Activites

• #2334
• 2001/03/08 Council Meeting
• 1999/06/29 Final act published in Official Journal
  • Directive 1999/30
  • OJ L 163 29.06.1999, p. 0041
• #2172
• 1999/04/22 Council Meeting
• 1999/04/22 End of procedure in Parliament
• 1999/04/22 Act adopted by Council after consultation of Parliament
• 1999/03/05 Modified legislative proposal published
  • COM(1999)0093 summary

    The Commission's re-examined proposal accepts amendments which aim in particular to : - improve the definition of "natural occurrence" which may justify a derogation at the end of the determination of respect of the limit values fixed for the particles (taking into account geothermal activities and exceptionally violent winds); - state in a more detailed manner how the public can be kept informed of the relation between levels of pollution and limit values; - specify that the demand to make public the plans drawn up in order to ensure the respect of limit values also applies in the areas and agglomerations in which the concentrations of sulphur dioxide due to natural events or the concentrations of particles due to natural events or the winter sanding of roads are not taken into consideration; - specify that the Commission will study the possibility of fixing the alert thresholds for the particles when it prepares a report, by 31/12/2003 at the latest, on the application of the proposal; - determine the date which the margin of exceedance for certain limit values starts to decrease.�

• 1999/01/13 Decision by Parliament, 2nd reading
  • T4-0008/1999 summary

    At its second reading under cooperation procedure, the decision on a common position with a view to the adoption of a Council Directive relating to limit values for sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and oxides of nitrogen, particulate matter and lead in ambient air was approved by the European Parliament together with a number of amendments. These relate to the wording of the text, the provision of information to the public and the "alert threshold" at which warnings should be issued. With regard to information, the Parliament wishes to make minimum provision that any exceedances of the concentrations of these substances in the air should be indicated and, whenever possible, whether the pollution levels are above, below or equal to the limit values and alert thresholds specified by the directive. The Parliament also requires that the Commission should give particular attention to setting alert thresholds, consistent with other pollutants in this Directive, for PM10, PM2.5, or particular fractions of particulate matter, as appropriate. The Parliament's rapporteur was Anita Pollack (UK, PES).�

• 1999/01/12 Debate in Parliament
• 1998/11/25 Committee recommendation tabled for plenary, 2nd reading
  • A4-0483/1998
• 1998/10/09 Committee referral announced in Parliament, 2nd reading
• #2117
• 1998/09/24 Council Meeting
  • 10275/2/1998 summary

    The Council's common position has taken over in full or in part 21 amendments adopted by the European Parliament at first reading, of which three were originally rejected by the Commission. The latter amendments regard the deletion of the public information indicators, as well as the provisions for time-limited derogations in respect of lead in certain areas to take account of specific circumstances. The main amendments included by the Council deal with the following points: - preamble: additional 'whereas' clauses were inserted to stress that those of the Directive are minimum requirements. It is also specified that adaptations via the Committee's procedure cannot have the effect of weakening the limit values or alert threshold; - special circumstances: in special, non-controllable, circumstances (e.g. natural events or specific climatic/geographic conditions) which could lead to limit values being exceeded, Member States would be under the obligation to intervene only in respect of exceedances not due to those special circumstances, provided that they make available to the Commission the necessary justification; - information to the public: the Council has made clearer and more consistent the provisions to inform the public; the obligation to send to the Commission the list of organisations notified has been cancelled; - review: the Council has strengthened the review clause by indicating the main points which should be covered (limit values for all types of particulates and for nitrogen dioxide). The review should take into account the latest scientific research; - alert threshold for sulphur dioxide (Annex I): the Council has agreed a 500 μg/m3 (the Commission proposed 350 μg/m3); - possible exceedances of the hourly limit value for NO2 (Annex II): the Council has raised the number of possible exceedances to 18 per year, given in particular the difficulties to meet the limit values associated with specific climatic conditions; - limit values for particulate matter (Annex III): the common position provides as follows: . to render less severe the limit values for PM10 to be met by 2005 (35 instead of 25 exceedances for the daily value; 40 μg/m3 instead of 30 for the annual limit value); . to set only indicative limit values for PM10 as regards the second stage to be implemented by 2010; - not to include at this stage provisions relating to PM2.5 on the understanding that the review scheduled for 2003 would specifically address these points; - reference methods (Annex IX): in the absence of internationally agreed standards, the Council agreed on a reference method to be used for sampling and measurement of PM10, and on a provisional reference method for PM2.5 , on the understanding that the Commission will carry out intercomparison exercises in order to provide information for a review of those two methods; - date of implementation: the Council agreed on a period of two years after entry into force. �

