Soil Science at the Joint Research Center of the European Commission (1992–2022)

The Joint Research Centre of the European Commission has its largest research site in Italy, on the shores of the Lago Maggiore in the town of Ispra. With more than 2000 researchers, it is a major research site in Italy and is providing the necessary independent, evidence-based knowledge and science, supporting EU policies to positively impact society. This is also the case for soil related EU policies, like the EU Soil Strategy 2030, the Common Agricultural Policy, etc. Over the past 30 years, the JRC has developed into a recognized European and Global center of excellence in soil science, operating the European Soil Data Centre (ESDAC), the EU Soil Observatory (EUSO), and hosting major soil data repositories supporting all EU soil related policies with the relevant data and scientific knowledge. It is therefore a major soil science hub of Italy and contributes to the further development of the National and European soil science community.