The CEN Technical Committee 223 "Soil improvers and growing media" deals with products enhancing the soil performance or bringing exogenous organic matter. Soil improvers are
used in the soil to bring nourishment and improve its quality, whereas growing media are used on pot plants in greenhouses or nurseries (not spread in nature). The CEN/TC 223 works for removing barriers to trade of such products and has produced standards on labelling, safety, sampling, chemical properties, etc. Today only Working Groups 3 and 4 remain in activity.

The European Commission recognised the importance of improving soils - through the EU legislation on farming, nitrates and fertilisers - and seeks to ensure that the products used are not having detrimental effects in the short or long term. However, the European Commission now seems to have lost interested in composting and biowaste and is attempting to reduce legislation. In this context standards produced by CEN could be even more vital in the establishment of minimum standards protecting soils and the environment.

ECOS has been sending experts to this committee since 2003.