EUROPEAN COMPOST NETWORK
ECN e.V.

Network for Organic Resources and Biological Treatment

ECN E-BULLETIN No. 5_2025

28 may 2025

Anaerobic Digestion Day 2025

Future Directions of Biowaste Recycling

The Anaerobic Digestion Day of biowaste organised by the German Biogas Association took place this year in Leipzig in cooperation with the GüteGemeinschaft Gärprodukte e.V. (GGG), the German Association for Waste Management (DGAW) and the German Biomass Research Centre (DBFZ).

At the three-day event, Stefanie Siebert from the ECN spoke on the second day about alternative hygienisation measures when using animal by-products. The ECN presented its efforts as part of the EFSA application to recognise alternative time and temperature processes in tunnel composting.
The event focussed on the topics of the circular economy and the future direction of biowaste recycling. The event was attended by around 120 people. In addition to energy recovery, the conference also looked at the potential of fermentation products as materials. An overview was given of the integration of biogas technology into the bioeconomy and legal and technical requirements and solutions for the provision of oils, fibres and chemical materials for further use in other sectors of the economy were presented. The event was rounded off with a tour of two plants that process municipal biowaste from the Leipzig region into quality-assured solid and liquid fertilisers and aim to expand their products by, for example, liquefying CO2.
Find more information in the Biogas Journal here.

New EU programme calls for proposals

The LIFE programme and the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE JU) have published their 2025 programmes

LIFE Programme: LINK (Deadline for submission: 18 September 2025)
CBE JU Programme: LINK (Deadline for submission: September 2025)

ECN is interested in joining initiatives including circular bioeconomy and biowaste management.

European Parliament | Water Resilience Strategy

Adoption of the Parliament’s report on the Water Resilience Strategy

On 7 May, the Parliament adopted in plenary its own-initiative report on the Water Resilience Strategy, which is not legally binding but could influence the Commission for its own communication on the same topic, expected to be presented on 4 June.

In its report, the Parliament calls for the transition to a more sustainable and competitive farming model with practices that enable agriculture to use fertilisers efficiently, for more research on effective use of nutrients, and to increase funding to support farmers in the adoption of low-input and organic farming practices. It also invites the Commission to propose a nutrient management action plan to address, among other things, the recycling of nutrients, and calls for the safe recovery of phosphorus from organic sources. MEPs also recognise the role of treated sewage sludge as a local and circular source of fertiliser. Finally, they recommend a revision of the Nitrates Directive.

European Commission | Carbon Removals and Carbon Farming

Expert Group meeting on carbon farming

The new Carbon Removal Expert Group meeting on carbon farming took place in May to discuss the three draft certification methodologies under the Certification Framework for Carbon Removals and Carbon Farming Regulation.

During the session on agriculture and agroforestry, the Commission seemed to want to impose some limitations to the use of organic soil amendments by making eligible the use of compost and digestate only if they come from sources (like biowaste) that are not already used - so as we understand it, that are not separately collected and treated.
The livestream is still available here.

European Commission | Tariffs on imported nitrogen-based fertilisers

Endorsement of the Commission’s proposal by the Parliament and the Council

The European Parliament and the Council have endorsed the Commission’s proposal to impose new tariffs on certain agricultural products from Russia and Belarus, including nitrogen-based fertilisers. The text provides for a 6.5% tariff on fertilisers, and for duties of between 40€ and 45€ per tonne for the 2025-2026 period. As no further negotiations are needed, the Regulation can be directly adopted and it could enter into force as of July 2025.
To address farmers’ concerns, the Commission specified that it would monitor fertiliser prices and that in case there is a substantial increase, it would take measures such as suspending custom duties on fertilisers imported from countries other than Russia and Belarus.

Social Media Communication

ECN joined Bluesky

Interreg Europe

6th Thematic Seminar in Hungary

The 6th thematic seminar for our Interreg Project CORE took place on 20-22 May 2025. This time the topic was Smart Composting. On the first day the project partners presented good practices on:

Smart Composting for efficient biowaste management
Smart Biowaste Collection with IoT Sensors
Compocity – Smart Composting meets sustainable workplace culture with an interactive demonstration of CompoBot
Chatbot “Müllbert” an AI communication tool for municipal waste companies
Pocketbook for the closed loop garden
Neighbourhood composting plants

As key speaker Prof. Dr. Laszlo Aleksza from ProfiKomp presented the current situation and policy developements of bio waste treatment in Hungary.

During the second day we visited the University of Pannonia, where they presented their research on composting, an energy-producing compost box and a breathable drum composter that is being used. We also visited a green kindergarten and a community composting site, both established within the CORE project. Finally all partners visited a composting site in the Balatone Region.

Are you interested in smart composting? Follow the project here and learn more about this and other good practices in composting and anaerobic digestion.

Events

EU Green Week 2025 I 3-5 June 2025

Circular solutions for a competitive EU

Europe’s leading environmental conference will take place in Brussels on 3-5 June. This year’s EU Green Week will unpack the “three Cs” – Clean, Competitive & Circular – and explore how to put circularity at the centre of our economic transition. The conference will be an opportunity for knowledge sharing, alliance building and awareness raising about the potential of a circular economy.

Web-Seminar German Biogas Association I 07 July 2025 I 2:00-4:00 PM (CEST)

Current issues relating to the implementation of sustainability certification under the Renewable Energy Directive in Germany

The requirements for sustainability certification in accordance with the Renewable Energy Directive - from 21.05.25 the RED III, (EU) 2023/2413 - repeatedly raise questions about implementation, not only because of the currently pending revision of the BioSt-NachV. These questions and the procedure for sustainability certification at the biogas plant will be discussed in detail in this web seminar.
The event will be in German. You can register here.

CYPRUS 2025 I 25-28 June 2025

12th International Conference on Sustainable Solid Waste Management

The CYPRUS 2025 12th International Conference on Sustainable Solid Waste Management will take place in Paphos, Cyprus from 25th to 28th June 2025. The conference website is available at: https://cyprus2025.uest.gr.

Anaerobic Digestion, Waste-to-Energy, Waste Valorization, Biotechnology & Biorefineries, Symbiosis and Circular Economy, Recycling & Resources Recovery, Plastics & Bioplastics, Hazardous Waste include indicative conference topics.
The conference will take place both with physical presence and virtually. More than 500 abstracts have already been submitted. The deadline for abstract submission has been extended until 28th February 2025 (https://cyprus2025.uest.gr/abstract-submission/ ).

KBVÖ I 8 September 2025

9th International Practitioners' Day for Composting

Following the success of previous International Practitioner Days, the Austrian Compost and Biogas Association invites you to the 9th edition at Erdbau Winkler GmbH in Hartberg, Styria. This event showcases innovations, trends, and visions in composting. With around 404 composting plants in Austria processing 1.56 million tons of biogenic waste annually, new technologies are advancing through partnerships between plant operators and technology suppliers. Leading companies will present mobile shredding machines, and the latest tech in turning, screening, measuring, and more. This event is for plant operators, waste handlers, farmers, contractors, and anyone involved in composting.

More information here.

S.O.S Save Organics in Soil

This international initiative S.O.S. SOIL – Save Organics in Soil, led by the European Compost Network (ECN) and the Italian Composting and Biogas Association (CIC), aims to highlight the importance of soil organic matter to encourage policy makers to develop instruments to move Europe towards implementing sustainable, climate proof soil management practices.

Sign the manifesto 'Save Organigs in Soil' here.