Luxembourg, 22/06/2000 (Agence Europe) - The Environment Council reached, on Thursday in Luxembourg, a political agreement on the implementation of more restrictive limits to emissions for large combustion installations for energy production (50 MW or more). This compromise is expected to allow rapid adoption of a common position on the draft directive under discussion for the past two years. The main aim of this text is to strengthen the 1988 directive on emissions from large installations, by reducing the limits allowed for three polluting substances (sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and dust) at the origin of acid rain. It also aims to promote cogeneration and limit emissions from gas plants.
Discussions have been deadlocked on the implementation of the directive from 2008 on for "existing" combustion plants (dating back to before 1987), which were introduced into the scope of the directive at the request of a majority of Member States and the European Parliament. Spain and Greece, which would have liked the directive not to apply to these installations until after 2010, lifted their reservation during the session. The compromise included not only this directive but also that fixing national emission ceilings (see following article).
In the line of the compromise presented by the Finnish and Portuguese presidencies, the ministers agreed that the Member States would have a choice between: 1) proceeding to the necessary investment for installations authorised before 1987 to comply with the limits applied to installations authorised between 1987 and the date of implementation of the new directive (2000 or 2001); 2) or adopting a national plan for emission reduction, collectively quantifying emissions and together reaching the targets set by the directive for 2008. Exemption to national plans would be granted to installations that must close down within three years (with a life cycle of around 20,000 hours of working at full power). This exemption was what finally allowed for a compromise to be reached.
As soon as the Council's common position has been made official, the Parliament will have to give its opinion at second reading.