Ambient air quality: limit values for sulphur dioxide, oxides of nitrogen, particulate matter and lead

1997/0266(SYN)

Commissioner Bjerregaard welcomed the amendments which introduced an alert threshold for nitrogen dioxide and reinforced monitoring for sulphur dioxide. She also agreed with including islands, ensuring the understandability of information provided to the public and reviewing the directive in 2003. However, the Commissioner could not accept Amendments Nos 7, 20 and 27 on particulates due to continuing difficulties with measuring their concentration. She also rejected Amendments Nos 8 and 34 which introduced exceptions for industrial zones emitting lead. Likewise, Amendment No 40, which went beyond the content of the proposal, and Amendments Nos 15, 16, second part, 37, 38 and 39, which fixed overly stringent limit values for sulphur dioxide, were rejected as their application would be difficult in certain southern regions of Europe.