PURPOSE: to approve, on behalf of the European Union, an Amendment to the 1999 Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution to Abate Acidification, Eutrophication and Ground-Level Ozone.

NON-LEGISLATIVE ACT: Council Decision (EU) 2017/1757 on the acceptance on behalf of the European Union of an Amendment to the 1999 Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution to Abate Acidification, Eutrophication and Ground-Level Ozone.

CONTENT: the Council adopted a Decision approving, on behalf of the behalf of the European Union, the Amendment to the 1999 Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution to Abate Acidification, Eutrophication and Ground-Level Ozone, set out in Decision 2012/2/EC of the Executive Body of the Convention.

The Union is a party to the 1999 Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution to Abate Acidification, Eutrophication and Ground-Level Ozone (‘the Gothenburg Protocol’).

The parties to the Gothenburg Protocol opened negotiations in 2007 with a view to improving further the protection of human health and the environment, including through the establishment of new emission reduction obligations for selected air pollutants to be achieved by the year 2020 and the updating of emission limit values addressing emissions of air pollutants at source.

In 2012, the Protocol was amended and two new annexes were added. The Amendments set out in Decision 2012/1/EC entered into force and became effective on the basis of the expedited procedure provided for in the Gothenburg Protocol.

The Amendment contained in Decision 2012/2 is the subject of this Decision.

The Amendment sets out new national emission reduction commitments from 2020 on air pollutants : sulphur, nitrogen oxides, ammonia and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) other than methane and particulate matter .

The Amendment takes a step forward by: (i) incorporating black carbon as a particulate matter component; (ii) updating the emission limit values (emission standards) for different air pollution sources: stationary (e.g. factories and processing plants) and mobile (e.g. vehicles, non-road mobile machines and agricultural and forestry tractors); (iii) introducing new standards on the content of non-methane VOC's in products .

The Union has already adopted instruments on matters covered by the Amendment, including Directives 2001/81/EC on national emission ceilings for certain atmospheric pollutants and (EU) 2015/2193 on the limitation of emissions of certain pollutants into the air from medium combustion plants.

ENTRY INTO FORCE: 17.7.2017.

The European Parliament adopted by 630 votes to 10 with 25 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the draft Council decision on the acceptance on behalf of the European Union of an Amendment to the 1999 Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution to Abate Acidification, Eutrophication and Ground-level Ozone.

Following the recommendation by the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, Parliament gave its consent to the acceptance of an amendment of the protocol.

The request for consent was submitted by the Council in accordance with Article 192(1) and Article 218(6), second subparagraph, point (a) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.

The Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety adopted the report by Adina-Ioana VĂLEAN (EPP, RO) on the draft Council decision on the acceptance on behalf of the European Union of an Amendment to the 1999 Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution to Abate Acidification, Eutrophication and Ground-level Ozone.

The committee recommended that Parliament give its consent to the acceptance of an amendment of the protocol.

In the explanatory memorandum accompanying the report, it is recalled that the 1979 Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution, which entered into force in 1983, was the first legally binding international instrument created to control and reduce damage to human health and the environment caused by transboundary air pollution.

The Eighth Protocol to the Convention, the 1999 Protocol on the reduction of acidification, eutrophication and ground-level ozone (or the Gothenburg Protocol), sets emission ceilings for sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds and ammonia.

On 4 May 2012, the parties to the Gothenburg Protocol adopted a wide range of revisions, including more stringent emission reduction commitments for 2020.

The revised Protocol is also the first binding agreement to include emission reduction commitments for fine particulate matter. It now includes measures addressing short-lived climate pollutant black carbon (or soot ). Reducing particulate matter is considered to be a major step in reducing air pollution.

The ratification of the amendments will be an important step towards a higher level of protection of human health and the environment from transboundary air pollution.

PURPOSE: to accept, on behalf of the European Union, an Amendment to the 1999 Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution to Abate Acidification, Eutrophication and Ground-Level Ozone.

PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.

ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: Council may adopt the act only if Parliament has given its consent to the act.

BACKGROUND: the Union is a party to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution as well as to the 1999 Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution to Abate Acidification, Eutrophication and Ground-Level Ozone ('the Gothenburg Protocol').

The parties to the Gothenburg Protocol opened negotiations with a view to improving further the protection of human health and the environment, including through the establishment of new emission reduction obligations for selected air pollutants to be achieved by the year 2020 and the updating of emission limit values addressing emissions of air pollutants at source.

In 2012, the Protocol was modified and two new annexes added. The Amendments set out in Decision 2012/1 entered into force and became effective on the basis of the expedited procedure provided for in the Gothenburg Protocol. The Amendment set out in Decision 2012/2 requires acceptance by the Parties to the Gothenburg Protocol.

The Union has already adopted instruments on matters covered by the Amendment. This last one should now be approved.

CONTENT: the Council draft seeks to approve, on behalf of the European Union, the Amendment to the 1999 Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution to Abate Acidification, Eutrophication and Ground-Level Ozone , set out in Decision 2012/2 of the Executive Body of the Convention.

The proposed Amendment to the 1999 protocol sets out new national emission reduction commitments for 2020 onwards.

It covers four air pollutants : sulphur, nitrogen oxides, ammonia and volatile organic compounds (VOC) other than methane, and particulate matter .

In particular, the amendment includes: (i) emission reductions for black carbon ; (ii) an update of the emission limit values set in the annex to the protocol; (iii) new standards on the content of non-methane VOC's in products.

PURPOSE: to accept, on behalf of the European Union, an Amendment to the 1999 Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution to Abate Acidification, Eutrophication and Ground-Level Ozone.

PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.

ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: Council may adopt the act only if Parliament has given its consent to the act.

BACKGROUND: the Union is a party to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution as well as to the 1999 Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution to Abate Acidification, Eutrophication and Ground-Level Ozone ('the Gothenburg Protocol').

The parties to the Gothenburg Protocol opened negotiations with a view to improving further the protection of human health and the environment, including through the establishment of new emission reduction obligations for selected air pollutants to be achieved by the year 2020 and the updating of emission limit values addressing emissions of air pollutants at source.

In 2012, the Protocol was modified and two new annexes added. The Amendments set out in Decision 2012/1 entered into force and became effective on the basis of the expedited procedure provided for in the Gothenburg Protocol. The Amendment set out in Decision 2012/2 requires acceptance by the Parties to the Gothenburg Protocol.

The Union has already adopted instruments on matters covered by the Amendment. This last one should now be approved.

CONTENT: the Council draft seeks to approve, on behalf of the European Union, the Amendment to the 1999 Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution to Abate Acidification, Eutrophication and Ground-Level Ozone , set out in Decision 2012/2 of the Executive Body of the Convention.

The proposed Amendment to the 1999 protocol sets out new national emission reduction commitments for 2020 onwards.

It covers four air pollutants : sulphur, nitrogen oxides, ammonia and volatile organic compounds (VOC) other than methane, and particulate matter .

In particular, the amendment includes: (i) emission reductions for black carbon ; (ii) an update of the emission limit values set in the annex to the protocol; (iii) new standards on the content of non-methane VOC's in products.