• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Español
  • English
  • Bloglovin
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
CDE Almería – Centro de Documentación Europea – Universidad de Almería

CDE Almería - Centro de Documentación Europea - Universidad de Almería

Centro de Documentación Europea de la Universidad de Almería

  • HOME
  • WHAT´S ON
    • EU BULLETINS
    • EU NEWS
    • Activities
    • EU Calls and Awards
    • Radio Program «Europe with You»
  • DOCUMENTATION
    • Bibliographic Collection
      • Almería EDC Digital Collection
      • UNIVERSITY OF ALMERIA LIBRARY
    • Documentation by topic
    • EU Media Collection
      • Web Space
      • MEDIATHEQUE REPOSITORY
  • Europe on the net
    • Institutions
    • EU Representation in Spain
    • European information network of Andalusia
    • EU official journal
  • ABOUT US
    • Presentation
    • People
    • Contact

France has sistematically exceeded the annual limits for nitrogen dioxide since 2010

Inicio » EU News » France has sistematically exceeded the annual limits for nitrogen dioxide since 2010

2019-10-30

The Court accordingly upholds the Commission’s action and finds that France has failed to fulfil its obligations under the Air Quality Directive.

Background

On 7 March 2012, France requested the Commission to delay the deadline imposed for compliance with the nitrogen dioxide limit values set by the Air Quality Directive. That request concerned the annual limit values in 24 zones of the French territory and the hourly limit values in three of those zones. The Commission raised objections to that delay request. France did not challenge those objections and was, therefore, under an obligation to comply with the nitrogen dioxide limit values, calculated by hour or by calendar year, as from 1 January 2010.

Subsequently, the Commission therefore called on France to take the necessary measures to meet its obligations and, as a result of the failure of France to take those measures, brought infringement proceedings against that Member State before the Court of Justice. France does not dispute the fact that there have been persistent exceedances of the hourly and annual limit values of nitrogen dioxide in the zones and agglomerations 2 which are the subject of the action brought by the Commission. However, France disputes the allegedly systematic nature of those exceedances.

Jedgement

In today’s judgment, the Court states that the fact of exceeding the nitrogen dioxide limit values in ambient air is, in itself, sufficient for a finding that there has been a failure to fulfil the obligation laid down in Article 13 of the directive.

The Court notes that the date from which the nitrogen dioxide limit values had to be complied with was 1 January 2010. The Court adds that, once it has been objectively established that a Member State has failed to fulfil its obligations under the Treaties, it is irrelevant whether the failure to fulfil obligations is the result of intention or negligence on the part of the Member State responsible, or whether it is attributable to technical or structural difficulties which it has encountered.

Next steps

Furthermore, the Court indicates that the directive provides that, when the exceedance of the nitrogen dioxide limit values has occurred after the passing of the deadline for achieving them, the Member State concerned is required to draw up an air-quality plan which meets certain requirements. That plan must set out appropriate measures to ensure that the exceedance period can be kept as short as possible and may additionally include specific measures designed to protect sensitive population groups, including children. The plan must be communicated to the Commission without delay, but no later than two years after the end of the year during which the first exceedance was observed.

The Court points out that the fact that a Member State exceeds nitrogen dioxide limit values in ambient air does not, in itself, suffice for a finding that it has failed to fulfil its obligation under Article 23 of the directive. Nevertheless, according to the directive, although Member States have some discretion in determining the measures to be adopted, those measures must, in any event,
enable the exceedance period to be kept as short as possible.

The Court, however, finds that France manifestly did not adopt, in a timely manner, appropriate measures to ensure that the exceedance period would be kept as short as possible. Thus, the exceedance of the limit values at issue during seven consecutive years remained systematic and persistent in that Member State, notwithstanding France’s obligation to take all appropriate and effective measures to comply with the requirement that the exceedance period be kept as short as possible.

More information

Press release

Sentencia

Publicaciones relacionadas:

EU Budget for 2021-2027: provisional agreement reached on the financial programme to support justice area persona sentada sobre una superficie de madera oscura sostiene un mapa doblado en la manoIreland to the Court of Justice for failing to effectively protect tourists Copyright reform: modernised rules fit for digital age MEPs agree on future regional and cohesion funding European Citizens’ Initiative: Commission registers ‘Respect for the rule of law’ initiative

“This is a space for debate. All comments, for or against publication, that are respectful and do not contain expressions that are discriminatory, defamatory or contrary to current legislation will be published”.

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Publicaciones relacionadas

EU Budget for 2021-2027: provisional agreement reached on the financial programme to support justice area persona sentada sobre una superficie de madera oscura sostiene un mapa doblado en la manoIreland to the Court of Justice for failing to effectively protect tourists Copyright reform: modernised rules fit for digital age MEPs agree on future regional and cohesion funding European Citizens’ Initiative: Commission registers ‘Respect for the rule of law’ initiative

Footer

Logotipo en negativo del Centro de Documentación Europea de Almería

CDE Almería
Edificio Parque Científico-Tecnológico (Pita)
Planta: 1ª, Despacho: 29
04120. Ctra. Sacramento s/n. Almería (Spain)
Teléfono: (+34) 950 015266

HOME
NEWS
DOCUMENTATION
EUROPE ON THE NET
ABOUT US

LEGAL NOTICE
PRIVACY POLICY
COOKIE POLICY
ACCESSIBILITY

SITEMAP
HELP CENTER

Copyright © 2022 CDE Almería · Creative Commons LicenseThis work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

<p>El Centro de Documentación Europea de la Universidad de Almería utiliza cookies propias y de terceros para facilitar al usuario la navegación en su página Web y el acceso a los distintos contenidos alojados en la misma. Asimismo, se utilizan cookies analíticas de terceros para medir la interacción de los usuarios con el sitio Web. Pinche el siguiente enlace si desea información sobre el uso de cookies y como deshabilitarlas. ajustes</p>

Politica de privacidad

El Centro de Documentación Europea de la Universidad de Almería utiliza cookies propias y de terceros para facilitar al usuario la navegación en su página Web y el acceso a los distintos contenidos alojados en la misma. Asimismo, se utilizan cookies analíticas de terceros para medir la interacción de los usuarios con el sitio Web. Pinche el siguiente enlace si desea información sobre el uso de cookies y como deshabilitarlas. <a href="/politica-de-cookies" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Más información</a>

Cookies estrictamente necesarias

Las cookies estrictamente necesarias tiene que activarse siempre para que podamos guardar tus preferencias de ajustes de cookies.

Básicamente la web no funcionara bien si no las activas.

Estas cookies son:

  • Comprobación de inicio de sesión.
  • Cookies de seguridad.
  • Aceptación/rechazo previo de cookies.

Si desactivas esta cookie no podremos guardar tus preferencias. Esto significa que cada vez que visites esta web tendrás que activar o desactivar las cookies de nuevo.

Cookies de terceros

Esta web utiliza Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager y Yandex Metrika para recopilar información anónima tal como el número de visitantes del sitio, o las páginas más populares.

Dejar estas cookies activas nos permite mejorar nuestra web.

¡Por favor, activa primero las cookies estrictamente necesarias para que podamos guardar tus preferencias!

Política de cookies

Pinche el siguiente enlace si desea información sobre el uso de cookies y como deshabilitarlas. Más información