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Air Pollution: EU Law

Asked by Jim AllisterTraditional Unionist VoiceDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled Answered 25 July 2024UIN 1120

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the EU Industrial Emission Directive on Northern Ireland; and what the associated costs are.

Answered by Emma Hardy

As set out in the Northern Ireland Protocol in the EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement, the Industrial Emissions Directive will only apply to those installations in Northern Ireland that contribute to the Single Electricity Market. As of 2022 this was four installations.


Industrial emissions policy is devolved to Northern Ireland. Defra continues to engage with the Northern Ireland Executive on industrial emissions policy through the ‘Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control – The Developing and Setting of Best Available Techniques Common Framework. Where rules in Northern Ireland change in alignment with the EU, the Framework provides governance structures and consensus-based processes for considering and managing the impact of these changes.

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