EUROPEAN COMMISSION
MEMO
Brussels, 18 December 2013
Questions and answers on the EU Clean Air Policy
Package
1. Why is air pollution a problem?
Poor air quality is a major health risk, causing lung diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and
cancer. Children, the elderly and citizens suffering from asthma and respiratory conditions
are most affected. As well as negative effects on health, air pollution has considerable
economic impacts, cutting short lives, increasing medical costs, and reducing productivity
through lost working days. Air pollution also has impacts the environment, affecting the
quality of fresh water, soil, and ecosystems.
In 2010, more than 400 000 people are estimated to have died prematurely from air
pollution in the EU, and almost two-thirds of the EU land area was exposed to excess
nutrient above safe levels. Air pollution can also damage materials and buildings, and
some air pollutants behave like greenhouse gases that cause climate change. The
economic cost of the health impacts alone is huge, estimated at EUR 330-940 billion (39% of EU GDP).
2. What are the main air pollutants – and where do they come from?
Air pollution is caused mainly by economic activities such as industry, transport, energy
and agriculture, as well as some domestic household activities like heating. The major air
pollutants are:
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Particulate matter (PM) is fine dust, emitted by road vehicles, shipping, power
generation and households, and from natural sources such as sea salt, wind-blown soil
and sand. Health concerns focus on particles of less than 10 micrometres (μm) in
diameter (PM10) – especially those of less than 2.5 μm across (PM2.5). It can cause
contributing to respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease, and lung cancer. Black
carbon is the sooty part of particulates emitted from combustion.
Ground-level ozone (O3) is a secondary pollutant produced by complex chemical
reactions of NOx and VOCs (including methane) in sunlight. It can decrease lung
function, aggravate asthma and other lung diseases, and causes damage to
agricultural crops, forests, and plants, by reducing their growth rates.
Sulphur dioxide (SO2) is emitted by power generation, industry, shipping and
households. It harms human health through the formation of secondary PM and
contributes to acidification3 of soils and inland waters.
Nitrogen oxides (NOx) are emitted by road vehicles, shipping, power generation,
industry and households. Like SO2, they harm human health by forming secondary PM
and contribute to acid rain, but it also causes eutrophication and also a key component
in increased levels of ground-level ozone (O3).
Ammonia (NH3) is emitted by activities linked to manure and fertilisers management
in agriculture and the use of fertilisers in agriculture. It harms human health as a
building block for secondary PM, and contributes to acidification and eutrophication.
MEMO/13/1169
 Volatile organic compounds (VOC) are emitted from solvents in products and
industry, road vehicles, household heating and power generation. VOCs are the key
component in the formation of ground-level ozone.
 Methane (CH4) is emitted by natural sources such as wetlands, as well as human
activities such as leakage from natural gas systems and the raising of livestock.
Methane is a key building block in the formation of ozone, as well as a powerful
greenhouse gas.
3. What are the main components of the clean air policy package?
 A Clean Air Programme for Europe, which describes the problem and sets out new
interim objectives for reducing health and environmental impacts up to 2030. It also
defines the necessary emission reduction requirements for the key pollutants and the
policy agenda that will be necessary to achieve the objectives;
 A revised National Emission Ceilings Directive (NECD), containing updated national
ceilings (caps) for six key air pollutants (PM, SO2, NOx, VOCs, NH3 and CH4) for 2020
and 2030;
 A new Directive for Medium-sized Combustion Plants between 1 and 50 MWth.
 A ratification proposal for the amended Gothenburg Protocol under the 1979 UNECE
Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution.
4. Who will benefit from the package, and how?
All EU citizens will benefit from improved air quality, but children, the elderly and citizens
suffering from asthma and respiratory conditions will benefit the most. Industry will also
benefit because measures to reduce air pollution will boost innovation and enhance
European competitiveness in the field of green technology. Air pollution is a worldwide
problem, and the demand for low-emitting products and production methods is expected
to increase rapidly in the short and long term. Public authorities will benefit too, as the
new policy will help them reach existing air pollution standards.
