Council adopts first reading position on IPPC Recast

The Council has adopted its position at first reading on the Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on Industrial Emissions (Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control) (Recast). The Council believes that its position provides for a more harmonised and rigorous implementation of emission limits associated with Best Available Techniques (BATⁱ) across the EU.

The position is designed to reinforce rules for new power plants and combustion installations in oil refineries and the metal industry and so-called large combustion plants. It would achieve this by applying current BAT earlier than proposed by the Commission, namely within two years after the entry into force of the directive. Existing such plants would have to comply with current BAT from 2016, though a transition period until the end of 2020 is foreseen.

The European Parliament’s second reading debate is likely to begin in mid-March. The Parliament’s Environment Committee will vote on the proposals in April, with trialogue talks between MEPs, Member States and the European Commission beginning shortly after. A plenary vote in Strasbourg is scheduled for July.

The Council’s position can be found here:
http://register.consilium.europa.eu/pdf/en/09/st11/st11962-re01.en09.pdf