Air pollution: ozone in ambient air, emission ceilings

Council accepts the long-term objectives proposed by the Commission and agrees on target values for the year 2010. A review is planned for 2004 to bridge the remaining gap between the target values and the long-term objectives. Council agrees also on the information and alert thresholds proposed by the Commission and the implementation of short-term action plans if the latter threshold would be exceeded. The agreed information and reporting obligations are in line with the Commission's proposal. In general, the major differnece between the Commission's proposal and the common position of the Council is in the numerical values of the target values set out in the Annex. In agreeing on target values, Council referred to the National Emission Ceilings on which political agreement was found at the June Council. The target values set in the common position are higher than those proposed by the Commission; however, they are consistent with the agreed ceilings. The Commission agreed to other changes relating to the alert threshold, assessment of concentrations, legally non-binding reference levels and the corresponding reporting requirements and comitology. In conclusion, the Commission is able to accept the Council's common position, which was agreed unanimously by Council. In referring to the National Emission Ceilings, Council's revision of the target values is in accordance with the concept of the Commission's proposal. Progress towards the long-term objectives will be related to the review of those ceilings foreseen for 2004.