5. What is currently being done at international and EU level to tackle air
pollution?
Air pollution crosses national borders so it is a matter of international concern.
International cooperation takes place under the 1979 UNECE Convention on Long-Range
Transboundary Air Pollution (LRTAP), which has a number of legally binding protocols. The
Gothenburg Protocol to Abate Acidification, Eutrophication and Ground-level Ozone, for
example, was adopted in 1999. It aims at limiting air emissions of particulate matter,
sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, VOCs, ammonia and from Europe and North America,
setting national emission ceilings for the main air pollutants which may not be exceeded
by 2010. The Protocol was revised in 2012, with new ceilings agreed for 2020.
At EU level, the main components of the air quality policy framework are:
 The 2005 EU Thematic Strategy on Air Pollution, setting out strategic policy objectives,
which have now been updated;
 The 2001 National Emission Ceilings Directive (NECD), establishing national emission
ceilings for 2010 for all Member States covering four main pollutants, which has now
been revised;
 The Ambient Air Quality Directives, setting local air quality limits which may not be
exceeded anywhere in the EU (this Directive has not been revised at this point in
time); and
 Source-specific legislation designed to limit emissions from specific economic sectors,
such as the Industrial Emissions Directive, the Euro standards for vehicles, energy
efficiency standards, fuel standards for ships, and so on.
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6. What has EU air policy achieved so far, and what is the ultimate EU objective
for air pollution?
EU and international policies have reduced some air pollution problems in recent decades.
Sulphur dioxide emissions (the cause of acid rain) have been cut by more than 80% in the
past two decades, and nitrogen oxides and VOCs by 40-50%, for example. Despite this,
the EU is far short of its long-term objective as outlined in the agreed 7th Environmental
Action Programme, which is to achieve levels of air quality that do not have significant
negative impacts on human health and the environment.
7. What is the difference between EU air pollution emission ceilings and EU air
quality standards?
 EU national emission ceilings are upper limits for total emissions of certain air
pollutants that Member States will have to respect by a certain date, to push down
background concentrations and limit transboundary air pollution. Existing ceilings are
in place for 2010, as set out in the UNECE Gothenburg Protocol in 1999 and the EU
National Emission Ceilings Directive, NECD (2001/81/EC). New ceilings (which are
called national emission reduction commitments) for 2020 were agreed recently in a
revised Gothenburg Protocol, and are proposed for 2020 and 2030 in a revised NECD
as part of the clean air policy package.
 EU air quality standards are local concentration limit values for the air pollutants
most harmful to health, as set out in the EU ambient air quality Directive, AAQD
(2008/50/EC), which have to be respected everywhere in the EU with a view to
provide a general protection for all against harmful air pollution levels. Achieving the
air quality standards often require a combination of local measures addressing
particular air pollution hotspots, and reducing background emissions by implementing
the NECD. The AAQD entered into force as late as 2010, and has not been revised as
part of the air policy review.
8. Why was the existing EU air quality standards in the Ambient Air Quality
Directive not revised? Are they not too weak compared to the WHO
standards?
The existing air quality standards in the Ambient Air Quality Directive (AAQD) were
carefully examined in the review, and it is clear that they are insufficient in relation to the
WHO air quality guidelines on air pollution, which represent the levels where health risks
are minimized. But it is also clear that further tightening existing EU air quality standards
will be ineffective unless we see real cuts in air pollution from the main sources. As many
Member States are currently facing infringement cases for failing to reach existing
standards, proposing stricter standards at this point in time may prove counterproductive. Instead, the new policy proposes stricter emission ceilings in the revised NECD
and, together with new source legislation, this will pave the way for tightened standards in
the Ambient Air Quality Directive at a later stage.
Nevertheless, the Commission will also consider simplifying the implementing measures of
the Ambient Air Quality Directive without revising the core obligations, in the context of
comitology.
9. Why is a new Directive to cut emissions from Medium-sized Combustion Plants
needed?
