Brussels, 31/10/2007 (Agence Europe) - At the Environment Council which took place on Tuesday 30 October, a key date for the 1996 directive concerning Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (known as the IPPC directive), Stavros Dimas, the commissioner for the environment, reproved the member states which have failed to transpose it. In application of this directive, the major industrial and agricultural installations of the EU must obtain an operating permit from the national authorities, on the basis of the best technologies available and guaranteeing the conformity of these installations with the requirements of the directive. As of 30 October 1999, new installations or those undergoing substantial modifications must come into line with the directive. “Existing” installations (those already in operation before the directive entered into force) were to have come into line by 30 October 2007. “30 October is the cut-off date for permits to be granted to all installations (…). However, out of 52,000 businesses concerned, only 50% have obtained a permit. This is very much to be regretted, because this will work against the reduction of pollution of water and air targeted by this directive. We will see how the situation develops by the end of the year”, said the commissioner, who has not ruled out the threat of infringement proceedings. (A.N.)