Press Release: Commission decision objects to vast majority of Italy’s request for more time to comply with EU air quality legislation

The European Commission on 01 February 2010 adopted a decision concerning a second request from Italy for additional time to comply with EU legislation on air quality. The decision relates to a request for temporary exemptions in 12 additional zones or agglomerations from the EU's air quality standards for dangerous airborne particles known as PM 10 in the regions of Campania, Puglia and Sicilia. The Commission decision approved a time extension for PM 10 in one air quality zone in the region of Campania but objected to all other requests. Some 20 decisions have already been adopted in 2009 one of them on an earlier request from Italy for different zones or agglomerations. The vast majority of air quality zones in the EU did not satisfy the conditions for a time extension, or were already found to be in compliance with the limit values.