Press note: Will members of the European Parliament vote for better health on 13 September?

Next Wednesday, 13 September 2023, the European Parliament will vote on the revision of the EU’s Ambient Air Quality Directive (AAQD) (2022/0347(COD)), a key law for the protection of people’s health across the EU. 

One year before the European elections, Members of the European Parliament have a unique opportunity to fast forward to immediate and long-lasting health benefits through ambitious clean air policies. People across the EU are concerned about the health impacts of poor air quality and look to decision-makers to better protect them. In addition, cleaner air means less health economic cost across the EU, especially in Eastern Europe, where the health burden is higher.

The health sector across Europe is united in their call for clean air. Yesterday, health groups have sent an open letter to Members of the European Parliament: the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL), European Federation of Allergy and Airways Diseases Patients’ Associations (EFA), European Respiratory Society (ERS), International Society of Environmental Epidemiology (ISEE) Europe, Standing Committee of European Doctors (CPME), European Public Health Alliance (EPHA) and Mutualités Libres/Onafhankelijke Ziekenfondsen urged MEPs to to support the Lopez report as adopted in the ENVI committee in June 2023 when voting in next week’s plenary session.

Health groups will assess the vote on one question: will the elected representatives of people in the EU act for everyone’s health,  by voting in favour of the Lopez report as adopted in the ENVI committee last June?

In March 2021, the European Parliament already adopted a resolution (implementation report) on air quality, highlighting the need to step up on clean air for health, including through full alignment with the World Health Organization recommendations. 

With its report tabled to the plenary for the vote next Wednesday, the ENVI committee follows the 2021 Parliament position and makes it into law. 

The experts at the Health and Environment Alliance are available to answer any questions.