Press Release: Air quality: Environment MEPs call for tougher new national caps on pollutants

The European Parliament's environment committee approved changes to draft rules on new national ceilings on air pollutants, tightening up the initial proposal from the European Commission.

As air pollution for around 400,000 premature deaths in the European Union every year, members of the committee called for more ambitious national caps on emissions of six main pollutants, such as sulphur dioxide, particulate matter and nitrogen oxides in order to cut emissions by 70% across the EU and save €40bn in air pollution costs by 2030.

MEPs also vowed to include emissions reduction ceilings on mercury, and a midpoint target for most caps of 2025.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Proposal for a Directive Of The European Parliament And Of The Council on the reduction of national emissions of certain atmospheric pollutants and amending Directive 2003/35/EC http://www.europeansources.info/record/proposal-for-a-directive-on-the-reduction-of-national-emissions-of-certain-atmospheric-pollutants-and-amending-directive-2003-35-ec/

ESO: Background information: National Emission Ceilings For Air Pollutants [EU Legislation In Progress] http://www.europeansources.info/record/reducing-air-pollution-national-emission-ceilings-for-air-pollutants-eu-legislation-in-progress/

EurActiv, 16.07.15: Spectre of better regulation haunts air pollution bill http://www.euractiv.com/sections/energy/spectre-better-regulation-haunts-air-pollution-bill-316349

EUObserver, 15.07.15: Farmers must help clean up air, MEPs say https://euobserver.com/environment/129654

EurActiv, 26.10.15: Farming lobby to MEPs: We will quit EU if emissions capped http://www.euractiv.com/sections/agriculture-food/farming-lobby-meps-we-will-quit-eu-if-emissions-capped-318838

EUObserver, 26.10.15: Lobbyists play tug-of-war with MEPs on farm emissions https://euobserver.com/environment/130844

Politico, 26.10.15: Emissions rules up in the air http://www.politico.eu/article/air-pollution-eu-news-vote-emissions/

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