The document discusses three initiatives related to soil data harmonization: 1) EUROSOLAN aims to unify soil measurement methodologies across countries through a laboratory network. Future work includes new equipment, funding, and engagement in research. 2) INSPIRE/GLOSIS focuses on automated soil data exchange at global and European levels to ensure consistency. A comparison of data exchange designs is planned. 3) The EIONET-NRC Soil initiative develops soil indicators and monitoring networks, emphasizing aggregated data exchange over individual measurements. Strong synergy with the GSP Pillar 1 on soil indicators is recommended for the future. Coordination is also needed between Pillars 3, 4, and 5

1. Hakkı Emrah Erdogan
ESP-Pillar 5 Chair

2. Pillar 5 Report
develop an over-arching mechanism for globally
consistent and comparable harmonized soil information
• Laboratory and field analytical data of soil (EUROSOLAN)
• Soil Data Exchange (INSPIRE/GLOSIS)
• Soil Indicators (EIONET-NRC Soil Initiative)

3. Laboratory and field analytical data of
soil (EUROSOLAN)
• The Regional Soil Laboratory Network for Eurasia and Europe (EUROSOLAN)
was established through its first meeting in Chişinău, Moldova on 2-5 October
2019.
• The representative of soil labs from Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Denmark,
Estonia, Germany, Latvia, Moldova, Netherland, Portugal and Turkey were
attended and shared the results of the quality control & proficiency testing.
In the future; 1) Unification process of domestic and international
measurement methodologies. 2) Investments in new equipment. 3)
Invest in human and financial resources. 4) Getting funding 5) High
engagement of staff in research projects and teaching 6) Sufficient
coverage of lab services by national projects. 7) Include methods (e.g.
organic contaminants).

4. Soil Data Exchange (INSPIRE/GLOSIS)
Currently, at global level, Pillar 5 emphasizes the automated data exchange as
a core element of the global soil information system (GLOSIS), while in Europe,
detailed specification for such data exchange exist. It is thus of high interest
that the global developments are consistent with the already existing
European ones.
EEA and the Eionet NRC Soil have conducted a workshop on INSPIRE in
February 2020. EEA interested to conduct a study comparing the GLOSIS
design language with INSPIRE.
The ESP Pilar 5 should focus to understand (and at best, to secure)
interoperability between data sets exchanged by INSPIRE and GLOSIS.

5. Soil indicators
• For the European soil-monitoring system, the EIONET-NRC Soil has initiated a
task force
• shares details about national soil information from monitoring, and
suggestions how this can be used to improve further the current
heterogeneous landscape of soil data in Europe (indicators, methods,
interpretation)
• the LUCAS-Soil survey as a Europe-wide baseline and basic network of
monitoring sites. Moreover, the discussion showed that (aggregated) soil
indicators shall be placed at the centre of data exchange at European level,
rather than individual local soil measurements.
The Pilar 5 should develop strong synergy with the GSP Pillar 1 – soil
indicators in the future.

6. Reflections
Currently, the Pillar 5 WG consists of several members; in the meantime there
are no direct work or writing assignments, nor meetings of that group,
because all activities focus around global-level activities:
• EUROSOLAN still needs to develop its agenda,
• INSPIRE is not very present in the work agenda of Pillar 5 members despite
the 2020 implementation year of the directive, and no further active
harmonization processes are taking place.
• In connection with Pillar 3 (Research), the EJP Soils has various topics on
board related to soil data harmonization.
• Successful implementation according to needs (see ESP implementation
plan) requires tight coordination with Pillar 4.