Directorate General for Environment (DG Environment): In the European Commission, DG Environment is responsible for implementing the Industrial Emissions Directive (IED) 2010/75/EU. The information exchange leading to the draw up and review of BAT reference documents is organized by DG Environment through the European IPPC Bureau at the Directorate General Joint Research Centre (Circular Economy and Industrial Leadership Unit of Directorate B - Growth and Innovation), located in Seville, Spain.
IED Article 75 Committee: The Committee is a body established by Article 75(1) of the Industrial Emissions Directive to assist the Commission in the elaboration of implementing acts. More specifically, the Committee 1) votes on the procedure for data collection and drawing up of BAT reference documents and 2) it formally adopts BAT conclusions. The Committee is composed of Member State representatives and chaired by the Commission.
IED Article 13 Forum: The IED Article 13 Forum is the formal expert group established by Commission Decision (2011/C 146/03) under the Industrial Emission Directive. The Forum oversees the information exchange on BAT reference documents and is composed of representatives from the Commission, Member States, industry and environmental non-governmental organisations. It has a crucial role in delivering an opinion on the work programme of the European IPPC Bureau and on the proposed content of the final draft BAT reference documents (BREFs). The Forum's opinion on the content of BREFs has to be made publicly available by the Commission and has to be taken into account by the IED Article 75 Committee when adopting BAT conclusions.
Industrial Emissions Experts Group (IEEG): The IEEG is an informal expert group to facilitate the exchange of experiences and good practises on the interpretation, transposition and implementation of the IED by EU Member States. The group also advise the Commission on the preparation of delegated acts.The IEEG is composed of experts from EU Member States and EU acceding countries.
EU Member States: Member States are responsible for implementing the Industrial Emissions Directive at national level; they are required to make reference to BAT conclusions when setting permit conditions for agro-industrial installation included in Annex I of the Industrial Emissions Directive.
Technical Working Groups (TWGs): The Commission sets up or re-activates TWGs to collect and exchange information for drawing up, reviewing, or updating BAT reference documents. Each TWG consists of technical experts from the Commission, Member States, industries, and non-governmental organisation promoting environmental protection.
To become a TWG member, experts have to be nominated by members of the IED Article 13 Forum, which may be a representative of the Commission, a Member State, a European industrial association, or an environmental NGO. In practice IED Article 13 Forum members have to send the names and contact details of their TWG nominees to the European IPPC Bureau. In order to enhance the efficiency of the participation of industrial sectors, nominations may be coordinated by the respective European industrial associations.
TWG members participate in the information exchange primarily based on their technical, economic, environmental or regulatory expertise (especially in permitting or inspecting industrial installations) as well as on their ability to contribute the perspective of BREF users to the information exchange. A TWG generally consists of between 100 to 200 technical experts.
European IPPC Bureau (EIPPCB): To know more about the European IPPC Bureau, see About us.