Press Release: Air quality: Commission takes decision on Member State requests for additional time to comply with EU air quality standards

On 2 July, 2009 the European Commission adopted nine decisions addressed to Austria, Belgium, Germany, Denmark, Greece, Spain, France, Hungary and the Slovak Republic concerning temporary exemptions in 94 zones or agglomerations from the EU's air quality standards for airborne particles known as PM 10. Under the 2008 EU air quality Directive 1, Member States may, under strict conditions and for specific parts of the country, extend the time for meeting the PM 10 standard until June 2011. The Commission decisions approve the time extensions for 19 air quality zones in Austria, Germany and Hungary and raised objections to the exemptions in all other zones.