2004/279/EC: Commission DecisionShow full title

3. SHORT-TERM VERSUS LONG-TERM MEASURES U.K.

Only long-term permanent large scale and drastic reductions of the ozone precursor emissions will sustainably bring down ozone peak concentrations as well as ozone background levels in urban and rural areas all over the EU. These reductions will follow from the ozone Directive itself and from the closely related Directive 2001/81/EC on national emission ceilings for certain atmospheric pollutants(2) (in its turn endorsed by Directive 2001/80/EC on the limitation of emissions of certain pollutants into the air from large combustion plants(3)). Furthermore EU-wide regulations to reduce VOCs (Directive 94/63/EC on the control of volatile organic compound emissions resulting from the storage of petrol and its distribution from terminals to service stations(4); Directive 1999/13/EC on the limitation of emissions of volatile organic compounds due to the use of organic solvents in certain activities and installations(5); Directive 96/61/EC concerning integrated pollution prevention and control(6)) as well as pending strategies to regulate the VOC content in products will reduce ozone peak levels. These European-wide permanent emission reductions are expected to reduce the ozone peak values by 20 to 40 % depending on the scenario and the region.

To be efficient, short-term actions would have to result in emission reductions of the same order of magnitude. Moreover these actions would have to be taken well in advance, e.g. one or two days, of an exceedance event (either on the basis of forecasts or during the whole summer season), and should have the appropriate regional extension (see above).

It should be noted that dissemination of information on ozone concentrations and recommendations to the public and to appropriate health care bodies is obligatory. Combined with adequate ozone forecasting this dissemination of information may reduce the exposure duration or exposure intensity of the population to the high ozone values.

Temporary measures (triggered by exceedance of the hourly threshold of 240 μg/m3) which are locally limited reduce the ozone peak concentrations by at most 5 % (primarily because of the relatively small emission reduction effects). This is the case for almost all traffic related measures such as speed limits, driving ban for non-catalysed vehicles when limited to the (sub)regional scale.

The combination of several locally limited measures (including industry and households) may result in a higher ozone peak reduction potential, but it is clear that a regional strategy is substantially more efficient than individual local measures. The total ozone peak reduction potential however is not expected to be larger than 20 %.

In some regions, where the ozone formation is VOC-limited, the above temporary and locally limited measures may even result in higher ozone peak concentrations.

2

OJ L 309, 27.11.2001, p. 22.

3

OJ L 309, 27.11.2001, p. 1.

4

OJ L 365, 31.12.1994, p. 24.

5

OJ L 85, 29.3.1999, p. 1.

6

OJ L 257, 24.9.1996, p. 26.