Article 10 — Soil health assessment

1. Member States shall assess the soil health in all their soil districts and associated soil units based on the data collected in the context of the soil monitoring referred to in Articles 6 to 9 for each of the soil descriptors listed in Annex I, Parts A and B. Member States shall ensure that soil health assessments are carried out every six years and that the first soil health assessment is carried out by 17 December 2031. 2. Soil health shall be assessed with respect to each aspect of soil degradation using the non-binding sustainable target values and the operational trigger values for the related criterion for healthy soil condition set in accordance with Article 7(2), (5) and (6). 3. Member States shall analyse the values for the soil descriptors listed in Annex I, Part C, with a view to identifying whether there is a critical loss of ecosystem services, taking into account the relevant data and available scientific knowledge. Member States shall analyse the values of soil sealing and soil removal indicators listed in Annex I, Part D, with a view to assessing the impact of soil sealing and soil removal on the loss of ecosystem services and on the objectives and targets established under Regulation (EU) 2018/841. 4. Member States may identify improvements for each soil descriptor listed in Annex I, Parts A, B and C. 5. Good condition for a descriptor listed in Annex I, Parts A and B, shall be considered to have been achieved when the non-binding sustainable target value is met. Member States shall set an interval of values for the soil descriptors listed in Annex I, Parts A and B, that constitute moderate condition and poor condition with respect to the operational trigger values. Only the interval of moderate condition may be null. 6. Based on the soil health assessments carried out in accordance with this Article, the competent authorities referred to in Article 5 shall, where relevant in coordination with local, regional and national authorities, identify, in each soil district, the areas where individual criteria for healthy soil condition are not satisfied and for which support for soil health and soil resilience in accordance with Article 11 is needed, and inform the public, on an aggregated level, in accordance with Article 20. The soil health monitoring data, the results of the soil health assessments and the analysis referred to in paragraph 3 of this Article shall inform the development of the programmes, plans, targets and measures listed in Annex III. 7. In order to contribute to improving soil health, the competent authorities referred to in Article 5 shall, where relevant in coordination with local, regional and national authorities, identify, in each soil district, the areas with high potential for improvement of soil health through de-sealing or soil reconstruction. The potential of areas of sealed soil and areas that underwent soil removal shall be assessed based on technical feasibility, cost-efficiency and the achievable level of soil health improvement. 8. In addition to the obligations laid down in Article 20 and in accordance with national law, Member States shall communicate soil health data referred to in Articles 6 to 9 and the results of the soil health assessments carried out in accordance with this Article to the relevant landowners and land managers upon their request, in particular to support the development of the science-based advice referred to in Article 11(1), point (a).