Luxembourg, 22/06/2000 (Agence Europe) - The Environment Council reached a political agreement on the directive that will establish national emission ceilings for four air pollutants: sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, volatile organic components and ammoniac. The aim is to reduce acidification, the formation of ozone at ground level and the eutrophication of ecosystems (mainly, harmful algae bloom). On the basis of national plans, the Member States are expected to reach emission thresholds in 2010.
Thanks to the compromise reached on emissions from large combustion plants (see article above), the Member States presented more ambitious national commitments, the president-in-office of the Environment Council, José Socrates, told the press. Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy and Finland in particular have improved their ceiling. Environment Commissioner Margot Wallström stressed that the European commitments are now over and above those subscribed to in the context of the Gothenburg Protocol.