Article 9 3

3.   Member States and, in the event that the Commission provides support under paragraph 2 in accordance with the written agreement referred to in the third subparagraph of that paragraph, the Commission shall carry out soil measurements by taking soil samples at the sampling points referred to in paragraph 1 and collect, process and analyse data as relevant in order to determine the following:

Member States shall be exempt from taking soil samples from sealed soil and areas that underwent soil removal.

Member States may exclude the areas not at risk of salinisation from the measurement of electrical conductivity referred to in Annex I, Part A, and shall inform the Commission thereof, providing an explanation.

The in situ soil sampling shall be carried out in accordance with the minimum criteria for the methodology for field sampling surveys set out in Annex II, Part A, point 2.

For the soil contamination descriptors listed in Annex I, Part C, Member States may limit the sampling points to a relevant subset of the total number of sampling points determined in accordance with paragraph 1, first subparagraph, of this Article.

For the descriptor on loss of soil biodiversity listed in Annex I, Part C, Member States shall carry out measurements on at least 5 % of the total number of sampling points determined in accordance with paragraph 1, first subparagraph, of this Article.