November 18, 2024
On Oct. 14, the Council of the EU formally adopted a directive setting updated air quality standards across the EU, according to a press release from the Council of the European Union.
The new rules will contribute to the EU’s objective on zero pollution by 2050 and will help prevent premature deaths due to air pollution. EU citizens will be able to seek compensation for damage to their health in cases where EU air quality rules are not respected.
Strengthening air quality standards
The revised directive prioritises the health of EU citizens: it sets new air quality standards for pollutants to be reached by 2030 which are more closely aligned with the WHO air quality guidelines. Those pollutants include, among others, particulate matter PM10 and PM2.5, nitrogen dioxide and sulphur dioxide, all known to cause respiratory problems. Member states may request that the 2030 deadline be postponed if specific conditions are met.
Air quality is assessed using common methods and criteria across the EU, and the revised directive brings further improvements to air quality monitoring and modelling.
The revised directive will also ensure early action, with air quality roadmaps that need to be prepared ahead of 2030 if there is a risk that the new standards will not be attained by that date.
The air quality standards will be reviewed regularly in line with latest scientific evidence to assess whether they continue to be appropriate.