Air pollution: ozone in ambient air, emission ceilings

The European Parliament adopted, with several amendments, the report drafted by Mr Chris DAVIS (ELDR, UK) on improving air quality across the EU by getting the Member States to reduce ground-level exposure to ozone. (Please refer to the previous text). In the debate Environment Commissioner Margot WALLSTRÖM said that she supported the principle behind the amendments strengthening the legislation on target values, long-term objectives, short-term action plans and disseminating information, but only provided this was feasible and economically efficient and save where physically possible. She was opposed however to the amendment reducing the maximum number of days' exposure to ozone to 20 days and could not accept the amendments on involving the candidate countries on the grounds that this was outside the scope of the legislation.