More than 400,000 premature deaths a year in the EU, serious respiratory diseases and billions of euros in economic losses due to air pollution are unacceptable, which is why air quality will remain a very important issue for the Council of the EU, Finnish Minister for European Affairs, Tytti Tuppurainen, assured MEPs on Wednesday evening, 17 July.
It is about going beyond the progress made so far with EU legislation, she said during a debate on urban air quality. This objective has met the concerns of the few Members present in the Chamber.
“The Finnish Presidency attaches great importance to protecting air quality and improving the environmental performance of vehicles”, and therefore considers it “crucial” to continue the compulsory application of tests in real driving conditions and not in the laboratory. She expressed the hope for an early agreement between Parliament and the Council of the EU on compliance factors “to ensure legal certainty for all parties concerned”.
Considering that it is of “the utmost importance to ensure the implementation of air quality standards by all parties”, she recalled the persistence of non-compliance for certain main pollutants, which is why the Council of the EU is looking forward to the completion of the ‘fitness check’ of the Ambient Air Quality Directive by the Commission.
She added: “Urban air quality has an impact on the quality of life for all of us. Given that national emission ceilings are exceeded in a number of cities, we must all work at the national level on securing better health for all citizens”.
Stressing the close link between air pollution and climate change, she stressed that measures can address both problems at the same time. She also cited the example of the transport sector, which is the largest emitter of black carbon, which is accelerating Arctic warming.
The Minister paid tribute to the recent progress of the Council of the EU and the previous Parliament, namely: - the Directive on the interoperability of electronic toll systems (see EUROPE 12206/29) which, in the long term, could cover low-emission areas after the Directive's reassessment in 2023; - the Clean Vehicles Directive, which will both reduce pollutant emissions in cities and contribute to the EU's climate objectives; - climate legislation on emission standards for heavy vehicles, passenger cars and new vans.
“Air pollution levels are still too high, legislation is still not fully implemented by Member States, and encouraging people to change their behaviour without sufficient support”, stressed Nathalie Colin-Oesterle (S&D, France), saying that “fuel poverty, particularly in terms of heating, and air conditioning are essential issues in this respect”. Peter Liese (EPP, Germany), said that the car industry should be made more responsible, a Euro 7 standard introduced and stricter with maritime transport, “not only for CO2”. Karima Delli (Greens/EFA, France) has launched: “There are still 40,000 garbage vehicles on our roads, what are you waiting for to call them back?”
When it comes to air quality, “the Commission has done its part”, said Commissioner Kristos Stylianides, explaining that it has taken decisive action based on: - support to Member States (€2 billion has been allocated to air quality measures); - the regulation of emissions at source; - enforcement measures: 30 infringement proceedings are ongoing against 20 EU countries for exceeding the limit values for pollutants. The Commission also supports cities and works with local authorities to identify “best practices, such as low emission areas and traffic restriction measures” (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)