• Promote dialogue between the European Commission, national authorities and industry at EU level on the implementation of the Directive on Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control 96/61/EC.

• Raise awareness and further a better understanding on the need to implement BAT in a sustainable and competitive way.

• Contribute to the work of the Economic and Cross-Media Reference Document

IPPC policy-makers/permit writers, national authorities (EU and Candidate Countries), industry, environment NGOs, academics, European Commission

The IPPC Directive 96/61/EC lays down a framework requiring Member States to issue operating permits for certain industrial installations. These permits must contain operating conditions and emission limits based on Best Available Techniques (BAT).

Article 2 (11) of the Directive defines "available techniques" as "those developed on a scale which allows implementation in the relevant industrial sector, under economically and technically viable conditions, taking into consideration the costs and advantages, (….), as long as they are reasonably accessible to the operator."

The implementation of BAT can therefore lead to a complex trade off between what leads to the highest environmental improvement and what is still affordable for the industry. Practical experience has shown that this economic evaluation is an arduous task for policy-makers and permit-writers.

To support a European information exchange on the subject, the Enterprise Directorate-General, in co-operation with the Environment Directorate-General and the Institute for Prospective Technological Studies, European Commission, and the Flemish Institute for Technological Research, VITO, is organising a workshop on 16 May 2002. Keynote speakers from the European Commission, the European IPPC Bureau, the Member States and industry will present their points of view on application of the "economic viability" criteria of BAT. The workshop will conclude with a panel discussion to encourage interaction with the audience.

The European Commission has organised this workshop with the support of VITO, the Flemish Institute for Technological Research. Participation is by invitation only.

The conference will take place in the Charlemagne Building, Brussels. A number of rooms have been reserved for participants at the Citadines Aparthotel, Quai aux Bois à Brûler, Sainte-Catherine, Brussels. A buffet lunch will be available during the workshop.

Simultaneous interpretation facilities will be provided in English, German, French, Spanish and Italian.

If you are interested in attending the conference or obtaining the programme, please send an e-mail to Caroline.Hager@cec.eu.int

Given the capacity of the meeting room, and in order to maintain a balance in the representation of various interest groups, participation at the event will be by invitation.