EU agreement on air quality, the rapporteur of the directive speaks:«This is why Northern Italy has 10 more years to adapt»

The text on which the European institutions have found an agreement contains an exemption designed specifically for the Po Valley and loudly requested by the Meloni government

From Strasbourg – February 2024.While a pang blanket of smog suffocates Milan and the Po Valley, causing some fear even among citizens, in Brussels it can be reached the agreement between Parliament and Council on the new air quality directive.The rapporteur of the measure, which barring surprises should be approved before the European elections in June, is the Spanish MEP Javi López, of the S&D group.«Air pollution is the greatest threat to human health and with this directive we want to provide a tool to address the solution and protect the health of citizens», explains López to the microphones of Open on the sidelines of the last plenary of the European Parliament.The text on which the European institutions have found an agreement contains an exemption designed specifically for the Po Valley and loudly requested by the Meloni government.The regions of Northern Italy were effectively granted ten more years to achieve the air quality objectives set at community level.Yet, warns López, this exemption should not be interpreted as a possibility of "ignoring the new rules for the next ten years".

An agreement was reached between Parliament and Council in recent weeks.Will the new directive become law before the June elections?

«Yes, I foresee that the final vote will be held in March in our commission and then in the last plenary in April in Strasbourg.Pollution represents the greatest threat to human health.And trying to reduce its levels is one of the key elements of the European Green Deal.With this new directive, we want to create a tool to address the problem in the coming decades before the mandate expires."

The final text of the agreement provides that some areas, including the Po Valley, will have ten years more to comply with the new limit values ​​on air quality.Is this an exemption requested by the Italian government?

«The flexibility that the new directive contains was requested by the Council, but we must explain clearly what we are talking about.We have approved new air quality standards that essentially halve the air pollution limit values ​​allowed by law.This is a huge step in the right direction, bringing the European Union closer to the World Health Organization guidelines.At the same time, we recognize that this process must take place over a few years, for some by 2030 and for others by 2040.With the safeguards and conditionalities that have been included in the text, more flexibility is guaranteed to some areas and there will be more time to achieve these objectives.However, this does not mean that you can simply ignore the new law for ten years."

Many regional presidents in Northern Italy have criticized the decision to revise the air quality limit values ​​and argue that they are unattainable for the Po Valley.Is that so?Or do you think too little has been done so far?

«It is true that the orography of the Po Valley is different from that of many other European areas.But the question we should ask ourselves is another:What can we do to address this situation?Air pollution, and this is a fact, is affecting the health of citizens of Northern Italy.We must therefore think about all the changes we can bring to our mobility, to the model of our cities, to the electrification of our cars, to the transition in our industry, to new forms of clean energy.We must take all these areas into consideration in order to truly tackle the problem of pollution, push the ecological transition and create a fairer socio-economic model."

With the new directive it is expected to increase checks on effective compliance with the limit values ​​on air quality.How do you plan to do it?

«We will act on two fronts.First of all, the mandatory monitoring service of pollution levels for all member countries will be strengthened, which will allow for more precise and detailed information.Secondly, there will be more tools available to the European Commission to ensure better enforcement of the law.In addition to the "stick", however, there will also be the "carrot".This means that there will be more planning and support from the European institutions, also through the allocation of resources in this sector and in particular with the Recovery Plans and the Next Generation EU".

What are the financial tools that member countries and local administrators will be able to access to address the problem of air pollution?

«The fight against pollution is closely linked to the decarbonisation started with the European Green Deal, also financed with the Next Generation EU.During this legislature we have allocated resources that are equal to three quarters of the Spanish GDP:750 billion.Italy and Spain are the two countries that have benefited most from these funds, of which at least a third must be spent on measures linked to the green agenda.This means working towards cleaner energy, greater energy efficiency in our buildings, changing the way we move and supporting industry in the decarbonisation process.This is already happening thanks to the resources allocated by the European Union."

The new directive states that citizens will be entitled to compensation if their health is damaged due to breaches of national air quality standards.How exactly will this mechanism work?

«The new directive opens the doors to the right to compensation.This principle can be applied in all those cases where there is a link between damage to human health and levels of air pollution.Situations like this are starting to be demonstrated in courts around the world, including some in Europe.It won't be an easy path, but now with this directive we have recognition of this possibility from a legal point of view.We are extremely satisfied with this, because it will allow us to strengthen citizens' rights, the legal force of the new directive and the responsibility of all administrations for air quality and citizens' health".

Cover photo:ANSA/Mourad Balti Touati | Smog in Milan (8 January 2020)