The EU Commission is reviewing the regulations on limit values for nitrogen oxide and other air pollutants. A spokesman for the EU Commission told the newspapers of the German Funke Mediengruppe (Friday editions) that the EU’s Air Quality Directive is currently being assessed in an aptitude test.
Their relevance and efficiency would be investigated. It also examines whether the levels of the pollutant limits are set to contribute to the achievement of policy objectives.
„The European Commission is regularly reviewing EU legislation,“ the spark newspapers cite the Commission’s spokesman. According to the speaker, the aptitude test will be completed by the end of the year and will provide the Commission with information on whether the Directive needs to be amended.
Berlin refers to German pulmonary doctors
In a letter to EU Transport Commissioner Violeta Bulc, German Transport Minister Andreas Scheuer had pressed for a review of limit values for nitric oxide. He referred, according to a report of the „Bild“ newspaper on the criticism of a group of German pulmonary doctors at the previous limits.
Last week, a group of about 100 pulmonary physicians had criticized the applicable limits for particulate matter and nitrogen oxides as unscientific. Their opinion, however, met with many peers on sharp criticism and opposition. EU Environment Commissioner Karmenu Vella also defended the EU’s limits and said they were based on „sound scientific evidence“ from the World Health Organization (WHO).
