EU Missions Soil Deal for Europe

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© European Union, 2023. Image - V. Smirnov Miotto/Shutterstock.com

What is the Mission Soil?

The EU Mission ‘A Soil Deal for Europe’ (Mission Soil) is one of five Missions funded under the EU Research and Innovation (R&I) Programme Horizon Europe. Its goal is to create 100 Living Labs and Lighthouses by 2030 to promote sustainable land and soil management in urban and rural areas.

Learn more about this Mission

Living Labs and Lighthouses 

Learn how Living Labs and Lighthouses can help to experiment and showcase good practices for sustainable land management. Work with researchers and land managers to find real-life solutions to societal challenges. 

Learn more about Living Labs

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© European Union, 2023. Image - Yuri A Miotto/Shutterstock.com
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Why is soil biodiversity important?

Delve into our latest video released for the annual World Biodiversity Day, on how initiatives led by Mission Soil are actively transforming the understanding around soil biodiversity into tangible results, ensuring healthier soils for a sustainable future.

Watch the video about soil biodiversity here

Latest news

Share your views! Survey on future-proofing EU Agri-Food through research and innovation
The European Commission, led by DG AGRI, is preparing a new EU Agricultural Research and Innovation (R&I) Strategic Approach, planned for mid-2026. We invite you to take part in a short questionnaire designed to gather feedback from key stakeholders across the agricultural, forestry, and rural sectors by 25 January.
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The Soil Monitoring Law is published in the EU Official Journal
The EU Directive on Soil Monitoring and Resilience, published on 26 November 2025, sets out a coherent and harmonised framework for monitoring and assessing soil health across all EU Member States, a key milestone for Europe’s environmental ambition. The legislation aims to achieve healthy soils across Europe by 2050 and contributes directly to the EU’s zero pollution ambition.
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New SHARE Handbook Sets the Standard for Soil Health Monitoring Across Europe
The SOB4ES project has released the Soil Health Assessment and Re-Evaluation (SHARE) Protocols Handbook, a comprehensive new guide designed to harmonize how soil health is monitored across Europe. This landmark publication provides standardized, practical, and scientifically validated protocols for assessing the physical, chemical, and biological properties of soils, essential to understanding and protecting one of our most vital natural resources.
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ICSD 2026 : 14th International Conference on Sustainable Development

The European Center of Sustainable Development (ECSDEV), in collaboration with CIT University, will host ICSD 2026 on 9–10 September 2026 at Roma Eventi – Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome, Italy. 

Under the theme “Creating a Unified…

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3rd European Carbon Farming Summit

The European Carbon Farming Summit, hosted by Project Credible, is rapidly emerging as a leading meeting point for scientists, policymakers, economic actors, and interested members of the carbon farming and soil management communities. The event aims…

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SEACURE OPEN CALL 1st Webinar: With PATH4MED Open Call and Best-Practcie Sharing across EU Project’s Casacade Funding Calls

Join us for the SEACURE Open Call – 1st Webinar, to learn on funding opportunities to combat nutrient pollution in your region and learn from successful case examples for EU experts and initiatives. This session will bring together project partners,…

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Horizon Europe info days - Cluster 6 Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment

Are you interested in research & innovation funding opportunities in the areas of food, bioeconomy, natural resources, agriculture and environment?

Join the Horizon Europe Cluster 6 info days on 22 and 23 January 2026 to learn more about the…

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Horizon Europe info days - EU Missions

Are you interested in funding opportunities for projects helping to reach the EU Missions goals in the areas of health, climate and the environment? Would you like to contribute to bring concrete solutions to some of the greatest challenges facing our…

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E-SPFdigit - 1st workshop of clustering activities

The workshop will bring together key stakeholders from government, academia, industry, and civil society to share experiences, discuss policy challenges, and explore opportunities for innovation in the soil, plant and food health sector. The agenda…

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EU Agri-Food Days

Join us for the third edition of the EU Agri-Food Days, this three-day event will offer you the opportunity to network with EU agri-food stakeholders, farmers, civil society, academia and policymakers. Be at the heart of discussions about the latest…

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Integrating Biodiversity and Nature-based Solutions in Business Decision Making | Online Workshop

Are you an agrifood business wondering how to integrate biodiversity and Nature-based Solutions in your operations?

Held on December 10th 2025, from 10:00 to 12:00 CET, this webinar will bring together key actors across the agrifood value chain…

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Shaping the Future of Soil Health Living Labs and Lighthouses in Europe

On 3 December 2025 - on the eve of World Soil Day, SOILL-Startup hosts a policy-oriented conference to connect EU-level expectations with on-the-ground evidence from the first and second waves of Mission Soil Living Labs. The event will examine data…

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HuMUS Final Conference | Participatory governance for Soil Health quality management: The legacy of the HuMUS project

Join the HuMUS Final Conference on 21 November, bringing together policymakers, soil stewards, municipalities, regional authorities, researchers, farmers, urban planners, and civil society to share knowledge and outcomes from the three-year Horizon…

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Building soil monitoring into policy

What data do policymakers need to protect soils, and how will the new EU Soil Monitoring Law help deliver it? How can projects like AI4SH support member states in turning the Soil Monitoring Law into effective monitoring systems on the ground? What…

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ECOMONDO 2025
Join the Green Transition at Ecomondo 2025 – Rimini, Italy

From 4 to 7 November 2025, the Rimini Expo Centre will once again host Ecomondo, the leading international event dedicated to the green and circular economy. This flagship fair brings together…

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Event report - European Mission Soil Week 2025
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paper
Estimations of GHG emissions from drained peatlands: Accountability in the trans-border Neman River basin
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video
European Mission Soil Week 2025 - post event video
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podcast
Mission Soil Podcast Series | Episode 4 – Getting to know the Mission Soil Ambassadors
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Cluster on data and knowledge management
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Cluster on business models and investments
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Cluster on communication and stakeholder engagement
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Cluster on soil pollution and remediation
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Cluster on soil indicators and monitoring
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Global engagement with the Mission Soil Manifesto : a declaration on soil protection and restoration
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video
Meet the Mission Soil Ambassadors
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educational material
Mission Soil Panorama
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educational material
Test your knowledge! What do you know about soil?
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podcast
Mission Soil Podcast Series | Episode 3 – Exploring the Living Labs of Mission Soil: Insights from ICOSHELLs, LILAS4SOILS, and LivingSoiLL
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publication
Revisiting the soil carbon saturation concept to inform a risk index in European agricultural soils
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publication
The mission ‘A Soil Deal for Europe’: 100 living labs and lighthouses to lead the transition towards healthy soils
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Event report - European Mission Soil Week 2024
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European Mission Soil Week 2024 - recap event
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podcast
Mission Soil Podcast Series | Episode 2 - Discover some of the EU Mission Soil funded projects: interview with BIOservicES, HuMUS and PREPSOIL
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Social sciences, humanities, and the arts in the EU Mission “A Soil Deal for Europe”
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publication
SOILL - Catalogue 2024 - Mission Soil Living Labs and Lighthouses
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video
Meet the Mission Soil Board
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podcast
Mission Soil Podcast Series | Episode 1 - Leading the transition towards healthy soils: a closer look at the EU Mission Soil
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paper
Tracking Soil Health: Monitoring and Modeling the Soil-Plant System
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educational material
Let’s play! Apple soil game
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publication
Discussion paper - Incentivising the transition to soil health, regenerative farming practices
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paper
How the EU Soil Observatory is providing solid science for healthy soils
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factsheet
Guidelines for living labs proposals
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video
International Day for Biological Diversity
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paper
A unifying modelling of multiple land degradation pathways in Europe
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