Skip to main content
Glossary termPublished inIED 2.0

Operating rules

Also known as uitvoeringsregels

What does "Operating rules" mean under the IED?

The rules included in permits or general binding rules for the operation of activities referred to in Annex Ia, setting out the emission limit values, the environmental performance limit values, associated monitoring requirements, and, where relevant, land spreading practices, pollution prevention and mitigation practices, nutritional management, feed preparation, housing, manure management, including collection, storage, processing and land spreading of manure, and storage of dead animals, and which are consistent with the use of best available techniques

Defined in / by

  • IED (32010L0075), Article 3, point (12a), as inserted by Directive (EU) 2024/1785

Last updated: 14 October 2026.

How pig and poultry farms are regulated

Operating rules are how pig and poultry farms are regulated under the IED since 2024. Farms above the Annex Ia thresholds follow Chapter VIa instead of the industrial permit chapter, and the operating rules in their permit or in general binding rules set emission limit values, environmental performance limit values, monitoring and practices from feed preparation and housing to manure management and storage of dead animals.

Article 70i(2) required the Commission to adopt by 1 September 2026 an implementing act to establish uniform conditions for operating rules for each Annex Ia activity, known as the UCOL. Those conditions are consistent with the use of best available techniques and include indicative information on emerging techniques where available. The Commission announced the newly adopted UCOL on 8 October 2026.

Operators monitor emissions and associated environmental performance levels (Article 70d) and manage manure in line with the best available techniques as specified in the operating rules (Article 70d(3)). Where non-compliance causes significant degradation or danger, the competent authority suspends operation until compliance is restored (Article 70f). Under Article 3(5) of Directive (EU) 2024/1785, the national rules apply within four, five or six years of the UCOL entering into force, for farms of 600 LSU or more, 400 LSU or more, and all other Annex Ia farms.

Questions and answers

Do pig and poultry farms need an IED permit?

Article 70c(1) requires a permit for installations in the scope of Chapter VIa, but Member States may use a similar pre-existing registration procedure. The operating rules are set in the permit or in general binding rules.

When do the operating rules apply to farms?

Within four, five or six years of the Commission's uniform conditions for operating rules entering into force, depending on farm size (Article 3(5) of Directive (EU) 2024/1785). The Commission gives 2030 to 2032.

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