In the knowledge that air pollution causes more than 400,000 premature deaths per year in the EU and that Member States are struggling to comply with EU legislation, even though it is less stringent than WHO recommendations, on Wednesday, 13 March, the European Parliament will adopt a topical resolution calling for swift and specific action to remedy the situation, especially in urban areas (see EUROPE 12127/6).
Parliament is focusing on transport, agriculture and energy in particular, as these are the main sectors responsible for the threat to public health. The text that will be put to the vote was previously debated in February’s plenary meeting.
Parliament will note that, in 2018, six Member States were brought before the EU Court of Justice for persistent non-compliance with air quality standards imposed by legislation (Italy was added to the list in 2019 - see EUROPE 12209/27) and that 29 infringement proceedings are ongoing in 20 Member States for exceeding the limit values for PM10 fine particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide (NO2). In addition, one in five Member States is above the limit values for the smallest particulate matter, PM 2.5.
Parliament is therefore urging Member States to make the implementation of coordinated policies and actions at all levels and in all sectors a priority in order to improve air quality in cities and urban areas, with a view to halving premature deaths and diseases related to air pollution. The Commission is urged to act without delay with respect to PM 2.5 by proposing stricter values, as recommended by the WHO.
Parliament is also calling on the Commission to carry out an ambitious update of the Ambient Air Quality Directive (2008/50/EC) by aligning limit and target values with those of the WHO for particulate matter, sulphur dioxide (SO2) and ground-level ozone (O3), and setting a short-term value for PM 2.5.
Parliament will emphasise that it is crucial to incentivise the use of low- and zero-emission vehicles and to stimulate the market for clean vehicles of these types.
It will call for measures to be included in the forthcoming common agricultural policy to enable farmers to reduce their total emissions (NH3, N2O, CH4 and PM 10) for the benefit of all EU citizens.
In the energy sector, it calls on all Member States to get out of coal by 2030 at the latest and calls on the Commission and Member States to encourage the take-up of renewable energy-based domestic heating solutions.
The draft resolution was tabled by MEPs Julie Girling (EPP), Seb Dance (S&D), Catherine Bearder (ALDE), Keith Taylor (Greens/EFA), Anja Hazekamp (GUE/NGL), Eleonora Evi (EFDD). (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)