Air pollution : national emission ceilings for pollutant gas (SO2, NOx, NH3, VOCs)

The European Parliament has adopted the report by Mrs. P. Myller (PES, Fin) concerning a proposal for the European Parliament and Council Directive on national emission ceilings for certain atmospheric pollutants. This report was subject to amendments which concern: - the need to establish rules for the most important sources of emissions of ozone precursors which are the subject of internal market rules and for products which are freely traded on the internal market and which, when used, produce significant emissions of ozone precursors; - the submission, from the Commission, without delay of the overdue proposals amending emission rules for two- and three- wheeled vehicles and emission rules for mobile machinery and appliances to take account of the latest technology. Provision should also be made for emission rules for new appliances with small motors (e.g. power saws and lawnmowers). The Commission should also propose as soon as possible Community rules laying down conditions for the placing on the market of products containing VOC for the commercial and private sectors in order to reduce non-industrial emissions of VOC; - the inclusion of the progress made by inter alia by the accession candidate countries; - with regard to the limit emissions of acidifying and eutrophication pollutants an ozone precursors: there is a long-term objective set for 2015 whereby in principle the critical loads must not be exceeded in any part of the Community witht he final target of no exceedance of critical levels and loads in the year 2020; - the Commission shall report to the European parliament and Council on progress in the implementation of the national emission ceilings in 2003 and 2007. In 2011, the Commission shall report to the EP and the Council on compliance with the ceilings and on progress in relation to the interim environmental objectives. In addition, the European Parliament stated that, in light of the progress towards attaining the emission ceilings by the year 2010, scientific and technical progress, the situation regarding the overstepping of the critical load limits and the WHO's guidelines values for air pollution, and having regard to other factors referred to in Article 9(1), the Commission shall carry out a review of this Directive, including further investigation of the estimated costs and benefit of emission ceilings, and, at the latest before the end of the year 2004, shall propose amendments to this Directive, including proposals for amendments to the emission ceilings, environmental objectives, proposals for measures to ensure compliance with the emission ceilings, and proposals for further reductions in emissions.