Article 24 — Support by the Commission

1. The Commission shall provide Member States with the necessary support, assistance and capacity building in order to help them carry out their obligations under this Directive. In particular, the Commission shall, in cooperation with the Member States, draw up documents and develop scientific tools that Member States may use to facilitate them in: (a) establishing a soil monitoring framework and determining the number and location of sampling points pursuant to Article 9(1) and (2) and Annex II, Part A, point 1; (b) setting the non-binding sustainable target values and operational trigger values for the soil descriptors pursuant to Article 7(2) and Annex I, Parts A and B; (c) setting their list of organic contaminants to be monitored pursuant to Article 7(3) and Annex I, Part B; (d) assessing the areas not at risk of salinisation that can be excluded from the measurements of electrical conductivity pursuant to Article 9(3), third subparagraph, and Annex I, Part A; (e) carrying out in situ sampling of soil descriptors in accordance with Article 9(3), fourth subparagraph and Annex II, Part A, point 2; (f) determining the values of the soil sealing and soil removal indicators pursuant to Article 9(5) and in accordance with Annex II, Part C; (g) determining or estimating the values of the soil descriptors pursuant to Article 9(6) and Annex II, Part B; (h) identifying and assessing any critical loss of ecosystem services and the impact of soil sealing and soil removal on the loss of ecosystem services pursuant to Article 10(3); (i) identifying potentially contaminated sites and setting a list of potentially contaminating activities pursuant to Article 14; (j) laying down the specific methodology for the site-specific risk assessment of contaminated sites, taking into account common practices, methodologies and toxicological data pursuant to Article 16; and (k) providing, at local level, information on measures and practices to increase soil resilience pursuant to Article 11(1), point (d), by providing and regularly updating a repository of knowledge on soil resilience containing practical information on soil management practices. 2. The documents and scientific tools referred to in paragraph 1 shall be drawn up and developed within the following time-limits: (a) as regards point (a), by 17 December 2026; (b) as regards points (b), (c), (e) and (j), by 17 June 2027; (c) as regards point (i), by 17 December 2027; (d) as regards points (d), (f) and (g), by 17 December 2028; (e) as regards point (h), by 17 December 2029. 3. The Commission shall organise regular exchanges of information, experience and best practices between Member States and, where relevant, other stakeholders on the application of this Directive. The first exchange shall take place by 17 March 2026. The Commission shall publish the results of the exchanges of information, experience and best practices referred to in the first subparagraph and, where relevant, provide recommendations or guidelines to Member States. 4. The Commission shall facilitate cooperation between Member States to ensure, where appropriate, that competent authorities responsible for neighbouring soil districts in which there are transboundary effects on soil, comparable soil types or land uses across the soil-district border, exchange best practices, and strive to achieve a coherent approach in the application of this Directive.