Council Directive 96/61/EC (repealed)Show full title

Council Directive 96/61/EC

of 24 September 1996

concerning integrated pollution prevention and control (repealed)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 130s (1) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission(1),

Havng regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee(2),

Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 189c of the Treaty(3),

1. Whereas the objectives and principles of the Community's environment policy, as set out in Article 130r of the Treaty, consist in particular of preventing, reducing and as far as possible eliminating pollution by giving priority to intervention at source and ensuring prudent management of natural resources, in compliance with the ‘polluter pays’ principle and the principle of pollution prevention;

2. Whereas the Fifth Environmental Action Programme, the broad outline of which was approved by the Council and the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States, meeting within the Council, in the resolution of 1 February 1993 on a Community programme of policy and action in relation to the environment and sustainable development(4), accords priority to integrated pollution control as an important part of the move towards a more sustainable balance between human activity and socio-economic development, on the one hand, and the resources and regenerative capacity of nature, on the other;

3. Whereas the implementation of an integrated approach to reduce pollution requires action at Community level in order to modify and supplement existing Community legislation concerning the prevention and control of pollution from industrial plants;

4. Whereas Council Directive 84/360/EEC of 28 June 1984 on the combating of air pollution from industrial plants(5) introduced a general framework requiring authorization prior to any operation or substantial modification of industrial installations which may cause air pollution;

5. Whereas Council Directive 76/464/EEC of 4 May 1976 on pollution caused by certain dangerous substances discharged into the aquatic environment of the Community(6) introduced an authorization requirement for the discharge of those substances;

6. Whereas, although Community legislation exists on the combating of air pollution and the prevention or minimization of the discharge of dangerous substances into water, there is no comparable Community legislation aimed at preventing or minimizing emissions into soil;

7. Whereas different approaches to controlling emissions into the air, water or soil separately may encourage the shifting of pollution between the various environmental media rather than protecting the environment as a whole;

8. Whereas the objective of an integrated approach to pollution control is to prevent emissions into air, water or soil wherever this is practicable, taking into account waste management, and, where it is not, to minimize them in order to achieve a high level of protection for the environment as a whole;

9. Whereas this Directive establishes a general framework for integrated pollution prevention and control; whereas it lays down the measures necessary to implement integrated pollution prevention and control in order to achieve a high level of protection for the environment as a whole; whereas application of the principle of sustainable development will be promoted by an integrated approach to pollution control;

10. Whereas the provisions of this Directive apply without prejudice to the provisions of Council Directive 85/337/EEC of 27 June 1985 on the assessment of the effects of public and private projects on the environment(7); whereas, when information or conclusions obtained further to the application of that Directive have to be taken into consideration for the granting of authorization, this Directive does not affect the implementation of Directive 85/337/EEC;

11. Whereas the necessary steps must be taken by the Member States in order to ensure that the operator of the industrial activities referred to in Annex I is complying with the general principles of certain basic obligations; whereas for that purpose it would suffice for the competent authorities to take those general principles into account when laying down the authorization conditions;

12. Whereas some of the provisions adopted pursuant to this Directive must be applied to existing installations after a fixed period and others as from the date of implementation of this Directive;

13. Whereas, in order to tackle pollution problems more effectively and efficiently, environmental aspects should be taken into consideration by the operator; whereas those aspects should be communicated to the competent authority or authorities so that they can satisfy themselves, before granting a permit, that all appropriate preventive or pollution-control measures have been laid down; whereas very different application procedures may give rise to different levels of environmental protection and public awareness; whereas, therefore, applications for permits under this Directive should include minimum data;

14. Whereas full coordination of the authorization procedure and conditions between competent authorities will make it possible to achieve the highest practicable level of protection for the environment as a whole;

15. Whereas the competent authority or authorities will grant or amend a permit only when integrated environmental protection measures for air, water and land have been laid down;

16. Whereas the permit is to include all necessary measures to fulfil the authorization conditions in order thus to achieve a high level of protection for the environment as a whole; whereas, without prejudice to the authorization procedure, those measures may also be the subject of general binding requirements;

17. Whereas emission limit values, parameters or equivalent technical measures should be based on the best available techniques, without prescribing the use of one specific technique or technology and taking into consideration the technical characteristics of the installation concerned, its geographical location and lcoal environmental conditions; whereas in all cases the authorization conditions will lay down provisions on minimizing long-distance or transfrontier pollution and ensure a high level of protection for the environment as a whole;

18. Whereas it is for the Member States to determine how the technical characteristics of the installation concerned, its geographical location and local environmental conditions can, where appropriate, be taken into consideration;

19. Whereas, when an environmental quality standard requires more stringent conditions than those that can be achieved by using the best available techniques, supplementary conditions will in particular be required by the permit, without prejudice to other measures that may be taken to comply with the environmental quality standards;

20. Whereas, because best available techniques will change with time, particularly in the light of technical advances, the competent authorities must monitor or be informed of such progress;

21. Whereas, changes to an installation may give rise to pollution; whereas the competent authority or authorities must therefore be notified of any change which might affect the environment; whereas substantial changes to plant must be subject to the granting of prior authorization in accordance with this Directive;

22. Whereas the authorization conditions must be periodically reviewed and if necessary updated; whereas, under certain conditions, they will in any event be re-examined;

23. Whereas, in order to inform the public of the operation of installations and their potential effect on the environment, and in order to ensure the transparency of the licensing process throughout the Community, the public must have access, before any decision is taken, to information relating to applications for permits for new installations or substantial changes and to the permits themselves, their updating and the relevant monitoring data;

24. Whereas the establishment of an inventory of principal emissions and sources responsible may be regarded as an important instrument making it possible in particular to compare pollution activities in the Community; whereas such an inventory will be prepared by the Commission, assisted by a regulatory committee;

25. Whereas the development and exchange of information at Community level about best available techniques will help to redress the technological imbalances in the Community, will promote the worldwide dissemination of limit values and techniques used in the Community and will help the Member States in the efficient implementation of this Directive;

26. Whereas reports on the implementation and effectiveness of this Directive will have to be drawn up regularly;

27. Whereas this Directive is concerned with installations whose potential for pollution, and therefore transfrontier pollution, is significant; whereas transboundary consultation is to be organized where applications relate to the licensing of new installations or substantial changes to installations which are likely to have significant negative environmental effects; whereas the applications relating to such proposals or substantial changes will be available to the public of the Member State likely to be affected;

28. Whereas the need for action may be identified at Community level to lay down emission limit values for certain categories of installation and pollutant covered by this Directive; whereas the Council will set such emission limit values in accordance with the provisions of the Treaty;

29. Whereas the provisions of this Directive apply without prejudice to Community provisions on health and safety at the workplace,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE:

(1)

OJ No C 311, 17. 11. 1993, p. 6 and OJ No C 165, 1. 7. 1995, p. 9.

(2)

OJ No C 195, 18. 7. 1995, p. 54.

(3)

Opinion of the European Parliament of 14 December 1994 (OJ No C 18, 23. 1. 1995, p. 96), Council common position of 27 November 1995 (OJ No C 87, 25. 3. 1996, p. 8) and Decision of the European Parliament of 22 May 1996 (OJ No C 166, 10. 6. 1996).

(4)

OJ No C 138, 17. 5. 1993, p. 1.

(5)

OJ No L 188, 16. 7. 1984, p. 20. Directive as last amended by Directive 91/692/EEC (OJ No L 377, 31. 12. 1991, p. 48).

(6)

OJ No L 129, 18. 5. 1976, p. 23. Directive as last amended by Directive 91/692/EEC.

(7)

OJ No L 175, 5. 7. 1985, p. 40.