Activites

• 1996/11/21 Final act published in Official Journal
  • Directive 1996/62
  • OJ L 296 21.11.1996, p. 0055
• #1949
• 1996/09/27 Council Meeting
• 1996/09/27 End of procedure in Parliament
• 1996/09/27 Act adopted by Council after consultation of Parliament
• 1996/06/24 Modified legislative proposal published
  • COM(1996)0311
• 1996/05/22 Decision by Parliament, 2nd reading
  • T4-0238/1996 summary

    Parliament adopted the recommendation for second reading by Mr Mihail PAPAYANNAKIS (GUE/NGL, EL) on the common position established by the Council with a view to the adoption of a Council directive on ambient air quality assessment and management. Some amendments adopted by Parliament at first reading but not accepted by the Council were retabled by the European Parliament. These amendments mainly cover the following aspects: - the introduction of a definition of the "critical load" concept; - the definition of "target value": a level based on scientific knowledge concerning the critical load, i.e. the concentration above which direct adverse effects on human beings, animals, plants or goods may occur, fixed with the aim of averting or preventing more long-term harmful effects on human health and the environment; - in the definition of "agglomeration", the threshold of 100,000 (as opposed to 250,000) inhabitants should be considered as the population density justifying air quality assessment and management; - the fixing of a maximum period of five years for the temporary margin of tolerance for a limit value, where such a margin is laid down; - the shortening of the time-limits (from 2 years to 1 year) for the submission by the Member States of the air quality improvement plans; - the replacement of the regulatory committee (type IIIa) by an advisory committee responsible for updating the directive in line with scientific and technical progress, in accordance with the initial Commission proposal and the normal practice followed by Parliament; - the shortening of the deadlines for the submission of proposals on benzene and carbon monoxide and, by extension, the transfer of the these pollutants to the first series in Annex I; - the incorporation in Annex I of a third series of pollutants to be considered at a later stage, given that the other two series set out in that Annex do not cover all the dangerous pollutants which should be subject to regulatory measures.�

• 1996/05/21 Debate in Parliament
  • Debate in Parliament summary

    The rapporteur, Mr Papayannakis (GUE/NGL, GR), presented the main amendments, one of which proposed a threshold of 100 000 (rather than 250 000) inhabitants for the definition of ‘agglomeration’ as a sufficient concentration for the assessment and management of air quality. Commissioner Bjerregaard declared that of the 23 amendments tabled by Parliament at second reading she was prepared to accept ten in full (Amendments Nos 6, 11, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 and 22) and two in part (Amendments Nos 7 and 8). However, she opposed extending the system of monitoring to include polluted zones below the 250 000 inhabitants threshold, as this would be too expensive.

• 1996/05/07 Vote in committee, 2nd reading
  • A4-0155/1996
• 1996/02/01 Committee referral announced in Parliament, 2nd reading
• #1890
• 1995/11/30 Council Meeting
  • 09514/3/1995 summary

    The Council's common position incorporates 24 of the 37 amendments adopted by the European Parliament and included by the Commission in its amended proposal. The amendments included concerned: - an additional provision governing the revision of limit values and alert thresholds; - a new recital relating to the need for research into the combined effects of pollutants and climate; - the term "sampling"; - the role of the European Environment Agency in implementing the directive; - coordination of measures adopted under this directive with those implemented in connection with the directive on integrated pollution control; - a reference to short-term measures, including the suspension of industrial activities, when there is a risk that limit values will be exceeded; - the inclusion of particulate matter of less than 10 micrometres in Annex I (the Council deleted fluoride and acid deposits and added mercury, poly-aromatic hydrocarbons and nickel in general). However, the Council did not accept the amendments concerning: - a third series of pollutants to be considered at a later stage; - shorter deadlines for proposals relating to CO and benzene; - shorter deadlines for finalizing and submitting air quality improvement plans. The Council also: - abandoned the idea of labeling zones on the basis of the air quality; - introduced the concept of a "target value" for ozone (and only ozone) due to the specific nature of this pollutant; - defined the term "agglomeration"; - added a list of factors to be taken into account when setting limit values/alert thresholds (new Annex); - added a new provision making preliminary data on levels of pollutants available before the specific directives provided for in the directive enter into force; - introduced the principle of maintaining air quality in zones where levels are below the limit value; - replaced the advisory committee by a type IIIa regulatory committee responsible for adapting to technical progress.�

