This Directive establishes new EU-wide air quality standards and monitoring requirements to protect human health and the environment from air pollution. It aims to progressively improve air quality to levels no longer harmful by 2050, aligning with WHO guidelines.The Directive merges and updates two previous directives (2004/107/EC and 2008/50/EC) into a single comprehensive framework. Key structural elements include: setting limit values and target values for major air pollutants; requirements for air quality assessment and monitoring; obligations for air quality management and planning; and provisions for public information and reporting.The main provisions include:- New stricter limit values for key pollutants like PM2.5, PM10, NO2 to be achieved by 2030- Requirements for extensive air quality monitoring, including new monitoring ‘supersites’- Obligations for Member States to develop air quality plans when standards are exceeded- Enhanced requirements for public information and access to justice- New provisions on compensation for health damage from air pollutionThe Directive introduces several important changes compared to previous legislation:- More stringent air quality standards aligned with WHO guidelines- New monitoring requirements for emerging pollutants like ultrafine particles- Stronger provisions on access to justice and compensation- Enhanced requirements for public information and air quality indices- New focus on protecting sensitive populations and vulnerable groupsThe most significant practical requirements relate to:- Meeting the new limit values for pollutants by specified deadlines- Establishing comprehensive air quality monitoring networks- Developing and implementing air quality plans when standards are exceeded- Providing public information on air quality- Ensuring access to justice and compensation mechanisms
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