Convention (1979) on long-range transboundary air pollution: acidification, eutrophication, ozone. Gothenburg Protocol 1999

PURPOSE : to approve the accession of the European Community to the Gothenburg Protocol. COMMUNITY MEASURE : Council Decision 2003/507/EC on the accession of the European Community, to the Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution to Abate Acidification, Eutrophication and Ground-Level Ozone. CONTENT : Acidification, eutrophication and ground-level ozone cause unacceptable damage to the environment and human health within the Community. On 30/11/99 the Executive Body to the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution adopted the Protocol to Abate Acidification, Eutrophication and Ground-level Ozone (Gothenburg Protocol). This Protocol sets maximum permitted levels of emissions (emission ceilings) for each national Party for the four main precursor pollutants responsible for acidification, eutrophication and ground-level ozone: sulphur dioxyde, oxides of nitrogen, volatile organic compounds and ammonia. These ceilings are to be met by 2010. Implementation of the Gothenburg Protocol will contribute to achieving Community goals for protection of the environment and human health. It should be noted that Directive 2001/81/EC sets binding national emission ceilings, to be met by 2010 at the latest, which are equal to or more ambitious than those required by the Gothenburg Protocol for each Member State. Also Directive 2001/80/EC sets new limit values for emissions from large combustion plants which are consistent with those set under the Gothenburg Protocol. This Decision approves the accession of the Community to the Protocol, the text of which is set out in the Annex.