Air pollution: ozone in ambient air, emission ceilings

The committee adopted the report (codecision procedure, first reading) by Chris DAVIES (ELDR, UK) approving, with amendments, the Commission proposal on ozone in ambient air (a daughter directive under the 1996 air quality framework directive). The committee felt that the proposed directive was an important step towards attaining the goal of no exceedance ever of critical levels of ozone in ambient air. It supported the Commission's key objectives and in particular the target values proposed. In the twenty or so amendments adopted by the committee, the long-term objective of 120 microgrammes/m3 remained unchanged. However, while the Commission proposed to reach this aim "within a foreseeable time period", the committee proposed setting a specific date of 2020. Other amendments sought to include requirements to monitor ozone concentrations in the Member States and report to the public on the findings of such monitoring. The report also aimed to include accession countries in drawing up and implementing action plans and informing the public, arguing that, as air pollution did not stop at national borders, this would help to achieve the goals of the directive within the envisaged timetable. �