I progetti (9)

The project was developed because of the strong demand for effective instruments for aiming inspections, in an optimized way, for the check of respect of EU legislation related to human activities; not only for large Industries but also for other human activities. The quality of the environment also depends on smaller installations and on agriculture, with potential and actual impact over environmental compartments such as air, soil, water.

On 6 January 2011 the Industrial Emissions Directive (IED) entered into force, and its provisions listed in Article 80(1) had to be transposed into national law within two years. The IED sets new requirements on the inspection of industrial installations as described in Article 23 of the Directive. The obligations on routine environmental inspections constitute a new challenge for the EU member states. IMPEL has already developed an Integrated Risk Assessment Method (IRAM) within the IMPEL easyTools project, as instrument to help member states to fulfil requirements of Article 23 of IED. Developing an Integrated Risk Assessment Method (IRAM) and the related IT tool, made it clear that a risk assessment tool should be used not only for IED inspections but also for inspections under the Seveso Directive and the RMCEI.

The Industrial Emissions Directive (IED) commenced on 6th of January 2011. As listed in Article 80(1) its provisions must be transposed into national law within two years. Article 23 of the Directive states that the IED sets new requirements on the inspection of industrial installations.

A key issue of the “Recommendation on minimum criteria for environmental inspections” (RMCEI) and the IMPEL “Step by step guidance book for planning of environmental inspection” is the prioritisation of environmental inspections. An essential part of this prioritisation is the assessment of the probability of environmental disruptions caused by industrial or comparable activities. These risk assessments also play a key role in inspection planning according to the Seveso II Directive and the Industrial Emissions Directive (IED).

The aim of the project was to work out performance indicators for the environmental inspectorates. Concerning the scope of the project, it was agreed that it should cover indicators related to the RMCEI. The indicators should include input, output and outcome indicators.

Administrative fines are available to almost all of the replied countries. Having as starting point that the development and the present status of the relevant administrative legislative frame varies, significantly among EU MS, administrative fines are applied with deviated rationale and methodology.

The project aimed at identifying and defining clear, transparent and comparable quality parameters for environmental inspectorates, thereby giving the inspectorates the possibility to compare and learn from each other. Further, the project discussed how the quality parameters found suitable can be used and exploited.

The purpose of the IMPEL Reference Book on Environmental Inspection is to provide a tool to environmental inspectors in the European Union. It is mainly meant for field inspectors but can also be useful to top and middle management.

IMPEL finalised the series of guidance on Minimum Criteria for Inspections, which gave the bases for the RMCEI regulation, and published a Reference Book for Environmental Inspection. The guidance includes the following documents: