| Author (Corporate) | European Commission: Press and Communication Service |
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| Series Title | Press Release |
| Series Details | IP/03/1460 (27.10.03) |
| Publication Date | 27/10/2003 |
| Content Type | News |
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The European Commission welcomed a political agreement reached in the Environment Council held in Luxembourg on 27 October 2003 which will help fight ozone pollution in Europe. The Council agreed on the Commission's proposal to limit emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from organic solvents in paints, varnishes and vehicle refinishing products. This proposal is important as VOCs are one of the contributors to the formation of ground-level ozone when the weather is hot and sunny. Ozone damages the environment and poses a serious threat to human health - especially to vulnerable groups like the elderly. The heat wave of Summer 2003 led to the highest number of ozone incidents experienced in Europe for a decade, according to a forthcoming report ('Air pollution by ozone in Europe in summer 2003: Overview of exceedances of EC ozone threshold values during the summer season April-August 2003 and comparisons with previous years') by the European Environment Agency (EEA). A summary of the report is available by clicking on Related URL 2. |
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| Source Link | Link to Main Source http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/03/1460&format=HTML&rapid=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en&display= |
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| Subject Categories | Environment |
| Countries / Regions | Europe |
