Directive 2012/18/EU

Directive 2012/18/EU or the Seveso-III Directive (full title: Directive 2012/18/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 4 July 2012 on the control of major-accident hazards involving dangerous substances, amending and subsequently repealing Council Directive 96/82/EC) is a European Union directive aimed at controlling major chemical accident hazards. Seveso-III is implemented in national legislation and is enforced by national chemical safety authorities.

The Seveso-III Directive aims at preventing such incidents and minimising their risks. All EU countries are obliged to adopt measures at national and company level to prevent major accidents and to ensure appropriate preparedness and response should such accidents nevertheless happen. Industrial plants in the European Union are covered by the provisions of the Directive if dangerous substances are or could be present in the ‘establishment’ in quantities exceeding the relevant thresholds mentioned in the Directive. More than 12 000 establishments in the EU are covered by the requirements.

Seveso-III replaces the previous Seveso-I (Directive 82/501/EC) and Seveso-II (Directive 96/82/EC) Directives, updating the laws due to changes in chemical classification regulations, for example. Seveso-III gets its name from the Seveso disaster, which occurred in 1976 in Italy. Seveso-III establishes minimum quantity thresholds for reporting and safety permits. There are two lists: one names individual substances, and another designates hazard categories for those substances not named separately. Documents required based on hazard and quantity are notification, Major Accident Prevention Policy (MAPP) and Seveso Safety Report.