The review of air policy that preceded this package of measures revealed a gap in EU
source legislation for smaller energy plants for street blocks or large buildings, and small
industry installations (1-50 MWth). This new instrument is designed to close this gap and
make a significant contribution to reduce pollution of NOx, SO2 and PM by setting limit
values for new and existing installations, together with a simple registration scheme. In
this way, the Directive will help deliver a significant part of Member States' emission
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reduction obligations. The Directive is also necessary to avoid possible trade-offs between
air quality and increased biomass use, which may otherwise result in increased air
pollution.
10.
Does this proposal go far enough – isn't the time frame of 2050 to achieve
the WHO air quality guidelines is too far away?
The WHO air quality guidelines are very challenging, especially in air pollution hotspots
such as large cities. The proposed policy is based on available technology, and represents
a careful balance between benefits and costs. It sets the pathway to significant
improvements in the long term, but with the help of larger, more structural changes, such
as moving to a low carbon economy, progress will be faster. If we agree on an ambitions
post 2020 climate package, for which the Commission will present a proposal in 2014,
overall air policy objectives can be reached well before 2050.
11.
Why is the Commission proposing new air policy in times of economic
crisis?
There is compelling evidence that air pollution has a serious impact on health. One of the
more recent findings came from the WHO, which now classifies air pollution and
particulate matter as carcinogenic. Failing to act on this evidence is not an option – and
urgent action is needed at both Member State and EU level.
Air pollution is a transboundary problem, which can only be solved through international
cooperation. EU air policy has a good track record in this area, and much progress has
already been made. This shows that the policy works – but we need ensure that existing
legislation is implemented in the short term, and identify a strategic pathway towards
achieving the overall air quality objective in the longer term.
Air pollution is a serious and growing problem around the world, especially in major cities
such as Beijing, Bangkok, Mexico City and Los Angeles. As a consequence, the demand for
low emission products and processes is about to increase dramatically. Some of the US air
legislation is already more stringent than in the EU (for example on particulate matter),
and China and many other emerging economies are about to strengthen their policies on
air pollution, both in terms of regulation and investments. The air policy package will help
EU business to maintain its position as world leader in providing this green technology.
This means that air quality policy is not only an environmental objective, but also an
economic opportunity and a driver for innovation: a strengthened air quality regime in the
EU will actually benefit European competitiveness.
12.
Which transport measures will be proposed as part of the air review
package?
The main priority for transport policy will be to ensure that the existing legislation fully
delivers on air pollution, in particular with regard to the new Euro 6 standards for vehicles.
In addition, the Non Road Mobile Machinery Directive will be revised shortly to ensure
maximum benefits for air pollution, the Directive on sulphur content in marine fuels will be
implemented, and EU-harmonised voluntary top runner benchmarks for super low
emission vehicles (SULEVs) will be considered for use by Member States to tackle air
pollution in hotspot areas.
13.
What will be done on short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) in the air policy
review?
Two air pollutants are relevant from a climate policy perspective:
 New emission ceilings for methane, which is both a precursor and a powerful
greenhouse gas, are proposed in the revised NECD on the basis of zero cost
investments.
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14.
The priority for black carbon, the sooty component of particulates emitted from
combustion, is to include new obligations in the revised NECD to strengthen the
inventory methodology, with a view to improve the knowledge base and pave the way
for possible future emission ceilings. By limiting black carbon emissions, we will tackle
both the negative impacts on health and slow down global warming.
In what way is the clean air policy package based on scientific evidence?
EU air policy builds on a long-standing and robust scientific basis for air policy. In the
underlying policy review supporting the policy package, efforts were made to ensure that
the new policy was based on the latest scientific findings. For example, the Commission
has worked closely with the UN World Health Organisation (WHO) to review and validate
the WHO air quality guidelines, and developed the most advanced EU emission projection
model currently available. The Commission has also launched several other studies
covering for example ozone pollution, non-compliance of current NEC ceilings, and
transboundary pollution.
15.
What are the main health benefits from the package? Can these benefits be
monetised? And what are the costs?
