The revised Ambient Air Quality Directive entered into force on the 10th December 2024
The revised Ambient Air Quality Directive aims to define common methods to monitor, assess, and inform about ambient air quality in the European Union, to avoid, prevent, or reduce harmful effects on human health and the environment, to guide the assessment of air quality, and to share information on air quality with the wider public.
The revised Ambient Air Quality Directive merges the previous two Directives into one, thereby aligning 2030 EU air quality standards more closely with the scientific recommendations of the World Health Organisation.
The measures introduced include the following:
- Cutting by more than half the allowed annual limit value for the main air pollutant – fine particulate matter (PM2.5);
- Updating air quality standards for allowed levels in ambient air for a total of twelve air pollutants, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide/nitrogen oxides, particulate matter (PM10, PM2.5), ozone, benzene, lead, carbon monoxide, arsenic, cadmium, nickel, and benzo(a)pyrene;
- Regularly reviewing of air quality standards, in line with the latest scientific evidence as well as societal and technological developments; and
- Ensuring that people suffering from health damages due to air pollution have the right to be compensated in the case of a violation of EU air quality rules.