Standards & Legislation

Industrial Emissions Directive

The Industrial and Livestock-Rearing Emissions Directive (IED) (Directive 2010/75/EU, as amended by Directive (EU) 2024/1785), is the main EU instrument to prevent and control pollution arising from large industrial installations and intensive livestock-rearing activities across the Union.

It aims to control the environmental impact of industrial installations, reduce harmful emissions to human health and the environment while supporting the transition of EU industry towards resource efficiency, decarbonisation and circularity.

The directive establishes an integrated framework for the permitting and operation of industrial installations. Under this framework, operators must apply best available techniques (BAT), ensure effective prevention and reduction of emissions to air, water and land, prevent the generation of waste, use energy and resources efficiently, and ensure a high level of protection of the environment as a whole.

The work on the IED is coordinated by the European Bureau for Research on Industrial Transformation and Emissions (EU BRITE) at the Joint Research Centre in Sevilla, Spain. ECHA supports the process through its expertise on chemicals.

Transparency & public participation

Transparency and public participation, including access to permitting information and the right to challenge permitting decisions.

Integrated permitting

Integrated environmental permits covering emissions to all environmental media, waste prevention, resource and energy efficiency, accident prevention and site remediation.

Monitoring & enforcement

Monitoring, reporting, inspections and enforcement by competent authorities.

BAT standards & emission limits

Application of BAT, with emission-limit values set so that emissions under normal operating conditions do not exceed levels associated with BAT, as defined in BAT conclusions adopted by the Commission, and establishing the legal basis for the release of environmental permits.

The Sevilla Process

A structured exchange of information (the ‘Sevilla Process’) for the review and development of BAT REFerence documents (BREFs), led by the JRC EU-BRITE, with technical working groups including the European Commission, member states, industry representatives, environmental NGOs, and ECHA.

Directive (EU) 2024/1785 – important changes

The Directive was revised by Directive (EU) 2024/1785, which entered into force on 4 August 2024. The revision strengthens the EU’s industrial-emissions framework in line with the European Green Deal and the zero-pollution ambition for air, water and soil. It brings several important changes, including:

Expanded scope: The directive now covers intensive livestock-rearing of pigs and poultry, and introduces new requirements for additional industrial activities, such as large-scale battery manufacturing, landfills and mining operations.
Stricter emission-reduction obligations: Competent authorities must set the strictest achievable emission-limit values, based on BATs and supported by environmental monitoring and reporting.
Transformation plans: Installations must prepare transformation plans describing how they will contribute to the Union’s 2050 climate-neutrality and circular-economy objectives, as well as pollution-reduction goals.
Innovation and emerging techniques: The revision encourages the development, testing and application of emerging techniques that can significantly reduce pollution and improve environmental performance.
Improved transparency and digitalisation: The revision introduces electronic permitting and enhances public access to environmental information. It also links to the new Industrial Emissions Portal Regulation, which provides an EU-wide system for reporting and accessing data on emissions and environmental performance.
Enhanced access to justice and penalties: Citizens gain a right to seek compensation for health damage caused by infringements of national rules implementing the Directive. Minimum levels of effective, proportionate and dissuasive penalties are introduced for the most serious violations.
Stronger Sevilla Process: The revised Directive sets a maximum duration of 4 years for drawing up and reviewing BREFs, and gives ECHA a formal role in Technical Working Groups, allowing information on chemicals to be used where relevant.

View Directive (EU) 2024/1785

Drinking Water Directive

The ESA continues to align with the drinking water regulations in the EU as an associate member of the EDW association. A significant milestone was achieved on November 9, 2023, when assessment bodies in the EU (including DVGW and KIWA) endorsed a mission statement. This statement applauds EU legislators' efforts to harmonise minimum hygiene requirements for materials in contact with drinking water, following the EU Drinking Water Directive (Directive (EU) 2020/2184).

This guidance document is targeting materials and products used in new installations, as well as during renovations or repairs of existing installations. The primary goals are to prevent microbial growth and minimise the risk of harmful substances leaching into drinking water.

This guidance document is intended to facilitate and support the practical implementation of the requirements set out and defined in Article 11 of Directive (EU) 2020/2184, which is set to take effect on December 31, 2026, as well as Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2024/368 and Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/370 supplementing and specifying these requirements in the manufacture of products and the corresponding conformity assessment procedure.

It is addressed equally at conformity assessment bodies, notifying authorities, manufacturers of final products intended to come into contact with water intended for human consumption and producers of products in the upstream supply chain that are required for this purpose.

View Directive (EU) 2020/2184

European Drinking Water Initiative

The European Drinking Water (EDW) industry initiative is an alliance of 35 trade associations, including the European Sealing Association (ESA), representing industries supplying products or materials used in drinking water applications and municipal drinking water supply within the European Union.

With the broad knowledge of its members, covering both the individual elements of the supply chain and the wide range of drinking water applications, that initiative has established itself as the voice of the industry and is now a recognised partner for legislators, regulators, and other stakeholders.

ECHA has published four guidance documents to facilitate the implementation of the European positive list under the Drinking Water Directive. EDW highlights the urgent and unresolved challenges related to the implementation of Article 11 of the Drinking Water Directive (EU) 2020/2184, and had a meeting with the Commissioner to discuss the matter in more detail. The initiative has been coordinated jointly by the EDW platform, supported by 35 associations, including the ESA and a large number of companies from across Europe.

EDW is preparing, in parallel, a short guidance document of 30 pages maximum for stakeholders to better understand what is required and how to handle the upcoming EU legislation.

Therefore, a harmonised and standardised approach to risk assessment, monitoring, and quality management would increase water quality and reduce costs for handling drinking water to the benefit of consumers, the competent authorities, and businesses.

In November 2025 the ESA participated in the EDW Plenary Meeting in Brussels.

Digital Product Passport

In 2024, the European Union (EU) introduced new legislation mandating that almost all products sold within the union have a Digital Product Passport (DPP).

A Digital Product Passport (DPP) is a digital record that provides detailed information about a product and its entire value chain. This includes data on the product’s origin, the materials used in its production, its environmental impact, and guidelines for its proper disposal.

The DPP is a crucial element of the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), which came into effect on July 18, 2024. The ESPR forms the foundation of the European Commission’s strategy to create more environmentally sustainable and circular products.

Ecodesign requirements

Ecodesign requirements will be tailored to specific product categories and may include:

These new rules will apply to all products sold in the EU, regardless of whether they are manufactured within the union or imported from outside. The European Commission will manage a public web portal where consumers can search for and compare sustainability information provided in the product passports.

While the DPP is not yet mandatory, it will soon be required for a variety of products. Beginning in 2024, the EU plans to adopt DPPs, with full implementation expected between 2026 and 2030.

Product categories affected by DPP

These rules will apply across all 27 EU member states and will cover a wide range of product categories, such as:

Textiles

Furniture

Chemicals

Batteries

Consumer electronics

Electronic devices

Construction materials

The overall goal of these sustainable product initiatives is to ensure that by 2030, a significant portion of products available to EU consumers will be designed for durability, energy and resource efficiency, reparability, and recyclability, with an emphasis on using recycled materials.

One of our active ESA members from the Mechanical Seals Division, Chrisantos Rich from EagleBurgmann, has joined the VDMA working group together with 20 other companies to establish guidelines for stakeholders in order for them to prepare for the upcoming DPP.

Standards and legislation