Press Release: Environment: Commission welcomes Council agreements on air quality directive, hazardous waste

Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas welcomed the political agreement by the Environment Council on 23 October 2006 on the comprehensive new EU directive on air quality as well as its conclusions on hazardous waste movements. The air quality directive will for the first time regulate airborne levels of harmful fine dust particles, while also giving Member States some flexibility if they face difficulties in complying with some existing air pollution standards.