Brussels, 10/01/2000 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament's Environment Committee is soon to examine the report by the Finnish Social-Democrat Riita Byller on the draft directive concerning the establishment of national ceilings for certain atmospheric pollutants (sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, volatile organic compounds, ammonium). This report on the whole backs the Commission's proposal urging the Fifteen Member States of the Union to strengthen their engagements in the framework of the Protocol of the United Nations' Economic Committee (UN/EEC) signed in December in Gothemburg, and urges the Commission to rapidly present - in 2003 and 2007 - its reports on implementation of these commitments.
The report also suggests that: a) at least half the reduction in emissions be achieved in the sectors exposed to the phenomenon of acidification; b) the interim goals to be attained in 2010 be to reduce by two-thirds exposure of the populations to tropospheric ozone to limit the harmful effects on human health and reduce by one third the exposure of plants to this "bad ozone".
In anticipation of the Union's enlargement, Mr. Myller stresses the importance of measures to take in applicant countries, knowing that the goals set in the fifth action programme for the environment can only be achieved on condition of concerted efforts between the Union and these countries. According to the rapporteur, the cost of implementing this directive - estimated at 7.5 bn euro - should in part be covered by undertakings made by the Union under the Kyoto Protocol on the fight against climate change.