The European Commission welcomed the adoption of the directive on ambient air quality and cleaner air for Europe finally agreed on 14 April.

The directive merges four directives and one Council decision into a single directive on air quality. It sets standards and target dates for reducing concentrations of fine particles, which together with coarser particles known as PM10 already subject to legislation, are among the most dangerous pollutants for human health.

Under the directive Member States are required to reduce exposure to PM2.5 in urban areas by an average of 20% by 2020 based on 2010 levels. It obliges them to bring exposure levels below 20 micrograms/m3 by 2015 in these areas. Throughout their territory Member States will need to respect the PM2.5 limit value set at 25 micrograms/m3. This value must be achieved by 2015 or, where possible, already by 2010.

The new directive introduces new objectives for fine particles PM2.5 but does not change existing air quality standards. It does, however, give Member States greater flexibility in meeting some of these standards in areas where they have difficulty complying. Meeting PM10 limit values is proving challenging for 25 of the 27 EU Member States which are exceeding these limits in at least one part of their territory (see IP/07/1537).

The deadlines for complying with the PM10 standards can be postponed for three years after the directive’s entry into force (mid-2011) or by a maximum period of five years for nitrogen dioxide and benzene (2010-2015) provided that the relevant EU legislation such as industrial pollution prevention and control (IPPC, see MEMO/07/441) is fully implemented, and that all appropriate abatement measures are being taken.