Brussels, 24/07/2003 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission has committed to a wide-ranging action to ensure that the Union's legislation on improving air quality in Europe is respected. It announced on 22 July that it had launched 42 proceeding against the fifteen Member States, related to eight different legislative instruments, which aim to prevent or reduce the harmful effects of atmospheric pollution on public health and the environment.
In 31 of these cases, the Member States have received a first or a second warning under article 226 of the Treaty, for failure to transpose European legislation within the given time-frame. The European Commission is asking them to conform immediately to the legislation on waste incineration, threshold values for benzene and carbon monoxide in the air, national emission limits for sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, volatile organic compounds and ammonia and in large combustion facilities. 10 cases, also undertaken under article 226 of the Treaty, concern failure in reporting duties, such as that required under directive 2001/81, which calls upon Member States to present their plans with a view to respecting national emission thresholds for certain atmospheric pollutants. Belgium, Greece, Spain, France, Ireland, Italy and Luxembourg are involved, having received either letters of formal notice, or reasoned opinions. The Commission has also taken Ireland to the Court of Justice for its failure to present reports, as it is required to do by regulation 2037/2000 on substances which damage the ozone layer. The last case is a letter of formal notice sent to Spain, under article 228 of the Treaty, for its failure to apply a Court of Justice ruling on pollution caused by a municipal incinerator situated in the Canary Isles. Spain could be fined if it refuses to conform.