Skip to main content
Glossary termPublished inIED 2.0

BAT reference document

Also known as BBT-referentiedocument

What does "BAT reference document" mean under the IED?

A document, resulting from the exchange of information organised pursuant to Article 13, drawn up for defined activities and describing, in particular, applied techniques, present emissions and consumption levels, techniques considered for the determination of best available techniques as well as BAT conclusions and any emerging techniques, giving special consideration to the criteria listed in Annex III

Defined in / by

Last updated: 14 October 2026.

Where BAT conclusions come from

A BAT reference document is the long technical document behind each sector's BAT conclusions. Article 13 sets up the exchange of information that produces it, and that exchange aims at an eight-year review cycle of BAT reference documents (Article 13(1)).

The document describes applied techniques, present emissions and consumption levels, the techniques considered for determining best available techniques, the BAT conclusions and any emerging techniques. Only one part of it is adopted as a legal act: the BAT conclusions, which are adopted as a Commission decision under Article 13(5) and are the reference for setting permit conditions (Article 14(3)). Article 13(6) requires the Commission to make the BAT conclusions and the BAT reference document publicly available without undue delay.

For an operator the document matters in two ways. The BAT conclusions inside it set the reference for its permit, and their publication starts the four-year period in Article 21(3) for reconsidering permit conditions. The rest of the document is the technical record of how those conclusions were reached. The definition has not changed since 2010.

Questions and answers

What is the difference between a BAT reference document and BAT conclusions?

BAT conclusions are the parts of a BAT reference document that lay down the conclusions on best available techniques and emerging techniques. They are adopted by Commission decision under Article 13(5) and are the reference for setting permit conditions under Article 14(3).

How often are BAT reference documents reviewed?

The exchange of information under Article 13(1) aims at an eight-year review cycle.

Regulations

  • Industrial Emissions Directive (IED 2.0)

    The revised Industrial Emissions Directive is Directive (EU) 2024/1785. Member States had to transpose it by 1 July 2026, and none had notified full transposition by 25 September 2026. Operators need an environmental management system by 1 July 2027, and large pig and poultry farms follow from 2030. The Dutch bill is before the Eerste Kamer.

    Next
    Parliament plenary, first reading of Omnibus VIII