The European Commission has ordered Hungary, Romania, and 10 other member states to comply with EU air pollution legislation and reduce their emissions of several pollutants to reduce air pollution.
The EU executive sent a letter of formal notice to Luxembourg, Poland, and Romania, and a reasoned opinion to Bulgaria, Ireland, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Austria, Portugal, and Sweden for failing to ensure the correct implementation of their commitments to reduce several air pollutants as required by Directive (EU) 2016/2284 on the national emission reductions of certain air pollutants (“NEC Directive”).
The NEC Directive sets national emission reduction commitments for five important air pollutants: nitrogen oxides (NOx), non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs), sulfur dioxide (SO2), ammonia (NH3), and fine particulate matter (PM2.5).
These pollutants contribute to poor air quality and have a significant negative impact on human health and the environment, the European Commission noted in a press release. National commitments must be met by each member state every year between 2020 and 2029, with more ambitious reductions from 2030 onwards. Member states are also required to establish National Air Pollution Control Programmes (NAPs) to show how these reduction commitments will be met.
In January 2023, Brussels sent a letter of formal notice to 14 member states that had not met their 2020 emission reduction commitments for one or more pollutants covered by the NEC Directive. In February 2023, member states submitted their most recent national emission inventories, which included emissions for 2020 and 2021, accompanied by an informative inventory report.
The European Commission is sending additional letters of formal notice to Luxembourg, Poland, and Romania, which have two months to respond and remedy the shortcomings identified.
In addition, the EC has decided to send a reasoned opinion to the aforementioned member states, which have two months to respond and take the necessary measures before the commission refers the case to the Court of Justice of the European Union.
