Activites

• 2005/01/26 Final act published in Official Journal
  • Directive 2004/107
  • OJ L 023 26.01.2005, p. 0003-0016
• 2004/12/15 Final act signed
• 2004/12/15 End of procedure in Parliament
• #2616
• 2004/11/15 Council Meeting
• 2004/11/15 Act adopted by Council after Parliament's 1st reading
• 2004/04/20 Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
  • T5-0295/2004 summary

    The European Parliament adopted a compromise deal with the Council on this proposed directive. The rapporteur was Hans KRONBERGER (IND, A). In the Committee vote (please see the preceding summary) Members wanted to set limit values, rather than just monitoring requirements as proposed by the Commission, for air pollutants, including arsenic, cadmium and nickel and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The compromise adopted sets target values for these pollutants - neither just monitoring requirements nor binding limit values. "Target value" is defined as a concentration in the ambient air fixed with the aim of avoiding, preventing or reducing harmful effects on human health and the environment as a whole, to be attained where possible over a given period. The target values will have to be met, where possible, by 2012. The agreed date is a compromise between 2010 as proposed by the Environment Committee and 2014 proposed earlier by the Council Presidency. Furthermore, Parliament also obtained a clause which requires the Commission to consider the possible merit in introducing limit values in a report that is due in 2010.In addition, the Commission report must deal with the following: - the secondary economic benefits for the environment and health in reducing the emissions of arsenic, cadmium, nickel, mercury and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons to the extent that these can be assessed; - the adequacy of the particle size fraction used for sampling in view of general particulate matter measurement requirements; - the suitability of benzo(a)pyrene as a marker for the total carcinogenic activity of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, having regard to predominantly gaseous forms of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons such as fluoranthene. - in the light of the latest scientific and technological developments the Commission shall also examine the effect of arsenic, cadmium and nickel on human health with a view to quantifying their genotoxic carcinogenicity. Taking account of measures adopted pursuant to the mercury strategy the Commission must also consider whether there would be merit in taking further action in relation to mercury, taking account of technical feasibility and cost-effectiveness and any significant additional health and environmental protection that this would provide. Finally, Parliament made amendments concerning the measurement of ambient air quality, and the geographical frequency of sampling sites.�

• 2004/03/09 Debate in Parliament
  • Debate in Parliament
• #X020
• 2004/03/02 Council Meeting
• 2004/01/21 Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading
  • A5-0047/2004
• 2003/09/01 Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
• 2003/07/16 Legislative proposal published
  • COM(2003)0423 summary

    PURPOSE : to adopt measures to reduce air pollution by heavy metals. CONTENT : Council Directive 96/62/EC of 27 September 1996 on ambient air quality assessment and management (the Air Quality Framework Directive) provides the framework for future EC legislation on air quality. The present proposal introduces Community legislation on arsenic, cadmium, mercury, nickel and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in fulfilment of obligations under Directive 96/62/EC. Prolonged inhalation of these pollutants can cause lung cancer and other adverse effects on human health. The proposed legislation will require air quality monitoring by Member States, which will provide the necessary information to take appropriate abatement measures and monitor their implementation. The objectives are fourfold: 1) establish a target value for the concentration of benzo-a-pyrene in ambient air so as to avoid, prevent or reduce harmful effects of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons on human health; 2) ensure that ambient air quality is maintained where it is good and that it is improved in other cases with respect to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; 3) determine common methods and criteria for the assessment of concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, mercury, nickel and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in ambient air as well as of the deposition of arsenic, cadmium, mercury and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; 4) ensure that adequate information on concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, mercury, nickel and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons is obtained and ensures that it is made available to the public. The proposed Directive relates to Annex I of the Air Quality Framework Directive, which lists atmospheric pollutants to be taken into consideration in the assessment and management of ambient air quality. Directive 1999/30/EC relating to limit values for sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and oxides of nitrogen, particulate matter and lead, Directive 2000/69/EC relating to limit values for benzene and carbon monoxide and Directive 2002/3/EC relating to ozone in ambient air are already in force. In addition to this legislation, there is provision in Annex I of the Air Quality Framework for regulating ambient air quality of arsenic, cadmium, mercury, nickel and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) by setting out criteria and techniques for assessing ambient air quality, and laying down provisions for forwarding information to the Commission and the public. Thereby the proposal incorporates the objectives of the Sixth Community Environment Action Programme. This proposal is the final step in implementing the Framework Directive by regulating pollutants in ambient air that pose risks to human health. In particular with a view to the risk to human health posed by PAH emissions from domestic heating and road traffic a target value of 1 ng BaP/m3 in ambient air is proposed, which must be attained as far as possible and without entailing excessive costs. This target value refers to an annual average of the PM10 particle fraction in ambient air. Attainment of these concentrations would ensure a reasonable protection of the population from carcinogenic effects. To ensure the best protection of human health all proportionate abatement measures should be taken where the target value is exceeded. In this context the proposal complements the IPPC directive by raising awareness of any exceedance of the target value given above and by ensuring that achievements with regard to improvement of air quality are adequately monitored. The proposal foresees mandatory monitoring where concentration exceed the following assessment thresholds: - 6 ng arsenic/m3; - 5 ng cadmium/m3; - 20 ng nickel/m3; - 1 ng BaP/m3. As concentrations below these levels would minimise harmful effects on human health only indicative monitoring of concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, mercury, nickel and specific PAH at a limited number of sites is required where the assessment thresholds are not exceeded. The objective of this background monitoring would be to assess the impact on human health and the environment For the same purpose the monitoring of total deposition of arsenic, cadmium, mercury and PAH is required. Within a few years of implementation, the proposed Directive will produce a much more complete picture of air quality regarding heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. This information will be complemented by investigating soil contamination and by the latest scientific evidence on the effects of the named pollutants on human health. Based on this, the Commission will in 2008 review the effectiveness of the new directive and adapt it if and where necessary. �

  • DG [{'url': 'http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/environment/', 'title': 'Environment'}],

Documents

• Legislative proposal published: COM(2003)0423
• Committee report tabled for plenary, 1st reading/single reading: A5-0047/2004
• Debate in Parliament: Debate in Parliament
• Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading: T5-0295/2004
• : Directive 2004/107
• : OJ L 023 26.01.2005, p. 0003-0016

History

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