Nitrogen (N) is crucial for agriculture. Its large production led to high N surplus, causing severe negative environmental externalities. The reduction of N losses in livestock systems and consequent enhancement of their nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) represents a key lever to reduce the N surplus meeting European environmental targets. This talk evaluates potentials to improve NUE of European cattle and pig livestock systems from feed to plant N use along the livestock system cascade. It discusses options improving feed NUE, measures to reduce N losses at housing, manure storage, application and crop N recovery. The findings are synthesized using exemplary farms from European regions, to highlight potentials for livestock system NUE improvements. To achieve livestock system NUE of 75 % to 85 % scaled implementation of best available technologies has to go hand in hand with legislative harmonization and targeted development of additional reduction measures and auxiliary tools for farmers.