Luxemburg, 27/06/2006 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday, EU environment ministers reached agreement by qualified majority on a “general approach” on the draft directive on clean air in Europe which, for the first time, will set limits for the finest particles (PM2.5). These are the most harmful to human health since they penetrate deep into the lungs. While awaiting the first reading opinion from Parliament, scheduled for September, Member States agreed the 2007 introduction of the limiting values proposed for PM10 (annual average of 40 microgrammes/m3 and 50 microgrammes/m3 per day) with a three-year flexibility, subject to prior approval, case by case, of the Commission. For PM2.5, an indicative limiting value of 25 microgrammes/m3 in 2010 is planned for 2010 and this would become binding in 2015.
The Netherlands, which is having greatest difficulty complying with current legislation, stressed that it would be impossible for it to do better for PM10 and PM2.5 so long as measures at European level were not in place (EURO V and EURO VI) - an issue the Council is to debate in the afternoon with Commissioner Günter Verheugen. Poland has the same problems with both types of particles. Greece asked for an additional extension for the planned PM10 limits.