The challenges of cross-border use of manure-derived products such as RENURE refer mainly to (1) given the status of manure, the application of these products in NVZs is limited to 170 kg of nitrogen per hectare per year by Nitrates Directive (91/676/EEC) and (2) the EU Waste Shipment Regulation (EC 1013/2006) classifies untreated manure as waste, complicating its transport across borders. While processed manure can be reclassified as a product, administrative burdens remain high, discouraging trade crossing the border of EU member states. However, the new Regulation on waste shipments entered into force on 20 May 2024 supports an increase traceability of waste shipments within the EU and facilitate recycling and reuse. It is important to note that cross-border trade and transport can be very local in nature. Throughout Europe, along the many internal borders, we find farmers which are working on both sides of those borders. Nonetheless cross-border transport limitations forbid such farmers from spreading manure from one side of the border on other parts of their farm just across the border. In that sense, international context can still be local.
