{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-regulation-2003-2003/division-B./division-B.1.",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-regulation-2003-2003/division-B./division-B.1..json",
  "legislation": "eur/2003/2003",
  "legislation_title": "Regulation (EC) No 2003/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 October 2003 relating to fertilisers (Text with EEA relevance)",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-regulation-2003-2003",
  "path": "division/B./division/B.1.",
  "kind": "division",
  "number": "B.1",
  "heading": "NPK fertilisers",
  "text": "B.1.1.\nType designation:\nNPK fertilisers.\nData on method of production:\nProduct obtained chemically or by blending, without addition of organic nutrients of animal or vegetable origin.\nMinimum content of nutrients (percentage by weight):\nTotal: 20 % (N + P2O5 + K2O);\nFor each of the nutrients: 3 % N, 5 % P2O5, 5 % K2O.\nForms, solubilities and nutrient content to be declared as specified in columns 4, 5 and 6Particle size\nData for identification of the fertilisersOther requirements\nN\nP2O5\nK2O\nN\nP2O5\nK2O\n1\n2\n3\n4\n5\n6\n(1)\nTotal nitrogen\n(2)\nNitric nitrogen\n(3)\nAmmoniacal nitrogen\n(4)\nUreic nitrogen\n(5)\nCyanamide nitrogen\n(1)\nWater-soluble P2O5\n(2)\nP2O5 soluble in neutral ammonium citrate\n(3)\nP2O5 soluble in neutral ammonium citrate and in water\n(4)\nP2O5 soluble in mineral acids only\n(5)\nP2O5 soluble in alkaline ammonium citrate (Petermann)\n(6a)\nP2O5 soluble in mineral acids, of which at least 75 % of the declared P2O5 content is soluble in 2 % citric acid\n(6b)\nP2O5 soluble in 2 % citric acid\n(7)\nP2O5 soluble in mineral acids, of which at least 75 % of the declared P2O5 content is soluble in alkaline ammonium citrate (Joulie)\n(8)\nP2O5 soluble in mineral acids, of which at least 55 % of the declared P2O5 content is soluble in 2 % formic acid\nWater soluble K2O\n(1)\nTotal nitrogen\n(2)\nIf any of the forms of nitrogen (2) to (5) amounts to at least 1 % by weight, it must be declared\n(3)\nIf above 28 %, see Annex III.2\n1.\nAn NPK fertiliser free from Thomas slag, calcined phosphate, aluminium-calcium phosphate, partially solubilised rock phosphate and soft ground rock phosphate must be declared in accordance with solubilities (1), (2) or (3):\nwhen the water-soluble P2O5 does not amount to 2 %, solubility (2) only shall be declared;\nwhen the water-soluble P2O5 is at least 2 %, solubility (3) shall be declared, and the water-soluble P2O5 content must be indicated [solubility (1)].\nThe P2O5 content soluble in mineral acids only must not exceed 2 %.\nFor this type 1, the test sample for determining solubilities (2) and (3) shall be 1 g.\n2 (a)\nAn NPK fertiliser containing soft ground rock phosphate or partially solubilised rock phosphate must be free from Thomas slag, calcined phosphate and aluminium-calcium phosphate. It shall be declared in accordance with solubilities (1), (3) and (4)\nThis type of fertiliser must contain:\nat least 2 % P2O5 soluble in mineral acids only [solubility (4)];\nat least 5 % P2O5 soluble in water and neutral ammonium citrate [solubility (3)];\nat least 2,5 % water-soluble P2O5 [solubility (1)].\nThis type of fertiliser must be marketed under the designation ‘NPK fertiliser containing soft ground rock phosphate’ or ‘NPK fertiliser containing partially solubilised rock phosphate’. For this type 2(a), the test sample for determining solubility (3) shall be 3 g.\n(1)\nWater-soluble potassium oxide\n(2)\nThe indication ‘low in chloride’ is linked to a maximum content of 2 % Cl\n(3)\nChloride content may be declared\nParticle size of the basic phosphatic ingredients\nThomas slagat least 75 % able to pass through a sieve with a mesh of 0,160 mm\nAluminium-calcium phosphateat least 90 % able to pass through a sieve with a mesh of 0,160 mm\nCalcined phosphateat least 75 % able to pass through a sieve with a mesh of 0,160 mm\nSoft ground rock phosphateat least 90 % able to pass through a sieve with a mesh of 0,063 mm\nPartially solubilised rock phosphateat least 90 % able to pass through a sieve with a mesh of 0,160 mm\n2 (b)\nAn NPK fertiliser containing aluminium-calcium phosphate must be free from Thomas slag, calcined phosphate, soft ground rock phosphate and partially solubilised rock phosphate.