Reducing air pollution – National emission ceilings for air pollutants

‘EU Legislation in Progress’ briefings aim to provide Members of the European Parliament with systematic and automatic analysis on all substantial proposals for EU legislation at every stage of the legislative procedure. Each contains an account of the purpose, content and legal aspects of the legislation proposed, in particular analysing what the legislation would change, as well as any previous legislation and the background. An overview of stakeholders’ views is also provided, as well as the opinions of national parliaments and the two advisory committees.

They are all made publicly available for stakeholders and the public.Despite significant progress in recent decades, air pollution levels in the European Union still have adverse impacts on the environment and on health. The European Commission estimates that health-related costs of air pollution in the EU range from €390bn to 940bn per year.

The proposed directive, which would replace the current National Emission Ceilings Directive, sets binding national reduction objectives for six air pollutants (SO2, NOx, NMVOCs, NH3, PM2.5 and CH4) to be met by 2020 and 2030. It will also implement the Gothenburg Protocol as amended in 2012. The European Commission estimates that implementation costs would range from 2.2 to 3.3 billion euros per year.

On 30 June 2016, Commission, Council and Parliament reached an agreement in interinstitutional trilogue negotiations. The agreement, endorsed by the Committee for Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) on 12 July 2016, was submitted for a first-reading vote in the November I 2016 plenary in the European Parliament.

After completion of the legislative procedure at first reading in the European Parliament and the Council, the presidents of the co-legislators signed the final act on 14 December 2016. Member States are required to transpose the new directive into national law by 1 July 2018.

Author: Didier Bourguignon

• Primary Source

EP: EPRS: Briefing: EU Legislation in Progress http://epthinktank.eu/eu-legislation-in-progress/

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/

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