When implemented, the clean air policy package is estimated to avoid 58 000 premature
deaths. The corresponding economic benefits can be monetized based on robust scientific
methodology, resulting in about €40-140 billion per year in 2030
The costs of pollution abatement to implement the package are estimated to reach € 3.4
billion per year in 2030. This means that the monetized benefits will be about 12-40 times
higher than the costs.
The package will also provide about €3 billion in direct economic benefits to society due to
higher productivity of the workforce (€1850 million), lower healthcare costs (€650 million),
higher crop yields (€230 million) and less damage to buildings (€120 million), and add the
equivalent of around 100 000 additional jobs due to increased productivity and
competitiveness because of fewer workdays lost.
The proposal is estimated to have a positive net impact on economic growth.
16.
What are the main environmental benefits from the package? Can these
benefits be monetised?
When implemented, the clean air policy package is estimated to:
 save 123 000 km2 of ecosystems from nitrogen pollution (more than half the area of
Romania),
 save 56 000 km2 protected Natura 2000 areas (more than the entire area of Croatia)
from nitrogen pollution,
 save 19 000 km2 forest ecosystems from acidification.
While these ecosystem benefits are very significant, there is yet no robust scientific
methodology available to monetize the corresponding costs and benefits. Thus, the total
monetized benefits calculated for implementing the clean air policy package does not
include any ecosystem benefits at all, meaning that they are considerably underestimated.
17.
What can Member States do themselves to meet existing air quality
standards?
This is for Member States to determine. Some of the available measures include:
 Environmental zones (low emission zones) with, for example, restrictions for
older/heavier vehicles and industrial activities in hotspot areas;
 Improving clean public transport and transport infrastructure;
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 Local or regional restrictions on the use of solid fuels (coal) for small scale heating;
 Economic incentives (e.g. fees/taxes/road pricing schemes) e.g. for cleaner vehicles,
retrofits and small combustion appliances (heating);
 Promote better building insulation;
 Develop low emission energy policy for renewable energy to ensure minimal PM
emissions from biomass combustion;
 Promote best practices and technologies for domestic heating appliances, in particular
stoves;
 Introduce national measures for agriculture to reduce regard to ammonia emissions;
 Promote general awareness-raising on air pollution through targeted campaigns and
internet-based information linked to the local air quality situation;
 Short-term actions to protect citizens against peak pollution (PM or ozone smog
episodes), such as health alerts through media and IT appliances, temporary speed
limits or traffic bans.
18.
In many countries the economic crisis forces poor people to increase their
use of heating systems with higher air pollution such as wood-fire or coal.
How can this trend be reversed, and what can the EU do to help? Are there
successful examples of how this is tackled in MS?
A key measure to reduce both pollution and poverty is to reduce to demand for solid fuels.
The Energy Efficiency Directive and the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive are
designed to promote such development, and some Member States can provide economic
incentives
to
support
better
insulation
of
houses,
double
glazing,
or
replacement/retrofitting of heating systems. In addition, the EU has adopted or is soon
expected to adopt requirements for new heaters within the Ecodesign Directive, and many
receive EU funding, such as the Ultra-Low Dust project, which aims at providing solutions
that are cheap and easy to operate.
Another important measure is to raise awareness on how to minimize emissions from solid
fuel heaters. A lot of pollution is due to mis-use and ignorance on what and how fuels
should be burned. Some Member States already promote this through information
campaigns and labelling schemes. Some Member States have also successfully banned the
sales of low quality fuels such as "smoky coal".
19.
Why has it taken so long to propose changes?
The proposal is based on a thorough policy review that has taken three years to conduct,
starting in early 2011 and finalised in October 2013. It also aligns with an international
UNECE agreement to amend the Gothenburg Protocol, which sets out the main lines for
the National Emission Ceilings Directive, with new emission ceilings for 2020 agreed in
2012. The Ambient Air Quality Directive, which sets out local air quality standard which
must be respected everywhere in the EU, was adopted as late as 2008.
20.
What will happen to the policy package now?
The package will now be considered by the other EU institutions, with a view to negotiate
and agree on the different elements in package. This process may take 1-3 years.
See also IP/13/1274
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