On 7–8 September 2026, the University of Coimbra in Portugal hosted the "Soils for Europe: Healthy Soils for a Sustainable Future" conference, where SOILL actively contributed to the dialogue.
Co-organised by multiple Mission Soil projects, the event brought together scientists, policymakers, land managers and citizens to advance the European Union's Mission Soil objectives. The conference showcased the latest research and cross-cutting initiatives driving sustainable land management across the continent. By highlighting the work of regional Living Labs, the gathering connected local, on-the-ground efforts with broader European soil health strategies and demonstrated that protecting soil ecosystems requires immediate and coordinated action.
SOILL partners at the Soils for Europe Conference 2026, University of Coimbra
Advancing the European Soil Monitoring Law
The first day of the conference established a strong policy-focused agenda, centred on the recently approved European Soil Monitoring Law (SML). Martin Hojsík, Vice-President of the European Parliament, described the legislation as a major step forward following years of negotiations, positioning it as a foundational mechanism for achieving healthy soils by 2050.
Discussions featuring representatives from the European Commission's Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development (DG AGRI) and Member States underscored that, while the SML provides a common regulatory framework, successful implementation will depend on effective cooperation at national, regional and local levels. Participants emphasised the urgent need for harmonised data, clear guidance from the European Commission and constructive dialogue between countries operating different soil-monitoring systems. Aligning these approaches will be essential to translating the legislation into consistent and actionable practices on the ground.
Empowering Territories Through Living Labs
SOILL's participation spanned both days, highlighting the role of Living Labs in connecting scientific research, policy objectives and territorial needs.
During the day-one SOILL session "Living Labs as Bridges between Science, Policy and Territory", Living Lab representatives from the Mission Soil projects LivingSoiLL and LILAS4SOILS shared strategies for effective stakeholder engagement. They stressed that integrating farmers into co-creation processes requires a focus on economically viable and tangible solutions, including carbon farming and the optimisation of soil organic matter. Crucially, Living Labs provide the space to assess not only whether these practices improve soil health, but also whether they are practical, affordable and adaptable to different farming realities. This combination of scientific evidence and farmers' experience is essential for turning promising practices into solutions that can be adopted and scaled over time.
SOILL Session: "Living Labs as Bridges between Science, Policy and Territory"
On day two, the "Living Labs in the Spotlight" SOILL session featured the iCOSHELLs, GOV4ALL and LivingSoiLL projects. The discussion addressed specific regional challenges, including soil compaction, water salinity and nutrient deficits, while demonstrating how agroecological approaches such as cover cropping and biostimulants can help mitigate these pressures. The examples also highlighted the importance of tailoring interventions to local soil conditions, climate, farming systems and stakeholder needs rather than relying on one-size-fits-all solutions. Continuous monitoring and the exchange of evidence between Living Labs can further help identify which practices deliver measurable benefits and under what conditions they can be replicated in other European regions.
Together, both sessions reinforced the role of Living Labs as active ecosystems where researchers, farmers and other practitioners collaboratively test, monitor and scale sustainable soil-health interventions. By linking local experimentation with European policy ambitions, they help ensure that scientific knowledge is translated into solutions that are both effective and workable in practice.
SOILL Session: "Living Labs in the Spotlight"
Sustaining Momentum for European Soil Health
The conference was a powerful reminder that achieving healthy soils requires both robust legislative frameworks and community-driven implementation.
SOILL remains committed to facilitating these cross-sector connections across Europe. By continuing to support the development and expansion of Living Labs, SOILL helps create the conditions for scientific innovation to be translated into practical, resilient and locally relevant approaches to sustainable land management.
The collaborative engagement demonstrated over these two days showed that securing the future of Europe's soils is both a shared responsibility and an achievable objective.