The Official Journal of the European Union has published, on 29th January 2008, a Directive concerning integrated pollution prevention and control. The purpose of this new Directive is to achieve integrated prevention and control of pollution arising from activities such as Installations or parts of installations used for research, development and testing of new products and processes. For example.

Energy Industries

• Combustion installations with a rated thermal input exceeding 50 MW
• Mineral oil and gas refineries
• Coke ovens
• Coal gasification and liquefaction plants

It lays down measures designed to prevent or, where that is not practicable, to reduce emissions in the air, water and land from the above mentioned activities, including measures concerning waste, in order to achieve a high level of protection of the environment taken as a whole, without prejudice to Directive 85/337/EEC related to the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment.

The  Directive shall enter into force on the 20th day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.