legislation-profile

Ambient Air Quality Directive

Directive 2008/50/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 May 2008 on ambient air quality and cleaner air for Europe

Scope

This Directive lays down measures aimed at the following: (1) defining and establishing objectives for ambient air quality designed to avoid, prevent or reduce harmful effects on human health and the environment as a whole; (2) assessing the ambient air quality in MS on the basis of common methods and criteria; (3) obtaining information on ambient air quality in order to help combatair pollution and nuisance; (4) ensuring that such information onambient air quality is made availableto the public; (5)maintaining air quality where it is good and improving it in other cases (6) promoting increased cooperation between the MS(Art.1)

Exemptions

No specific provisions

Regulatory activities

Directive specifies responsibilities of Member States as per Article 3: (a) assessment of ambient air quality; (b) approval of measurement systems; (c) ensuring the accuracy of measurements; (d) analysis of assessment methods; (e) coordination on their territory if Community-wide quality assurance programmes are being organised by the Commission; (f) cooperation with the other MS and the Commission. (f) cooperation with the other MS and the Commission.

Relevant product types

Not applicable

Reference documents

References are to Articles in Directive 2008/50/EC Directive 2007/2/EC (Art. 26) Decision 1999/468/EC (Art. 29) Directive 2001/81/EC (Arts. 25 and 32)

Obligations based on CLP hazard class

No

Obligations based on properties of concerns

No

EU-level occupational exposure limits

No

EU-level emission limit values

Yes. Annex XV (Information to be included in the local, regional or national air quality plans for improvement in ambient air quality)refers to a list of relevant EU pieces of legislation: 1. Council Directive 70/220/EEC of 20 March 1970 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States on measures to be taken against air pollution by emissions from motor vehicles; 2. Directive 94/63/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 December 1994 on the control of volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions resulting from the storage of petrol and its distribution from terminals to service stations; 3. Directive 2008/1/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 January 2008 concerning integrated pollution prevention and control; 4. Directive 97/68/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 1997 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to measures against the emission of gaseous and particulate pollutants from internal combustion engines to be installed in non-road mobile machinery; 5. Directive 98/70/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 October 1998 relating to the quality of petrol and diesel fuels; 6. Council Directive 1999/13/EC of 11 March 1999 on the limitation of emissions of volatile organic compounds due to the use of organic solvents in certain activities and installations; 7. Council Directive 1999/32/EC of 26 April 1999 relating to a reduction in the sulphur content of certain liquid fuels; 8. Directive 2000/76/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 4 December 2000 on the incineration of waste; 9. Directive 2001/80/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2001 on the limitation of emissions of certain pollutants into the air from large combustion plants; 10. Directive 2001/81/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2001 on national emission ceilings for certain atmospheric pollutants; 11. Directive 2004/42/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 April 2004 on the limitation of emissions of volatile organic compounds due to the use of organic solvents in certain paints and varnishes and vehicle refinishing products; 12. Directive 2005/33/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 6 July 2005 amending Directive 1999/32/EC as regards the Sulphur content of marine fuels; 13. Directive 2005/55/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 September 2005 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the measures to be taken against the emission of gaseous and particulate pollutants from compression-ignition engines for use in vehicles, and the emission of gaseous pollutants from positive-ignition engines fueled with natural gas or liquefied petroleum gas for use in vehicles; 14. Directive 2006/32/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 April 2006 on energy end-use efficiency and energy services.

Substance-centric data source(s) at the EU level

Yes. European Air Quality Portal

Format for industry submission

No

Owner

European Environment Agency

Update process

European Environment Agency

Amendments

Commission Directive (EU) 2015/1480 of 28 August 2015 amending several annexes to Directives 2004/107/EC and 2008/50/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down the rules concerning reference methods, data validation and location of sampling points for the assessment of ambient air quality Corrigendum to Commission Directive (EU) 2015/1480 of 28 August 2015 amending several annexes to Directives 2004/107/EC and 2008/50/EC laying down the rules concerning reference methods, data validation and location of sampling points for the assessment of ambient air quality