Est. 2min 10-10-2007 (updated: 28-05-2012 ) air_pollu_ISP_Falk_Kienas.jpg Euractiv is part of the Trust Project >>> Languages: Français | DeutschPrint Email Facebook X LinkedIn WhatsApp Telegram A vote in Parliament’s environment committee in favour of more stringent air quality limits and more flexible implementation delays looks set to send the law-making body on a collision course with Council before the end of the year. The European Parliament’s environment committee, on 9 October, voted to tighten air pollution thresholds in ambient air, setting the stage for another clash with the Council later this year (EURACTIV 24/10/06). The main elements of Parliament’s second-reading recommendation are: The introduction, in 2010, of a non-binding target value of 20 micrograms per cubic metre (µg/m3) for PM2.5 (the finest particles, which do the most damage to people’s lungs). This target, which is lower than the Council’s proposed 25µg/m3, would then become a binding limit value as of 2015; the reduction of maximum concentration levels of larger particles, known as PM10, to an annual average of 33µg/m3, rather than leaving them unchanged at 40µg/m3, as suggested in the Council’s common position; the possibility of postponing attainment of limit values, not only for PM10 as suggested by the Council, but also for all other pollutants, for up to five years. The report adopted by the environment committee argues that short-term action should instead be achieved by binding measures to reduce atmospheric pollution from the source, and calls on the Commission to adopt legislation on cutting particulate matter emissions from domestic heating equipment, farming and motor vehicles, including boats and aircraft within two years of the entry into force of the directive. Read more with Euractiv EU states warned about overfishing The Commission has warned France, Italy and five other member states over illegal fishing in a move aimed at preventing the collapse of bluefin tuna stocks in the Mediterranean and Eastern Atlantic. Subscribe now to our newsletter EU Elections Decoded Email Address * Politics Newsletters Positions German liberal MEP Holger Krahmer, who is Parliament rapporteur on the directive, said: "The vote today is a great success: The limit values for PM2,5 and PM10 are more ambitious than the proposals of Council and Commission. More is perhaps desirable but definitely not feasible if the costs are to remain economically justifiable." "Member states will have the necessary flexibility in implementing the directive as there will be the possibility to extend time limits by way of exception if it is necessary. The obligation for short term actions is replaced by source-based measures to decrease particulate matter emission, for example in agriculture or domestic heating installations. The aims are ambitious but we keep the balance between a high standard of health safety and practicability." Concerning the upcoming negotiations with the Council, Krahmer is optimistic: "Initial talks with Commission and Council show the desire for agreement on both sides. In the end it is good air quality in Europe which counts." Finnish Green MEP and Vice-President of the environment committee Satu Hassi however disapproved of the decision to allow for increased delays in application of the rules. She said: "The Environment Committee today voted to create greater loopholes in EU rules on air pollution. MEPs voted to allow member states to exceed pollutant limit values for a longer period and extended the scope of these derogations to cover all pollutants and future limit values. While MEPs did vote to improve the common position on the air quality directive as regards limit values for the key pollutants PM2.5 and PM10, the derogations approved by the ENVI committee, along with other amendments, have weakened the proposal as a whole." She added that amendments allowing for less stringent short-term action against pollution peaks and protecting industrial installations from any further measures would "create legal hurdles for local authorities wishing to protect their citizens". "We hope the Council does not give in and allow these derogations from air quality rules, further delaying the enforcement of limit values. Air pollution is not only the cause of serious illnesses and respiratory problems, it is also a silent killer," she warned. BackgroundAccording to the Commission, 370,000 people in Europe die prematurely every year from diseases linked to air pollution - 350,000 of them because of atmospheric microparticles or dust of a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometers, known as Particulate Matter (PM2.5), which originate from transportation activities (cars, ships and planes), agriculture and small industrial plants. Despite this worrying statistic, MEPs and member states remain divided over by how much and how quickly the EU should improve its air quality and there is some speculation that a deal on a future EU Air Quality Directive, currently in the second-reading phase, may require Parliament and Council to go through a special conciliation procedure (EURACTIV 14/09/07). Timeline Nov 2007: Parliament plenary session - second reading on air quality; first reading on soil. 2015: planned revision of the ambient air quality directive. Further ReadingEU official documents European Parliament:Air quality: MEPs want to go further than Council(9 October 2007) [FR] Legislative Observatory:Air Quality Directive Political Groups Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE):EP environment committee targets cleaner air standards(9 October 2007) Greens - European Free Alliance:EU air pollution rules: MEPs vote for greater loopholes in air pollution rules(9 October 2007) [DE]
