With the enlargement process, mining companies in the new member countries will have to reach EU environmental standards by implementing European legislation, and have a greater awareness of pollution prevention and control as well as waste management. The most important EU legal regulations, which influence zinc and lead producers in the new EU countries are: 1) the European Directive on Pollution Prevention 96/61/EC of 24th September 1996 (IPPC): "Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC)", 2) a draft proposal for a new Batteries Directive (91/157/eec) - adopted the European Commission in November 2003, i.e. it is a revision of the Council Directive of 18 march 1991 on Batteries and Accumulators, 3) a Proposal of EU Directive on the Management of the Waste from Extractive Industries, which was officialy published on June 2, 2003, 4) a EU communication (COM (2003) 572) entitled "Towards a thematic Strategy on the Sustainable Use of Natural Resources" - officially published in October 2003. The applicant countries were expected to transpose all existing Community environmental law into their national legislation, and this is taking considerable effort. The influence of new laws influence to the behavior of companies, but its impact on their competitiveness, particulary in the mining sector in EU new members.