Exchange of information and data on ambient air quality

The European Union has established a Community-wide procedure for exchanging information and data on ambient air quality in the EU.

ACT

Council Decision 97/101/EC of 27 January 1997 establishing a reciprocal exchange of information and data from networks and individual stations measuring ambient air pollution within the Member States [see amending acts].

SUMMARY

The Decision introduces a reciprocal exchange of information and data relating to:

• the networks and stations set up in the Member States to measure air pollution;
• the air quality measurements taken by those stations.

All data is to be sent by the Member States to the Commission. The Commission will in turn make available to the Members States (by 1 July 1997 at the latest) its database containing information on the networks and stations and on air quality. The data will be accessible to the public through an information system set up by the European Environment Agency.

The information exchange relates to the pollutants listed in Directive 96/62/EC and to other polluting substances (Annex I).

The following stations are included in this exchange programme:

• stations set up as part of the implementation of Directive 96/62/EC;
• stations not covered by the above Directive but which can monitor the pollutants listed above, at local and regional level;
• other stations which took part in the reciprocal exchange introduced by Decision 82/459/EEC (Official Journal L 210, 19.07.1982).

The Decision contains provisions concerning information transmission and reports on the operation of the exchange of information.

Decision 2001/752/EC amended the annexes to Decision 97/101/EC in order to adapt the list of pollutants covered as well as the requirements regarding additional information, validation and aggregation.

Directive 2008/50/EC repeals this Decision, as from the end of the second calendar year following the entry into force of the new measures relating to the exchange of information on the quality of ambient air.

Last updated: 07.08.2008