Revision of the Industrial Emissions Directive (IED) and of the Regulation on the European Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (E-PRTR)

Key points

The EESC:

• Agrees that the Industrial Emissions Directive (IED) is a consistent policy approach to protect ecosystems and human health as it covers all relevant potential pollution from agro-industrial installations in a well-integrated manner on a sector-by-sector basis.
• Affirms that the opinion is technical and integrates two Commission proposals, but is of great importance because it takes into account all stakeholders.
• Underlines that the revision of the IED aims to stimulate a profound industry transformation to realise a clean environment that improves public health and supports the zero pollution ambition under the European Green Deal.
• Notes that the Industrial Emissions Directive has not been consistently integrated in all member states, which undermines its objectives.
• Agrees with the European Court of Auditors that the polluter pays principle should be given a clear meaning. Besides the monetised economic costs vs. societal benefits ratios, for the sake of transparency and completeness, societal costs vs. societal and environmental benefits indicators should also be analysed.
• Underlines the ambitions set out in the European Green Deal to take new measures to address pollutions from large agro-industrial installations, by updating the EU rules on industrial emissions of EU's main instrument regulating pollutant emissions from industrial installations, and to contribute to several Sustainable Development Goals.
• Suggests providing more clarification on the impact of the IED on different industries, as different realities need to be taken into account, i.e. the implementation of the IED on the different farming industries.
• Welcomes the establishment of the Industrial Emissions Portal to empower EU citizens with environmental data that allows them to make informed participation in environmental decision-making on the EU's largest (agro-)industrial activities.