A revised version of the EU’s rules on industrial emissions came into force on Sunday (4 July), extending to more livestock farms than previous legislation.

According to the European Commission, the directive, baptised as IED 2.0, now applies to “the most polluting pig and poultry farms,” which are responsible for around 30% of the EU’s overall ammonia emissions.

The legislation sparked controversy among farming organisations and right-wing political parties, who opposed regulating farms under the same standards as industrial sectors like battery gigafactories and steelworks.

The measures apply to pig farms with more than 350 livestock units (LSU), roughly equivalent to 1,100 adult pigs or 700 female pigs for breeding.

Organic pig production and extensive farms, where animals spend most of their time outdoors, are exempt. Previously, the rules only covered farms with more than 2,000 pigs and 750 sows.

The threshold for poultry remains at 280 LSU or 40,000 meat chickens. However, egg-producing farms now face tighter regulations, starting from 21,400 laying hens.

The Commission originally proposed including cattle in the legislation, but the European Parliament excluded it successfully from the final text during negotiations with EU member states.

However, the Commission will report on tackling pollution from cow farms, which account for 50% of the EU’s methane emissions and 25% of its ammonia emissions, by the end of 2026.

“Lighter permitting”

Despite the increase in the number of farms affected, environmental watchdogs warn that the IED 2.0 could lead to regulatory backtracking. The revamped directive allows EU countries to apply a “lighter regulatory regime” for farmers, opting for simpler registration procedures over more burdensome full permits.

Additionally, the new law also includes the right of people to seek compensation for health damages caused by “illegal pollution.”

It also imposes stricter financial penalties, with companies facing fines of at least 3% of their annual EU turnover for serious violations. Authorities can suspend non-compliant farms, but activities necessary to care for the animals must still continue to ensure their well-being.

The Commission has two years to develop detailed operating rules, which will be drafted in collaboration with farming representatives, member state experts and NGOs.

The new rules will apply to the largest affected farms from 2030 and to the remaining farms by 2032.

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