Joint Inspection Approach for BAT Evaluation and Compliance Assurance
This multi-annual project brings together inspectorates from different industrial sectors to carry out joint inspections and share good practices for planning and performing effective regulatory inspections. By working together, the project improves the quality and consistency of inspections and supports the practical implementation of Best Available Techniques (BAT) under the Industrial Emissions Directive (IED).
A key focus of the project is how to handle non-compliance, helping authorities apply new BREF conclusions correctly. The challenges, insights, and lessons learned during the inspections are fed back into the BREF cycle, creating a continuous improvement loop between practical experience and policy development.
The project works closely with the IMPEL Review Initiative (IRI), helping organisations apply agreed good practices within their own systems. Each joint inspection is hosted by a different authority and includes visiting inspectors with sector-specific and BAT-related expertise, allowing for valuable exchange and mutual learning.
Enhancing the DTRT Cycle
The project supports and improves the “Doing the Right Things” (DTRT) cycle by sharing:
- Good practices for preparing effective inspections
- Good practices for carrying out both routine and non-routine inspections
- Methods and examples for implementing BAT
- Better approaches for reporting and data collection
- Guidance on enforcing compliance
- Strategies to help companies reduce nuisance and fix deficiencies
Supporting a Level Playing Field
Joint inspections also help create a more consistent approach to IED implementation across Europe by:
- Identifying differences in how countries interpret IED requirements
- Suggesting common approaches where appropriate
- Increasing inspectorate capacity through international cooperation
After each joint inspection, the team presents its findings in a live webinar open to all IMPEL IED members and colleagues who wish to join. This ensures that knowledge and experience are widely shared.
Background: Previous IMPEL Project on IED Inspections
The earlier IMPEL project, “Environmental inspections of industrial installations in accordance with the Industrial Emissions Directive (IED)”, was completed in 2013. It focused on exchanging information about best practices for IED inspections. Its main result was the publication of “Guidance for the Implementation of the IED in Planning and Execution of Inspections.”
This guidance was developed to help practitioners address the main questions that arise when integrating IED requirements into inspection systems and the IMPEL inspection cycle. During the project, IED inspection obligations were linked to the inspection cycle, and the cycle itself was adjusted to reflect the technical and legal terminology of the IED.
As a result, the guidance provides:
- A shared understanding of the technical and legal inspection terms used in the IED
- Support for creating a level playing field across IMPEL member countries
- Practical advice for applying new IED inspection obligations consistently
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