Review of the Air Quality Policy Framework: Initial Appraisal of the Commission's Impact Assessment

Briefing 15-04-2014

This note seeks to provide an initial analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the European Commission's Impact Assessment (IA) accompanying a Communication on a Clean Air Programme for Europe, a proposal for a Directive regulating air emissions from Medium Combustion Plants, a proposal for a Directive on the reduction of national emissions of certain atmospheric pollutants, and a proposal for a Decision on the Amendment to the 1999 Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Trans boundary Air Pollution (COM (2013) 918; COM (2013) 919; COM (2013) 920; COM (2013)917), submitted in January 2014. It analyses whether the principal criteria laid down in the Commission’s own Impact Assessment Guidelines, as well as additional factors identified by the Parliament in its Impact Assessment Handbook, appear to be met by the IA. It does not attempt to deal with the substance of the proposal. It is drafted for informational and background purposes to assist the relevant parliamentary committee and Members more widely in their work.