Directive reference – Art 12; Annex I Part D
Soil sealing is covering soil with an impermeable material such as buildings or roads, and soil removal is taking soil material away from a site, for example by excavation (Art 3; Annex I D). De-sealing removes the impermeable cover and restores soil functions, and net sealing is annual sealing minus de-sealing (Annex I D).
Land take is the conversion of land to artificial surfaces (Art 12). The land take mitigation principles are to avoid or minimise new sealing, reuse built sites and brownfields, and compensate by de-sealing or reconstruction (Art 12, verify). No net land take is the long-term goal of balancing new take with restoration (Art 12, verify).