• 1998/07/08 Modified legislative proposal published
  • COM(1998)0386 summary

    The Commission's amended proposal takes over totally or partly 19 of the 28 amendments adopted by Parliament at first reading. The amendments introduced by the Commission have the following effects: - setting of an alert threshold for NO2, based on a threshold for effects in sensitive subjects; - clarification of provisions requiring up-to-date information to be easily available to the public; - clarification on where ecosystem and vegetation limit values will apply; - simplification and strengthening of requirements relating to the measurement of pollution; - adaptation of measurement requirements to the situation of small islands, particularly those whose populations fluctuate because of tourism; - statement of the Commission's intention to submit revised proposals if necessary when it reports to Parliament and the Council in 2003 on implementation of the proposal for a directive; - statement of the importance of research on air pollution as a basis for any such revised proposals. The Commission was unable to accept the amendments seeking to: - define an alert threshold for PM10; - specify the methods by which information should be sent to NGOs; - delete the public information indicators; - call on the Commission to encourage research on air pollution; - make the limit value for SO2 markedly more stringent. �

• #2106
• 1998/06/16 Council Meeting
• 1998/05/13 Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
  • T4-0271/1998 summary

    In adopting the report by Mrs Anita POLLACK (PSE, UK) Parliament called for clear information to be provided to the public and the relevant organizations. Information on ambient concentrations of sulphur dioxide, oxides of nitrogen and particulate matter should be updated on an hourly basis and, in the case of lead, on a three-monthly basis. Alert thresholds were set for nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter. In the event of the alert thresholds being exceeded, the minimum information to be supplied to the public should include: date, hour and place of the occurrence, forecasts as regards the change in concentrations, the geographical area concerned and the duration, the type of population potentially sensitive to the occurrence and lastly the precautions to be taken. Parliament also strengthened certain requirements with regard to sulphur dioxide. Sampling points should be situated in such a way as to include information on small islands. Parliament called for the sampling points provided for the protection of ecosystems and the vegetation to be sited beyond 20 km from agglomerations or 5 km from a built-up area, an industrial installation or major road. Exceptionally Member States might designate zones within which the limit value for lead could not be met by 1 January 2005 owing to concentrations of lead due to industrial processes. However these limit values had to be attained by 1 January 2010. Parliament called on the Commission to review the directive before 30 September 2003. In order to facilitate this review the Commission and the Member States should encourage and support research into the effects of pollutants such as sulphur dioxide, oxides of nitrogen, particulate matter and lead. �

• 1998/05/12 Debate in Parliament
• 1998/04/23 Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading
  • A4-0161/1998
• #2076
• 1998/03/23 Council Meeting
  • 2076
• 1997/12/17 Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
• 1997/10/08 Legislative proposal published
  • COM(1997)0500 summary

    OBJECTIVE: to strengthen the limit values for atmospheric pollutants - sulphur dioxide, oxides of nitrogen, particulate matter and lead - with a view to improving air quality. CONTENT: the proposal for a directive is targeted at sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, particulate matter and lead in ambient air. The proposed limit values, along with a timetable and cost/benefit analysis, are based on the 1996 WHO's guidelines on air quality. This text will be the first daughter directive of the Air Quality Framework Directive (Directive 96/62/EC). The key elements are: 1) Sulphur anhydride (SO2): the proposal establishes two limit values for health between now and 1 January 2005 and a limit value for ecosystems to be applied two years after the entry into force of the directive. It also provides for an alert threshold for sulphur anhydride. The public is to be informed if this threshold is exceeded. 2) Nitrogen oxides: the proposal lays down: - limit values for nitrogen dioxide (NO2), aimed at protecting human health: they must be met by 1 January 2010 at the latest; - limit values for combined nitrogen dioxide and nitric acid (NO) in order to protect ecosystems: they must be met within two years of the directive entering into force. 3) Particulate matter: limit values are established for 2005 and 2010. They require particulate matter to be measured as PM10 (particulate matter with a diameter of less than 10 microns). The Commission will submit a report to the Council and the European Parliament on 21 December 2003 at the latest on the most recent progress achieved in terms of identifying particulate matter and its effects. This report will possibly be accompanied by proposals to change the limit values. 4) Lead: the only limit value proposed for 2005 is above the current levels in the Union. The Commission will submit a report by 31 December 2003 at the latest on the viability of establishing deposit limit values for lead, in addition to or instead of the limit values for lead in air surrounding industrial installations. The proposal also stipulates that the Member States must ensure that the updated information on the levels of sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, particulate matter and lead can be easily accessed by the public. �

Documents

• Legislative proposal published: COM(1997)0500
• Debate in Council: 2076
• Committee report tabled for plenary, 1st reading/single reading: A4-0161/1998
• Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading: T4-0271/1998
• Modified legislative proposal published: COM(1998)0386
• Council position published: 10275/2/1998
• Committee recommendation tabled for plenary, 2nd reading: A4-0483/1998
• Decision by Parliament, 2nd reading: T4-0008/1999
• Modified legislative proposal published: COM(1999)0093
• : Directive 1999/30
• : OJ L 163 29.06.1999, p. 0041

History

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