Considerations on COM(1999)125-2 - Ozone in ambient air - Main contents
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This page contains a limited version of this dossier in the EU Monitor.
| dossier | COM(1999)125-2 - Ozone in ambient air. |
|---|---|
| document | COM(1999)125  |
| date | February 12, 2002 |
(2) Pursuant to Article 4(5) of Council Directive 96/62/EC of 27 September 1996 on ambient air quality assessment and management(7), the Council is to adopt the legislation provided for in paragraph 1 and the provisions laid down in paragraphs 3 and 4 of that Article.
(3) It is important to ensure effective protection against harmful effects on human health from exposure to ozone. The adverse effects of ozone on vegetation, ecosystems and the environment as a whole should be reduced, as far as possible. The transboundary nature of ozone pollution requires measures to be taken at Community level.
(4) Directive 96/62/EC provides that numerical thresholds are to be based on the findings of work carried out by international scientific groups active in the field. The Commission is to take account of the most recent scientific research data in the epidemiological and environmental fields concerned and of the most recent advances in metrology with a view to re-examining the elements on which such thresholds are based.
(5) Directive 96/62/EC requires limit and/or target values to be set for ozone. In view of the transboundary nature of ozone pollution, target values should be set at Community level for the protection of human health and for the protection of vegetation. Those target values should relate to the interim objectives derived from the Community integrated strategy to combat acidification and ground-level ozone, which also form the basis of Directive 2001/81/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2001 on national emission ceilings for certain atmospheric pollutants(8).
(6) In accordance with Directive 96/62/EC, plans and programmes should be implemented in respect of zones and agglomerations within which ozone concentrations exceed target values in order to ensure that target values are met as far as possible by the date specified. Such plans and programmes should to a large extent refer to control measures to be implemented in accordance with relevant Community legislation.
(7) Long-term objectives should be set with the aim of providing effective protection of human health and the environment. Long-term objectives should relate to the ozone and acidification abatement strategy and its aim of closing the gap between current ozone levels and the long-term objectives.
(8) Measurements should be mandatory in zones with exceedances of the long-term objectives. Supplementary means of assessment may reduce the required number of fixed sampling points.
(9) An alert threshold for ozone should be set for the protection of the general population. An information threshold should be set to protect sensitive sections of the population. Up-to-date information on concentrations of ozone in ambient air should be routinely made available to the public.
(10) Short-term action plans should be drawn up where the risk of exceedances of the alert threshold can be reduced significantly. The potential for reducing the risk, duration and severity of exceedances should be investigated and assessed. Local measures should not be required where examination of benefits and costs shows them to be disproportionate.
(11) The transboundary nature of ozone pollution may require some coordination between neighbouring Member States in drawing up and implementing plans, programmes and short-term action plans and in informing the public. Where appropriate, Member States should pursue cooperation with third countries, with particular emphasis on early involvement of accession candidate countries.
(12) As a basis for regular reports, information on measured concentrations should be submitted to the Commission.
(13) The Commission should review the provisions of this Directive in the light of the most recent scientific research concerning, in particular, the effects of ozone on human health and the environment. The Commission's report should be presented as an integral part of an air quality strategy designed to review and propose Community air quality objectives and develop implementing strategies to ensure achievement of those objectives. In this context, the report should take into account the potential to achieve the long-term objectives within a specified time period.
(14) The measures necessary for the implementation of this Directive should be adopted in accordance with Council Decision 1999/468/EC of 28 June 1999 laying down the procedures for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission(9).
(15) Since the objectives of the proposed action ensuring effective protection against harmful effects on human health from ozone and reducing the adverse effect of ozone on vegetation, ecosystems and the environment as a whole cannot be sufficiently achieved by the Member States because of the transboundary nature of ozone pollution and can therefore be better achieved at Community level, the Community may adopt measures, in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity as set out in Article 5 of the Treaty. In accordance with the principle of proportionality, as set out in that Article, this Directive does not go beyond what is necessary in order to achieve those objectives.
(16) Council Directive 92/72/EEC of 21 September 1992 on air pollution by ozone(10) should be repealed.