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

1997/0266(SYN)
At its second reading under cooperation procedure, the decision on a common position with a view to the adoption of a Council Directive relating to limit values for sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and oxides of nitrogen, particulate matter and lead in ambient air was approved by the European Parliament together with a number of amendments. These relate to the wording of the text, the provision of information to the public and the "alert threshold" at which warnings should be issued. With regard to information, the Parliament wishes to make minimum provision that any exceedances of the concentrations of these substances in the air should be indicated and, whenever possible, whether the pollution levels are above, below or equal to the limit values and alert thresholds specified by the directive. The Parliament also requires that the Commission should give particular attention to setting alert thresholds, consistent with other pollutants in this Directive, for PM10, PM2.5, or particular fractions of particulate matter, as appropriate. The Parliament's rapporteur was Anita Pollack (UK, PES).