EC on ambient air quality assessment and management SEC(2004) 1713 - Main contents

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dossier	COM(2004)845 - Review of Council Directive 1999/30/EC relating to limit values for sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and oxides of ...
document	COM(2004)845
date	January 4, 2005

Annex IX – which describes the reference measurement methods – taking into account the technical development and including the provisions on how to demonstrate equivalence of non-reference methods.

Even if the Commission has provided guidance on measuring particulate matter, further harmonisation and research are needed.

Working groups have assisted the Commission in preparing two guidance documents about measurement methods for particulate matter in 2002[6] and 2004[7]. These documents addressed the issue of equivalence of commonly used automatic measurement methods with the manual reference measurement method. Despite the substantial efforts which have been made in many Member States, there is still a large demand to demonstrate equivalence of non-reference methods for PM measurements and to harmonise these measurements throughout the European Union. The Commission hosts the network of European Air Quality Reference Laboratories (AQUILA) and intends to use this network to work closely with the Member States to further strengthen harmonisation in this particular field.

The CAFE Working Group on Particulate Matter has proposed to develop a limit value for PM2.5[8]. However, larger particles, characterised by PM10, are also harmful. Thus, while the major attention is paid to the small size fraction of particulate matter, PM10 monitoring should be continued to a certain extent. The Commission will, when considering a revision of the framework and daughter Directives, propose an appropriate share of monitoring sites for both PM fractions. The Commission recommends that additional investigations concerning other PM characteristics such as PM1.0, particulate number concentration and the chemical speciation of particulate matter should be undertaken in Member States.

Extensive research efforts have been made through the European Union 5th Framework Programme for Research to study the pathways of atmospheric particles and their impacts both on human health and on the environment[9]. Funding in these items is continued through the 6th Framework Programme for Research

While no change in the provisions on air quality modelling is suggested for now...

The air quality Directives allow for the use of models for the assessment of air quality. Models may be used to complement or even replace measurements if the concentration level is sufficiently below the limit value. There are no further explicit provisions on the use of models for analysing the causes of air pollution or for calculating prognoses, but in current practice models have a prominent role in this kind of analysis.

The Commission has surveyed and analysed the current practice of computer modelling in Member States in the context of the first daughter Directive.

...the Commission will follow up this issue.

While the survey mentioned above provided some insight into the current use of models in Member States and acceding countries, it did not provide sufficient evidence to allow a more detailed definition of data quality requirements for modelling compared to the existing provisions in the Directive. Consequently the Commission is not proposing to amend the data quality objectives for the use of models at this stage. However, the Commission expects this issue to become increasingly important and will keep it under review, taking into account recent activities in individual Member States.

Reporting through electronic means has become more and more routine…

The Commission has developed a common format for reporting the results of annual air quality assessment, and adopted this questionnaire as a Commission Decision in 2001, which was updated in 2004 (2004/461/EC)[10]. Member States now fill in this questionnaire annually and send the data in an electronic file provided by the Commission. Data already required under the Council Decision establishing a reciprocal exchange of information and data from networks and individual stations measuring ambient air pollution in Member States (EoI, 97/101/EC)[11] are not included in the annual questionnaire.

…but there are considerable delays, and a need for further harmonisation and streamlining.

Member States in general comply with their reporting requirements fairly well. However, there are often delays up to several months after the deadline. For instance, in 2003 only 9 out of 15 Member States reported on time.

The annual data reporting on compliance with the first daughter Directive is considered to be very useful for developing an overview of the air quality in the Union. This view is shared by the Commission, the Member States themselves as well as stakeholders and the general public.

One problem relating to reporting is that the Member States do not have a legal obligation to report some of the data necessary for a more comprehensive evaluation. As it would be in the general interest to report such data, the Commission intends to suggest that reporting of such data be made a formal requirement.

[1] OJ L 163, 29.06.1999, p. 41.

[2] OJ L 296, 21.11.1996, p. 55.

[3] Report in support of the review of Council Directive 1999/30/EC relating to limit values for sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and oxides of nitrogen, particulate matter and lead in ambient air;SEC(2004) 1713: http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/environment/air/ambient.htm.

[4] OJ L 242, 10.9.2002, p. 1.

[5] The margin of tolerance is a defined percentage of the limit value by which this value may be exceeded prior to the attainment date.

[6] Guidance to Member States on PM10 monitoring and inter-comparisons with the reference method; http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/environment/air/pdf/finalwgreporten.pdf

[7] Demonstration of equivalence of ambient air monitoring methods, (final draft); http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/environment/air/cafe/pdf/equivalence_report_final.pdf

[8] Second Position Paper on Particulate Matter; http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/environment/air/cafe/working_groups/wg_particulate_matter.htm

[9] CLEAR Project (Cluster of European Air Quality Research), for latest results: http://www.nilu.no/clear

[10] OJ L 156, 30.4.2004, p. 78.

[11] OJ L 35, 5.2.1997, p. 14.