• 1995/07/06 Modified legislative proposal published
  • COM(1995)0312 summary

    The Commission's amended proposal incorporates the amendments by the European Parliament which: - introduce the need for regular evaluation of quality objectives in the light of new scientific or technical developments; - amend the structure of Annex I making provision for a third series of substances to be considered at a later stage and for the priorities for substances in the Commission's initial proposal to be amended; - involve the European Environment Agency in the various duties allocated to the Commission. However, the Commission did not incorporate amendments concerning: - the participation of the European Parliament either in the process of submission of subsequent proposals by the Commission or in the work of the committee set up in the proposal; - the introduction of the critical load concept and the definition of maximum emission levels or the setting of such levels; - information for the public by the Member States; - the participation of non-governmental organizations (granting of formal status); - the shortening of deadlines for pollutants in the second part of Annex I; - setting an identical time limit for all substances.�

• #1861
• 1995/06/22 Council Meeting
• 1995/06/16 Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
  • T4-0317/1995 summary

    Adopting the report by Mr Papayannakis, the European Parliament approved the proposal subject to certain amendments recommending that: - benzene and carbon monoxide should be included in the list of pollutants to be dealt with immediately; - a third list of pollutants to be studied at a later stage (dioxin, volatile organic compounds, methane, ammonia, nitric acid, poly-aromatic hydrocarbons) should be added to the two lists in Annex I; - there was a need for more measures in more places (agglomerations with more than 100,000 inhabitants and highly industrialized zones) and more efficient technologies; - Member States' action plans should act as emergency plans if the limit values set by the experts were exceeded and should, if necessary, include temporary suspension of the industrial process causing the pollution; - the problem of cross-border pollution should be highlighted; - the European Environment Agency and the European Parliament should receive better quality information.�

• 1995/06/15 Debate in Parliament
  • Debate in Parliament summary

    Mr PAPAYANNAKIS pointed out that the aim of this proposal was to determine a common strategy for the assessment of substances present in the air. It was a framework directive that would be followed by a number of implementing directives. Since these directives would only cover six substances, the rapporteur felt that another list should be drawn up by the year 2000for a whole range of dangerous substances that were currently being studied. Of the amendments tabled, one called for more information in relation to the public; another related to the regular revision of the limit values. When presenting his report on a reciprocal exchange of information from networks and stations measuring ambient air pollution within the Member States, Mrs POLLACK highlighted the amendment aimed at applying the provisions in small towns, which was not included in the text. Mrs BJERREGAARD stated that she could take over, in full or in principle, 24 of the 39 amendments: Amendments Nos 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 13 to 15, 17 to 20, 24 to 26, 28, 29, 31 to 36. As regards Mrs Pollack’s report, she could take over Amendments Nos 3, 6, 7, 8, 11, 18 and 19; she could also take over Amendments Nos 2, 9 and 10 in part. However, she rejected Amendments Nos 5, 12, 13, 14, 16 and 17.

• 1995/05/23 Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading
  • A4-0116/1995
• #1832
• 1995/03/09 Council Meeting
  • 1832
• 1994/09/26 Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
• 1994/07/04 Legislative proposal published
  • COM(1994)0109 summary

    The Council's proposal for a directive seeks to provide a Community framework for evaluating the management and quality of ambient air, while leaving it up to the Member States to take specific measures to reduce pollution levels on their territory. The pollutants concerned - 14 in total - are those already governed by Community directives (sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, black smoke, suspended particulate matter, lead, ozone), plus the following substances: carbon monoxide, cadmium, acid fallout, benzene, poly-aromatic hydrocarbons, arsenic, fluoride and nickel. More specifically, the draft text lays down the principles to be applied in order to: - harmonize the evaluation of air quality; - set objectives concerning the quality of ambient air: limit values which must be achieved within the next ten or fifteen years will be laid down, together with alert thresholds at which the population must be informed; - maintain or improve the quality of ambient air: a) Member States must take measures and draw up action plans to improve air quality where limit values are exceeded; b) the long-term limit value must be achieved by a specific deadline where levels fall between the admissible value and the long-term limit value; c) the population must be informed when alert thresholds are exceeded; - ensure that the public receives more regular reports on atmospheric pollution, to be published by the Commission on the basis of information provided by the Member States. The timetable for the implementation of the directive sets two deadlines for adopting quality objectives, evaluation criteria and measuring methods, viz. 31 December 1996 for substances already governed by directives and 31 December 1999 for other substances.�

Documents

• Legislative proposal published: COM(1994)0109
• Debate in Council: 1832
• Committee report tabled for plenary, 1st reading/single reading: A4-0116/1995
• Debate in Parliament: Debate in Parliament
• Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading: T4-0317/1995
• Modified legislative proposal published: COM(1995)0312
• Council position published: 09514/3/1995
• Committee recommendation tabled for plenary, 2nd reading: A4-0155/1996
• Debate in Parliament: Debate in Parliament
• Decision by Parliament, 2nd reading: T4-0238/1996
• Modified legislative proposal published: COM(1996)0311
• : Directive 1996/62
• : OJ L 296 21.11.1996, p. 0055

History

(these mark the time of scraping, not the official date of the change)