Air Quality Directive (AQD)

EU legislation in 1999 fixed concentration limit values for PM₁₀ which were to be respected in two stages, from 2005 and 2010 onwards. However, it soon turned out that concentration limit values for PM₁₀ were exceeded in numerous regions within EU, in particular in urban agglomerations, and that it would be impossible to respect values fixed as of 2005. Mainly for this reason, the air pollution framework Directive and the three Daughter Directives were brought together again in a new Directive 2008/50/EC, and the stricter values for PM₁₀ which were to be respected as of 2010, were repealed.

Furthermore, for the first time also a limit value for PM_2.5 were introduced, applicable from 2015 onwards. For nitrogen dioxides and nitrogen oxides, no changes were introduced in the new legislation. Directive 2008/50/EC constitutes thus the present state of EU legislation on air quality. Its Article 32 provided, though, that European Commission should, by 2013, review the provisions related to PM_2.5 and other pollutants, and should present a legislative proposal to other EU institutions. However, this proposal was not made and it is unclear when European Commission will initiate the review of Directive 2008/50/EC.