March 21, 2024

European Parliament updates industrial emission directive covering pig and poultry farms

The European Parliament has adopted a deal with EU member states on the revision of the industrial emission directive (IED), which will see new rules applied to cut down harmful emissions from industrial installations and large pig and poultry farms.

Co-legislators agreed to extend IED measures to pig farms with more than 350 livestock units (LSUs). Farms raising pigs in an extensive or organic manner, and outside for a significant amount of time in a year, are excluded.

For poultry, the directive applies to farms with laying hens with more than 300 LSUs and for farms with broilers with more than 280 LSUs. For farms rearing both pigs and poultry, the limit will be 380 LSUs.

The directive to date in force (Directive 2010/75) agrees on values for pig farms with more than 2,000 places for production pigs (over 30 kilos) or with more than 750 places for sows, poultry farms with more than 40,000 places for poultry and farms of more than 750 LSUs.

The European Commission will assess, by December 31, 2026, whether there is a need to further address the emissions from rearing livestock, including from cattle, and a reciprocity clause to ensure producers outside the European Union meet requirements similar to EU rules when exporting to the bloc.

The law now also has to be adopted by the Council, before being published in the EU Official Journal and entering into force 20 days later.

EU Member states will then have 22 months to comply with this directive.

- European Parliament