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Glossary termPublished inIED 2.0

Emerging technique

Also known as techniek in opkomst

What does "Emerging technique" mean under the IED?

A novel technique for an industrial activity that, if commercially developed, could provide either a higher general level of protection of human health and the environment or at least the same level of protection of human health and the environment and higher cost savings than existing best available techniques

Defined in / by

  • IED (32010L0075), Article 3, point (14), as replaced by Directive (EU) 2024/1785

Last updated: 14 October 2026.

How the IED pulls BAT forward

The IED uses emerging techniques to move best available techniques forward. Article 27 requires Member States, where appropriate, to encourage the development and application of emerging techniques. Article 27a has the Commission establish and operate an innovation centre for industrial transformation and emissions, Incite. Under Article 27a(2) the centre collects and analyses information on new techniques, emerging techniques among them.

Article 27b lets the competent authority grant temporary derogations from the requirements in Article 15(2), (3) and (4) for the testing and use of emerging techniques, for a total period not exceeding 30 months. BAT conclusions now cover emerging techniques and the emission levels associated with them (Article 3, point (12)), and emerging techniques can be part of a deep industrial transformation (Article 3, point (9a)).

Directive (EU) 2024/1785 replaced the definition. The level of protection is now that of human health and the environment, where the 2010 text referred to the environment only. The rest of the test is unchanged: a novel technique that, if commercially developed, could do better than existing best available techniques, or as well at lower cost.

Questions and answers

How long can an emerging technique be tested under a derogation?

Article 27b allows temporary derogations from Article 15(2), (3) and (4) for a total period not exceeding 30 months.

What changed in the definition in 2024?

Directive (EU) 2024/1785 replaced "protection of the environment" with "protection of human health and the environment" in both limbs of the test.

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.

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