RECOMMENDATION on the draft Council decision on the acceptance on behalf of the European Union of an Amendment to the 1999 Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution to Abate Acidification, Eutrophication and Ground-level Ozone

on the draft Council decision on the acceptance on behalf of the European Union of an Amendment to the 1999 Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution to Abate Acidification, Eutrophication and Ground-level Ozone

(07524/2017 – C8‑0143/2017 – 2013/0448(NLE))

(Consent)

The European Parliament,

–  having regard to the draft Council decision (07524/2017),

–  having regard to the Amendment of the text of and Annexes II to IX to the 1999 Protocol to Abate Acidification, Eutrophication and Ground-level Ozone and the addition of new Annexes X and XI (07524/2017),

–  having regard to the request for consent submitted by the Council in accordance with Article 192(1) and Article 218(6), second subparagraph, point (a) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (C8-0143/2017),

–  having regard to Rule 99(1) and (4) and Rule 108(7) of its Rules of Procedure,

–  having regard to the recommendation of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (A8-0241/2017),

1.  Gives its consent to the acceptance of an amendment of the protocol;

2.  Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council, the Commission and the governments and parliaments of the Member States.

The Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (LRTAP) is intended to protect the human environment against air pollution. Several studies performed between 1972 and 1977 demonstrated that air pollutants can travel several thousand kilometres before deposition, which is why it was considered that air pollution should be addressed at international level. Signed in 1979 and entering into force in 1983, the Convention was the first international legally binding instrument in this area. It created the framework for controlling and reducing the damage to human health and to the environment caused by transboundary air pollution. The Convention is implemented and monitored through the Co-operative Programme for Monitoring and Evaluation of the Long-range Transmissions of Air Pollutants in Europe (EMEP).

To date, the Convention has been extended by eight protocols, which identify specific measures to be taken by Parties to reduce their air pollutant emissions. The eighth protocol - the 1999 Gothenburg Protocol to Abate Acidification, Eutrophication and Ground-level Ozone (known as the Multi-effect Protocol or the Gothenburg Protocol) - is a multi-pollutant protocol designed to reduce acidification, eutrophication and ground-level ozone by setting emissions ceilings for sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds and ammonia to be met by 2010. As of August 2014, the Protocol had been ratified by 26 parties, which includes 25 states and the European Union. On 4 May 2012, the Parties to the Gothenburg Protocol agreed on a substantial number of revisions, notably the inclusion of more stringent emission reduction commitments for 2020. Several of the Protocol’s technical annexes were revised with updated sets of emission limit values for both key stationary sources and mobile sources. The revised Protocol is also the first binding agreement to include emission reduction commitments for fine particulate matter. The protocol now also includes measures addressing short-lived climate pollutant black carbon (or soot) as a component of particular matter. Reducing particulate matter (including black carbon) through the implementation of the Protocol is thus considered to be a major step in reducing air pollution, while at the same time facilitating climate co-benefits.

These amendments now need to be ratified by Parties in order to make them binding. In the EU, the Gothenburg protocol is implemented through the National Emission Ceilings (NEC) directive.

The ratification of the amendments will be an important step towards a higher level of protection of human health and the environment from transboundary air pollution. The rapporteur therefore welcomes the draft Council Decision and proposes that Parliament gives its consent.

Key to symbols:

+  :  in favour

-  :  against

0  :  abstention