commission pledged to act to reduce nutrient losses by 50% and to reduce the use of fertilisers by at least 20% by 2030. This is to be achieved, among other actions, through implementing in full the environmental and climate legislation and through developing with the Member States an integrated nutrient management action plan.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
Not applicable.
12.3. Completeness
Data have been received from most countries for the period 2000-2021. Up to reference year 2019, when applicable, Eurostat has used data from National Inventory Submissions to UNFCCC, Fertilizers Europe, FAOSTAT, or national publications to estimate missing figures.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
In principle, only the consumption of inorganic fertilisers in agriculture should be covered. Countries use, however, different methodologies and data sources (data based on sales and/or production and trade statistics or farm surveys) to estimate the use of inorganic fertilisers in agriculture. It is often difficult to distinguish between agricultural and non-agricultural use, the data reported by countries therefore may include non-agricultural use.
For example, Switzerland data includes non-agricultural use, with the Swiss Farmer's Union - Agristat estimating at about 3% the use outside agriculture. These 3% were not subtracted from the published figures.
Starting with the 2023 data collection, new flags were made available in the reporting templates, including the ‘d’ flag (definition differs). Austria flagged the data with this flag as sales data are currently provided without any assumptions made on the share of fertilizers consumed by non-professional users.
The comparability of the data is thus weakened by the lack of harmonization of data sources and (in some cases) of the reference year. Data from production/sales statistics may also overestimate the use of mineral fertilisers due to the inclusion of intermediary goods and of non-agricultural use of fertilisers.
Eurostat is working together with Member States to improve the data collection on mineral fertilisers used in agriculture.
13.2. Sampling error
Not applicable.
13.3. Non-sampling error
Not applicable.
14.1. Timeliness
Data transmission is voluntary. Country data are validated by Eurostat upon receipt and uploaded in Eurostat database.
14.2. Punctuality
Most countries are able to meet the transmission deadlines (30 November of the year t+1 for data transmission)
15.1. Comparability - geographical
The comparability of the data is weakened by the lack of harmonization of data sources and (in some cases) of the reference year. Data from production/sales statistics may also overestimate the use of mineral fertilisers due to the inclusion of intermediary goods and of non-agricultural use of fertiliser.
Eurostat is working together with Member States to improve the data collection on mineral fertiliser used in agriculture.
15.2. Comparability - over time
The data are generally considered comparable over time, due to the stability of the concepts and definitions related to the data reporting requirements
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
This data is used as an input to the calculation of the Gross Nutrient Balance.
15.4. Coherence - internal
EU aggregates are recalculated after each transmission of country revisions.
Concerning geographical coherence, it can happen that rounding issues affect the coherence between the sum of the fertiliser consumption in a country's NUTS2 regions and the overall NUTS0 fertiliser consumption in the same country.
Data are mainly derived from existing data sources and reporting requirements.
All reported errors (once validated) result in corrections of the disseminated data.
Reported errors are corrected in the disseminated data as soon as the correct data have been validated.
Data may be published even if they are missing for certain countries or flagged as provisional or of low reliability for certain countries. They are replaced with final data once transmitted and validated.
Whenever new data are provided and validated, the already disseminated data are updated.
18.1. Source data
Source data are collected in tonnes of nitrogen and phosphorus from the statistical offices or other relevant agencies (ministries of agriculture, etc) of the respective countries.
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Annually.
18.3. Data collection
Data are reported by countries using a pre-defined template, and transmitted via Edamis.
18.4. Data validation
Data validation includes:
Aggregation checks
Completeness checks
Time series checks
18.5. Data compilation
Data is compiled to produce EU aggregates whenever data for all countries is available.
18.6. Adjustment
Not applicable.
No additional comments.
This data set contains data on the total consumption of inorganic (or mineral) fertilisers - in tonnes of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) - reported by countries or estimated by Eurostat (data for some MS have been estimated in some cases up to 2018).
Nutrients, such as N and P, are absorbed from the soil by plants, for their growth. They mainly come in the form of mineral – inorganic – fertilisers, which are widely used in agriculture to optimise production, and organic fertilisers such as manure. While N and P mineral fertilisers greatly enhance crop production, their excessive use may lead to losses of these nutrients to the environment, contributing to environmental pollution.
N and P behave differently in terms of their availability for loss from the agricultural system. N is highly soluble with limited build-up in the soils, and research shows a positive relationship between application rate and nitrate loss from the soil root zone. P losses from land occur due to soil erosion and agricultural run-off. Historic over-fertilisation of P can build up soil P saturation, in which case even negligible new fertiliser inputs may increase pollution.
20 February 2024
‘Nutrients’ refers to the elemental form of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium(K).
A ‘fertiliser’ refers to a product which provides plants and mushrooms with nutrients.
An ‘inorganic fertiliser’ shall be a fertiliser containing or releasing nutrients in a mineral form, other than an organic or organo-mineral fertiliser.
‘Used in agriculture’ refers to the fertilisers used in agricultural activities in the reference year. This includes quantities of fertilisers that are bought, given for free or in exchange for transport costs only, and other similar arrangements.
Most countries use data based on sales, production and trade statistics or farm surveys. They report annual data on the use of inorganic fertilisers in agriculture at NUTS 0 level. Some countries further report data at NUTS 2 level and one – Poland - at NUTS 1 level.
Not applicable.
EU Member States, Norway and Switzerland, Albania and Turkey, and their regions down to NUTS 2 level where appropriate.
The reference period is the calendar year. Data collection is however not harmonised at EU level. Countries collect data for different reference periods. Countries may therefore report data collected for crop years (t-1/t) in calendar year t without any corrections.
In principle, only the consumption of inorganic fertilisers in agriculture should be covered. Countries use, however, different methodologies and data sources (data based on sales and/or production and trade statistics or farm surveys) to estimate the use of inorganic fertilisers in agriculture. It is often difficult to distinguish between agricultural and non-agricultural use, the data reported by countries therefore may include non-agricultural use.
For example, Switzerland data includes non-agricultural use, with the Swiss Farmer's Union - Agristat estimating at about 3% the use outside agriculture. These 3% were not subtracted from the published figures.
Starting with the 2023 data collection, new flags were made available in the reporting templates, including the ‘d’ flag (definition differs). Austria flagged the data with this flag as sales data are currently provided without any assumptions made on the share of fertilizers consumed by non-professional users.
The comparability of the data is thus weakened by the lack of harmonization of data sources and (in some cases) of the reference year. Data from production/sales statistics may also overestimate the use of mineral fertilisers due to the inclusion of intermediary goods and of non-agricultural use of fertilisers.
Eurostat is working together with Member States to improve the data collection on mineral fertilisers used in agriculture.
Tonnes of N and of P.
Data is compiled to produce EU aggregates whenever data for all countries is available.
Source data are collected in tonnes of nitrogen and phosphorus from the statistical offices or other relevant agencies (ministries of agriculture, etc) of the respective countries.
Annually. The Eurobase table is updated as soon as national data is transmitted and validated by Eurostat.
Data transmission is voluntary. Country data are validated by Eurostat upon receipt and uploaded in Eurostat database.
The comparability of the data is weakened by the lack of harmonization of data sources and (in some cases) of the reference year. Data from production/sales statistics may also overestimate the use of mineral fertilisers due to the inclusion of intermediary goods and of non-agricultural use of fertiliser.
Eurostat is working together with Member States to improve the data collection on mineral fertiliser used in agriculture.
The data are generally considered comparable over time, due to the stability of the concepts and definitions related to the data reporting requirements
