Data for Slovenia:

Objectives summarized by: Resolution on National Environmental Action Plan 2005-2012 (ReNEAP, OG RS, No. 2/06), Rules concerning good agricultural practice in manuring (OGRS, No. 130/04) and Decree concerning the protection of waters against pollution caused by nitrates from agricultural sources (OG RS, No. 113/09).
Source database or source: Agricultural institute of Slovenia (January 2010)
Data administrator: Agricultural institute of Slovenia
Data acquisition date for this indicator: November 2009
Methodology and frequency of data collection for the indicator: Data on the balance of nitrogen are calculated on the basis of the data of the Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia on the consumption of mineral fertilizers, on the area of utilised agricultural area, on crops and areas of each species of agricultural plants, on the number of domestic animals and dairy farming (STAT-SI) and on the basis of expert evaluations and literature values for nitrogen content in crops, quantity of nitrogen in livestock manures for each species of domestic animals etc. Detailed information on the methodology is available at the authors of the calculation at the Agricultural Institute of Slovenia. The balance of nitrogen for Slovenia is calculated on an annual basis for the period 1992-2008.
Data processing methodology: Data on the input and the output of nitrogen are indicated in tons of nitrogen (t N) and in kilograms of nitrogen per hectare of utilised agricultural area (kg N/ha) a year. The data on the balance of nitrogen is calculated as the difference between the input and the output of nitrogen and is expressed in kg N/ha.
Information concerning data quality:
- Indicator advantages and disadvantages: The data on the balance of nitrogen is calculated on the basis of official records and expert evaluations. Data on the balance of nitrogen are weighed with certain uncertainty, originating in the uncertainty of official evaluations and unreliability of expert evaluations. In the case of expert evaluations, we relied on findings of some researches and expert works, or on the evaluations for comparable OECD members. The OECD does not prescribe unified coefficients for the calculation of the balance of N, therefore it is being left to the countries to rely on their own expert evaluations. Due to the aforementioned, the data on the balance of nitrogen in Slovenia are to a certain extent unreliable however, we estimate that they reflect the actual state relatively well.
- Relevance, accuracy, robustness, uncertainty:
Reliability of the indicator (archival data): Since the data on the balance of nitrogen are calculated for a longer period (1992-2008), we do not exclude the possibility that the comparability of the data between years can be questionable to a certain extent, because in the mentioned period the data acquisition methodologies for official records were changing. We are observing this mainly in data on crops and areas of each species of agricultural plants.
Uncertainty of the indicator (scenarios/projections): Scenarios and projections are not available.
- Overall assessment (1 = no major comments, 3 = data to be considered with reservation):
Relevance: 2
Accuracy: 2
Completeness over time: 2
Completeness over space: 3

Data for other countries:

Source database or source: Data on the balance of nitrogen for old Member States of the European Union (EU-15) for 2000 are summarized from the website OECD and are available in the framework of the indicator IRENA 18.1 – Gross nitrogen balance (IRENA Indicator Fact Sheet) on the European Environmental Agency website.
Data administrator: OECD.
Data acquisition date for this indicator: November 2009
Methodology and frequency of data collection for the indicator: Data on the balance of nitrogen for old Member States of the EU (EU-15) for 1990 and 2000 are stated on the OECD website. For the indicator we used the data for 2000.
Data processing methodology: The data on the balance of nitrogen for each country of the EU-15 are indicated in kilograms of nitrogen per hectare of utilised agricultural area (kg N/ha).
Geographical coverage: EU-15 consists of old Member States of the EU: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Germany, The Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.
Information concerning data quality:
- Indicator advantages and disadvantages: Since new data for EU Member States are not available, we cannot speak about the Indicator advantages and disadvantages.
- Relevance, accuracy, robustness, uncertainty:
Reliability of the indicator (archival data): /
Uncertainty of the indicator (scenarios/projections): /
- Overall assessment (1 = no major comments, 3 = data to be considered with reservation):
Relevance: 3
Accuracy: 3
Completeness over time: 3
Completeness over space: 3