Environmental policy provides the opportunity to address most threats, and in particular those relating to contamination, soil organic matter, biodiversity and sealing.

7. Recommends that the urban dimension of Cohesion Policy, taking as a guideline the strategic concept of serving smart, sustainable, inclusive growth, should focus on a threefold objective: first, to help urban areas develop their basic physical infrastructure as a precondition for growth in order fully to exploit their potential contribution to economic growth in Europe, diversification of the economic base and energy and environmental sustainability, in particular with a view to maintaining and improving air quality in urban centres; without detriment to rivers; second, to help urban areas modernise their economic, social and enviro ...[+++]nmental characteristics through smart investment in infrastructure and services based on technological advancements and closely related to specific regional, local and national requirements; thirdly, to regenerate urban areas by reclaiming industrial sites and contaminated land, while bearing in mind the need for links between urban and rural areas with a view to promoting inclusive development, in line with the Europe 2020 Strategy;

7. Recommends that the urban dimension of Cohesion Policy, taking as a guideline the strategic concept of serving smart, sustainable, inclusive growth, should focus on a threefold objective: first, to help urban areas develop their basic physical infrastructure as a precondition for growth in order fully to exploit their potential contribution to economic growth in Europe, diversification of the economic base and energy and environmental sustainability, in particular with a view to maintaining and improving air quality in urban centres; without detriment to rivers; second, to help urban areas modernise their economic, social and enviro ...[+++]nmental characteristics through smart investment in infrastructure and services based on technological advancements and closely related to specific regional, local and national requirements; thirdly, to regenerate urban areas by reclaiming industrial sites and contaminated land, while bearing in mind the need for links between urban and rural areas with a view to promoting inclusive development, in line with the Europe 2020 Strategy;

In short, I think that the methodology of the proposal for a directive, based on prevention, raising awareness among citizens, providing information, identifying priority areas of degradation and making inventories of contaminated soil along with programmes of national measures and rehabilitation strategies is a coherent, efficient and flexible approach to dealing with the problem of soil degradation in Europe, while respecting the diversity of national situations and options.

Some objectives have been added or further elaborated (valuable soils, geogenically contaminated soils, the need for an integrated approach to the provisions in existing directives, the integration of the soil's function to act as a carbon pool in future soil policies).

This means that at the same time we need to ensure that there is a clear policy on contaminated soil and, in this respect, the health of citizens comes before everything else, along with the objectives of protecting health and being transparent in providing information to citizens; this is clear.