\nIt shall be declared in accordance with solubilities (1) and (7), the latter applying after deduction of the solubility in water.\nThis type of fertiliser must contain:\nat least 2 % of water-soluble P2O5 [solubility (1)];\nat least 5 % of P2O5 according to solubility (7).\nThis type of fertiliser must be marketed under the designation ‘NPK fertiliser containing aluminium-calcium phosphate’.\n3.\nIn the case of NPK fertilisers containing only one of the following types of phosphatic fertiliser: Thomas slag, calcined phosphate, aluminium-calcium phosphate, soft ground rock phosphate, the type designation must be followed by an indication of the phosphate ingredient.\nThe declaration of the solubility of the P2O5 must be given in accordance with the following solubilities:\nfor fertilisers based on Thomas slag: solubility (6b);\nfor fertilisers based on calcined phosphate: solubility (5);\nfor fertilisers based on aluminium-calcium phosphate: solubility (7);\nfor fertilisers based on soft ground rock phosphate: solubility (8).\nB.1.2.\nType designation:\nNPK fertiliser containing crotonylidene diurea or isobutylidene diurea or urea formaldehyde (as appropriate).\nData on method of production:\nProduct obtained chemically without addition of organic nutrients of animal or vegetable origin and containing crotonylidene diurea or isobutylidene diurea or urea formaldehyde.\nMinimum content of nutrients (percentage by weight):\nTotal: 20 % (N + P2O5 + K2O);\nFor each of the nutrients:\n5 % N. At least ¼ of the declared content of total nitrogen must derive from nitrogen form (5) or (6) or (7). At least 3/5 of the declared nitrogen content (7) must be soluble in hot water,\n5 % P2O5,\n5 % K2O.\nForms, solubilities and nutrient content to be declared as specified in columns 4, 5 and 6Particle size\nData for identification of the fertilisersOther requirements\nN\nP2O5\nK2O\nN\nP2O5\nK2O\n1\n2\n3\n4\n5\n6\n(1)\nTotal nitrogen\n(2)\nNitric nitrogen\n(3)\nAmmoniacal nitrogen\n(4)\nUreic nitrogen\n(5)\nNitrogen from crotonylidene diurea\n(6)\nNitrogen from isobutylidene diurea\n(7)\nNitrogen from urea formaldehyde\n(8)\nNitrogen from urea formaldehyde that is only soluble in hot water\n(9)\nNitrogen from urea formaldehyde that is soluble in cold water\n(1)\nWater-soluble P2O5\n(2)\nP2O5 soluble in neutral ammonium citrate\n(3)\nP2O5 soluble in neutral ammonium citrate and in water\nWater-soluble K2O\n(1)\nTotal nitrogen\n(2)\nIf any of the forms of nitrogen (2) to (4) amounts to at least 1 % by weight, it must be declared\n(3)\nOne of the forms of nitrogen (5) to (7) (as appropriate). Nitrogen form (7) must be declared in the form of nitrogen (8) and (9)\nAn NPK fertiliser free from Thomas slag, calcined phosphate, aluminium-calcium phosphate, partially solubilised rock phosphate and rock phosphate must be declared in accordance with solubilities (1), (2) or (3):\nwhen the water-soluble P2O5 does not amount to 2 %, solubility (2) only shall be declared,\nwhen the water-soluble P2O5 is at least 2 %, solubility (3) shall be declared, and the water-soluble P2O5 content must be indicated [solubility (1)].\nThe P2O5 content soluble in mineral acids only must not exceed 2 %.\nThe test sample for determining solubilities (2) and (3) shall be 1 g.\n(1)\nWater-soluble potassium oxide\n(2)\nThe indication ‘low in chloride’ is linked to a maximum content of 2 % Cl\n(3)\nChloride content may be declared",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Words in Annex 1 s. B.1 Table substituted (31.12.2020) by The Fertilisers and Ammonium Nitrate Material (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/601), regs. 1(2), 5(21)(b); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eur/2003/2003/division/B./division/B.1.",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-11-01T14:55:51.297977+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}