(2) In order to prevent, reduce and as far as possible eliminate pollution arising from industrial activities in compliance with the "polluter pays" principle and the principle of pollution prevention, it is necessary to establish a general framework for the control of the main industrial activities giving priority to intervention at source and ensuring prudent management of natural resources.

The objectives and principles of the Community’s environment policy, as set out in Article 174 of the Treaty, consist in particular of preventing, reducing and as far as possible eliminating pollution by giving priority to intervention at source and ensuring prudent management of natural resources, in compliance with the ‘polluter pays’ principle and the principle of pollution prevention.

Integrated pollution prevention and control concerns new or existing industrial and agricultural activities with a high pollution potential, as defined in Annex I to the Directive (energy industries, production and processing of metals, mineral industry, chemical industry, waste management, livestock farming, etc.).

3) Environment, including investments connected with waste management, water supplies, water quality, protection and exploitation of river basins, environmental risk prevention (including protection against flooding and the pollution of inland waters), waste-water treatment and air quality, integrated pollution prevention and control, prevention of noise pollution, rehabilitation of contaminated sites and land, landscape development in rural areas, promotion of biodiversity and nature protection, aid to SMEs to promote sustainable production patterns, the introduction of simpler cost-effective environmental management systems and the ado ...[+++]ption and use of pollution-prevention technologies, including technologies to prevent climate change.

Integrated pollution prevention and control is achieved by a permit system for installations. The permit system is designed to ensure that operators of installations are obliged to take measures to prevent environmental pollution. That includes, in particular, the use of best available techniques (BATs).

(7) Council Directive 96/61/EC of 24 September 1996 concerning integrated pollution prevention and control(6) sets out an integrated approach to pollution prevention and control in which all the aspects of an installation's environmental performance are considered in an integrated manner; combustion installations with a rated thermal input exceeding 50 MW are included within the scope of that Directive; pursuant to Article 15(3) of that Directive an inventory of the principal emissions and sources responsible is to be published every three years by the Commission on the basis of data supplied by the Member States.