The European Parliament adopted by 506 votes to 82, with 25 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on reporting of environmental data from industrial installations and establishing an Industrial Emissions Portal.
The European Parliament's position adopted at first reading under the ordinary legislative procedure amends the proposal as follows:
Subject matter
The proposed Regulation lays down rules on the collection and reporting of environmental data on industrial installations and establishes an Industrial Emissions Portal at Union level in the form of an online database giving public access to such data. The Regulation implements the UNECE Protocol on Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers.
The objectives of this Regulation are to enhance public access to information through the establishment of the Portal, thereby facilitating public participation in environmental decision-making as well as identifying sources of industrial pollution, and to enable industrial pollution to be monitored in order to contribute to its prevention and reduction.
Content of the Portal
The Portal should include the following: (i) data on the release of pollutants; (ii) data on off-site transfers of waste and of pollutants in waste water; (iii) information on individual installations, reported by the Member States to the Commission; (iv) data on the use of water, energy and relevant raw materials; (v) data on the release of pollutants from diffuse sources.
Review
The amended text introduced a general review clause to assess activities and pollutants covered by the regulation, as well as the applicable thresholds in Annex I (concerning the activities that require reporting above set thresholds) and II (concerning the pollutants that need to be reported above set thresholds).
The Commission should carry out a review of the implementation of this Regulation and its Annexes, at least every five years from its date of application. The purpose of the review should be, amongst other things, to ensure the alignment of this Regulation and its Annexes with scientific and technical progress.
The review process should take due account of international initiatives addressing the release of pollutants from industrial activities and the impact of the release of such pollutants on human health or the environment, Member States’ best practices and progress in that regard, and progress in research and technology.
Where appropriate, the Commission should submit a legislative proposal to the European Parliament and to the Council to amend this Regulation or the Annexes thereto, or both.
Substances listed in Annex II
Dicofol and two types of PFAS - perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and its salts and perfluorohexane-1-sulfonic acid (PFHxS) - have been added to the substances listed in Annex II. By 2026, the Commission must issue a review of Annex II and provide guidance on the measurement methodology for these substances.
Implementing powers
In order to ensure uniform conditions for the implementation of this Regulation regarding the reporting by operators to competent authorities, implementing powers should be conferred on the Commission to establish the list of relevant raw materials to be reported by the operators after consultation of Member States, the industries concerned and non-governmental organisations promoting human health and environmental protection.
The Regulation will enter into force in 2028 to give Member States sufficient time to adapt to the new rules.