Atmospheric pollution, air quality: limit values for benzene and carbon monoxide CO (direct. 96/62/EEC)

The Council's common position has adopted fully or partly all but one of the European Parliament amendments accepted by the Commission. The one not accepted is amendment 11. The most significant innovations introduced by the Council relate to the possibility of granting one time-limited extension to Member states. An addition to the recital explains the reason. Article 3 restricts the single time-limited extension to 5 years and has provided for a series of strict criteria to be met and full justification to be given. In particular, the Council has added an upper ceiling of 10ug/m cubed to the concentration limit value where such an extension may be granted. The Council has changed the original commission proposal in that it has deleted the requirements that the Commission propose an absolute limit to the length of any further extensions which may be agreed under Article 3. Any proposals for a review of the Directive, which could include further extensions to the timetable for meeting benzene limit values as set out in Annex I, accompanying possibly the Commission's report of 2004, are subject to the condition of maintaining a high level of protection of human health and environment.