EU ENVIRONMENTAL LEGISLATION

EU environmental policies and legislation protect natural habitats, keep air and water clean, ensure proper waste disposal, improve knowledge about toxic chemicals and help businesses move toward a sustainable economy.

The following is a list of EU Environment and Climate Change related legislation documents and weblinks that are currently available on Lean Business Ireland.

NER 300 programme – increasing low-carbon technologies in the EU
2010/670/EU: Commission Decision of 3 November 2010 laying down criteria and measures for the financing of commercial demonstration projects that aim at the environmentally safe capture and geological storage of CO 2 as well as demonstration projects of innovative renewable energy technologies under the scheme for greenhouse gas emission allowance trading within the Community established by Directive 2003/87/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (notified under document C(2010) 7499)

It sets out the rules and conditions under which the EU finances commercial demonstration projects to capture and geologically store carbon dioxide (CO2) gases, known as carbon capture and storage (CCS) and renewable energy technologies (RES).

KEY POINTS

  • Eligible CCS projects focus on power generation and various industrial applications, such as refineries and iron and steel production.
  • Eligible RES projects cover bioenergy, solar power, photovoltaics, geothermal, wind, ocean, hydropower (electricity generated by moving water) and smart grids (modernised energy networks that automatically monitor energy flows).
  • A first EU-funding operation in December 2012 made EUR 1.1 billion available to 20 renewable energy projects. This leveraged over EUR 1.9 billion from the private sector. They are due to start operating by December 2018 at the latest.
  • A second round in July 2014 awarded EUR 1 billion to 18 renewable energy and one carbon capture and storage projects. This leveraged a further EUR 860 million of private investment. These should start operating at the latest by July 2020.
  • By 31 December each year, EU governments must submit a report to the Commission on the progress the projects are making. This will contain the amount of CO2 stored or clean energy produced, disbursement of the funding and details of any significant problems.
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New (novel) foods and food ingredients
Regulation (EC) No 258/97 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 January 1997 concerning novel foods and novel food ingredients
  • It seeks to harmonise the rules for authorising novel foods and food ingredients at EU level.
  • It requires that tests are carried out by the European Food Safety Authority to demonstrate that these products do not pose any risk to health or the environment.
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Noise emission by equipment used outdoors
Directive 2000/14/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 8 May 2000 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the noise emission in the environment by equipment for use outdoors

This framework Directive harmonises the 9 existing legal instruments on noise emissions for each type of construction plant and equipment, as well as a directive on lawnmowers. The aim is to improve the control of noise emissions by more than 50 types of equipment used outdoors, such as compressors, excavator-loaders, different types of saws, mixers, etc. (Annex I).

The aim of the Directive is to promote the smooth functioning of the internal market and to improve the health and well-being of the population by reducing the noise emitted by equipment used outdoors. With a view to achieving this aim, it provides for four types of action:

  • harmonisation of noise emission standards;
  • harmonisation of conformity assessment procedures;
  • harmonisation of noise level marking;
  • gathering of data on noise emissions.
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Noise management at EU airports
Directive 2002/30/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 March 2002 on the establishment of rules and procedures with regard to the introduction of noise-related operating restrictions at Community airports

Reducing noise pollution from aircraft and improving the noise climate around airports are key objectives of the European Union’s (EU) air transport policy. The purpose of this directive is to prevent an overall increase in noise levels in areas around airports.

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Off road vehicles – Non-road mobile machinery: gaseous pollutants
Directive 97/68/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 1997 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to measures against the emission of gaseous and particulate pollutants from internal combustion engines to be installed in non-road mobile machinery

In order to reduce air pollution caused by the engines of non-road mobile machinery, the Directive specifies, at Community level, acceptable emission standards for these engines and certification procedures with respect to these standards.

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Packaging and packaging waste
European Parliament and Council Directive 94/62/EC of 20 December 1994 on packaging and packaging waste

This Directive provides for measures aimed at limiting the production of packaging waste and promoting recycling, re-use and other forms of waste recovery. Their final disposal should be considered as a last resort solution.

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Petrol vapour recovery at filling stations for cleaner air
Directive 2009/126/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 October 2009 on Stage II petrol vapour recovery during refuelling of motor vehicles at service stations

It ensures the recovery of harmful petrol vapour that would otherwise be emitted during the refuelling of a motor vehicle at a service station. The petrol pumps of many EU service stations will have to be equipped to recover this vapour.

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Polluting emissions from large combustion plants
Directive 2010/75/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 November 2010 on industrial emissions (integrated pollution prevention and control)

Directive 2010/75/EU on industrial emissions (integrated pollution prevention and control) came into force in 2011 and replaces seven previous pieces of legislation, including Directive 2001/80/EC on the limitation of emissions of certain pollutants into the air from large combustion plants.

Its main purpose is to reduce harmful industrial emissions, in particular through better application of best available techniques (BAT), thereby benefiting both citizens' health and the environment.

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