Background information

Ambient Air Quality

• The results of two case studies about the effect of emission control scenarios on the local scale: the report (pdf ~500K) of a model simulation of the case of Stuttgart (Germany) and Athens (Greece) by a consortium led by the University of Thessaloniki and the the brief model study (pdf ~140K) on the situation at the East Spanish coast around Valencia by the Joint Research Centre of the Commission.

Air Quality Framework Directive

• Reporting Questionnaire on Directive 96/62/EC on ambient air quality assessment and management and Directive 1999/30/EC relating to limit values for sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and oxides of nitrogen, particulate matter and lead in ambient air.(OJ L 319, 4 Dec 2001 p.45, corrected by OJ L 12, 15 Jan 2002 p.70)

• Guidance to Member States on PM10 monitoring and intercomparisons with the reference method (pdf  ~370Kb)

Daughter Directives

• Ozone position paper (pdf ~1.5M)

• EC Economic evaluation of Air Quality targets for PAH

• EC Economic evaluation of Air Quality targets for Heavy Metals (pdf ~1.9M)

• EC Economic evaluation of Air Quality targets for CO and Benzene

• Position Paper on As, Cd and Ni

  • Position Paper  (pdf ~1900K)

  • Annexes (pdf  ~200K)

• Position Paper on PAH 

  • Position Paper  (pdf ~300K) 
  • Annexes (pdf  ~550K)

 

• Position paper on Mercury (pdf format)

• Table of contents(~60K)
• Executive Summary(~80K)
• Recommendation and working group members(~80K)
• Chapter 1(~170K)
• Chapter 2, figures (~200/900K)
• Chapter 3, figures 1, figures 2 (~200/2,000/3,200K)
• Chapter 4 (~290K)
• Chapter 5 (~210K)
• Chapter 6 (~250K)
• Chapter 7 (~130K)

• Position paper on NO₂ (pdf ~840K)

• Position paper on Pb (pdf ~660K)

• Position paper on SO₂ (pdf ~370K)

• Position paper on PM₁₀ (pdf ~440K)

• Position paper on CO (pdf ~360K)

Stationary Source Emissions

Large Combustion Plants

• Emission reductions from existing large combustion plants resulting from the amendment of the large combustion plants directive

Waste Incineration Plants

• Service contract to assist the Commission in summarising replies from Member States to the questionnaire contained in Commission Decision 98/184/EC (pdf ~200K) and Appendix (pdf ~200K)

VOC

VOC Stage I

• The VOC Solvents Directive

  • Study on the potential for reducing emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOC) due to the use of decorative paints and varnishes for professional and non-professional use
    
    Executive summary (pdf ~40K)
    Full text of the study (pdf ~1,400K)

  • Reducing VOC emissions from the Vehicle Refinishing Sector
    
    Executive summary (pdf ~30K)
    Full text of the study (pdf ~700K)

Sulphur content of liquid fuels

A Commission Proposal to amend Directive 98/70/EC together along with the related cost benefit analysis can be found below.

• The proposal to amend the directive COM(2001)241

• Cost-benefit analysis of the implications of the proposed directive (pdf ~135K)

Contributions to the sulphur consultation exercise were synthesised and reviewed by a panel of independent experts and the findings of this exercise can be found below.

• List of consultees (pdf ~15K)

• Paper outlining issues on which evidence is sought(pdf ~15K)

• Responses to Commissioner Wallström's Call for Evidence on the sulphur content of petrol & diesel

• Peer-reviewed summary report of the Commissioner's "Call for Evidence" (pdf ~430K)

• Production of Near Zero Sulphur Petrol & Diesel - A Refinery Study (pdf ~920K)

• MTBE and the Requirements of Underground Storage Tank Construction and Operation in Member States: A report prepared by Arthur D. Little for the European Commission, March 2001 (pdf ~450K)

NATIONAL EMISSION CEILINGS

Establishment of national emission ceilings for acidification and eutrophication

• Protocol to abate acidification, eutrophication and ground-level ozone

• Information document showing the differences in environmental improvements between the new UN-ECE protocol and the Commission’s NEC proposal (pdf ~450K)

• Economic evaluation of a Directive on National Emission Ceilings for Certain Atmospheric Pollutants

• Comprehensive background documentation on the methodology and input data used in the cost-effectiveness analysis by RAINS and the results of a similar analysis made for the new UN-ECE Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution to abate Acidification, Eutrophication and Ground-level Ozone can be obtained at IIASA’s website: http://www.iiasa.ac.at/~rains/.

• At the request of the Portuguese Council Presidency the Commission has asked IIASA to calculate further emission reduction scenarios with RAINS. All calculations are based on a redesigned "Reference scenario". It takes as a starting point the assumption that all parties who have made commitments in the Gothenburg protocol will implement them. Where Gothenburg emission ceilings are less ambitious than the result of current legislation, current legislation is taken as the starting point. As an example, scenario K1 calculates revised ceilings for the EU15 to reach in the EU the interim objectives of the Commission NEC proposal. The results of this study are available as part 1 (pdf ~120K) and part 2 (pdf~110K) of the 8th Interim Report by IIASA. A further document (pdf~60K) by IIASA shows two secenarios taking into account the future impact of a recent decision under the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) to declare the North Sea and the Baltic Sea as environmentally sensitive areas. This will prescribe use of low-sulphur fuel by ships once the related annex of the MARPOL (Maritime Pollution) Convention has been ratified. 

ENVIRONMENT AND TRANSPORT

Road vehicles

Automotive fuel quality

Pollutant emissions from ships

Informing policy development - studies for the Commission 2000-2003

Evaluation of the Feasibility of Alternative Market-Based Mechanisms to Promote Low-Emission Shipping in European Union Sea Areas. A report for the Commission by NERA Economic Consulting (National Economic Research Associates)(pdf~300K)

Advice on Marine Fuels - potential price premium for 0.5% S marine fuels; particular issues facing fuel producers in different parts of the EU; and commentary on marine fuels market. A report for the Commission by Beicip Franlab (pdf~500K)

Final report from Entec UK Ltd for the European Commission "Quantification of emissions from ships associated with ship movements between ports in the European Community"  
Part 1:Executive Summary/ Contents/Chapter 1 Introduction  (pdf ~990K)
Part 2:Chapter 2 Quantification of ship emissions (pdf ~2000K)
Part 3:Chapter 3 Market survey of marine distillates with 0.2% sulphur content/ Chapter 4 Feasibility of ships storing multiple grades of marine distillates/ Appendices (pdf ~2000K)

Preliminary advice from EMEP for the European Commission "The influence of ship traffic emissions on air concentrations of particulate matter" (pdf ~500K) NB This does not incorporate in-port PM emissions figures from the above quantification study.

Advice on the costs to fuel producers and price premia likely to result from a reduction in the level of sulphur in marine fuels marketed in the EU. A report for the Commission by Beicip Franlab (pdf ~270K)

The estimation of ship emissions in the Mediterranean Sea. A report prepared by Lloyds (pdf ~620K)

Measures to Reduce Emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds during Loading and Unloading of Ships in the EU (pdf ~1,000K)

Study on the Economic, Legal, Environmental and Practical Implications of a European Union System to Reduce Ship Emissions of SO₂ and NOx, BMT report No. 3623.

Useful links

6^th Framework Programme

If you have difficulties downloading any of the above documents, please contact us at env-shipping@ec.europa.eu.

Non-road mobile machinery