Activities of Petar VITANOV related to 2020/2091(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
Implementation of the Ambient Air Quality Directives (continuation of debate)
Amendments (16)
Amendment 7 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Points out that, while transport- related emissions of most pollutants have fallen substantially in recent decades, persistent hotspots remain in the EU, where levels of air pollution are too high – especially in urban areas; highlights that more than one-in-six inhabitants of urban areas in the EU are exposed to air pollution concentrations above EU air quality standards;
Amendment 10 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1 a. Reminds that, according to the WHO, air pollution poses the biggest environmental risk to human health. It increases the incidence of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases as well as the risk of heart attacks, cancer, diabetes, obesity and dementia;
Amendment 14 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 b (new)
Paragraph 1 b (new)
1 b. Expresses concern that some EU air quality standards are not fully aligned with well-established health recommendations; encourages the Commission to update reference values for ultrafine particles, methane and black carbon in line with forthcoming WHO recommendations;
Amendment 15 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 c (new)
Paragraph 1 c (new)
1 c. Welcomes the Zero Pollution Ambition from the Commission and stresses the need for a timeline and binding objectives to drive actual change;
Amendment 21 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Believes that in order to improve the air quality in these hotspots, it is vital to move towards a more sustainable and less polluting transport system, especially in urban areas, while using all available means in the most effective way and taking into account the most recent scientific evidence;
Amendment 22 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. Stresses that the most effective way to reduce air pollution from road transport is to move away from fossil fuel vehicles and accelerate e-mobility; calls for a full phase-out of fossil fuel vehicles in the EU by 2030;
Amendment 27 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 b (new)
Paragraph 2 b (new)
2 b. Stresses the need to revise the CO2 Emission Performance Standards for cars and vans to significantly accelerate the uptake of electro-mobility; highlights that this review could be used to introduce a full phase-out of fossil fuel vehicles in 2030;
Amendment 28 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 c (new)
Paragraph 2 c (new)
2 c. Calls on the Commission to use the upcoming post-Euro 6/VI emission standards for cars, vans, lorries and buses to significantly increase the air pollution standards for all vehicles and define a path to zero-pollution mobility;
Amendment 29 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 d (new)
Paragraph 2 d (new)
2 d. Points out that the evolution of Euro standards and use of particulate filters remain insufficient to reduce urban population's exposure to air pollutants; highlights the need to reduce fossil based traffic in inner city areas by furthering zero and low emission zones, introducing vehicle charging schemes, and encouraging a shift to public and active forms of transport by investing in infrastructure;
Amendment 35 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Encourages local and regional authorities to devise and implement evidence-based, strategic sustainable urban mobility plans respecting the "do-no- harm"-principle, aiming at a coordinated planning of policies, incentives and subsidies that target the various transport sectors and modes, such as measures to encourage the roll-out of e-charging and other alternative fuels, investment in sustainable public transport, infrastructure for active, shared and zero emission transport modes and demand-related measures;
Amendment 57 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4 a. Emphasises the importance of protecting workers in the transportation sector who are exposed to high levels of air pollutions on a daily basis such as airport workers and construction workers who work in toxic fumes;
Amendment 59 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 b (new)
Paragraph 4 b (new)
4 b. Recalls that luxury passenger cruise ships remain a significant contributor to air pollution around European coasts and cities; calls on the Commission to use the revision of the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Directive to expand Shore Side Electricity (SSE) requirements in ports and to use zero emission berth standards in order to drive the uptake of SSE technology;
Amendment 63 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 c (new)
Paragraph 4 c (new)
4 c. Encourages the Commission to extend NOx Emission Control Area (NECA) and SOx Emission Control Area (SECA) standards to all EU seas and tighten the standard for sulphur to 10ppm to bring it in line with that currently applicable to road transport;
Amendment 66 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Points out that the proper implementation and enforcement of the Air Quality Directives1 have proved challenging; urges, therefore, that Directive 2008/50/EC and all other existing legislation relating to transport emissions be properly implemented and enforced first before new measures are proposed; stresses that ensuring compliance should not stand in the way of new measures and revisions where necessary. _________________ 1Directive 2004/107/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 December 2004 relating to arsenic, cadmium, mercury, nickel and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in ambient air, OJ L 023 26.1.2005, p. 3, and Directive 2008/50/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 May 2008 on ambient air quality and cleaner air for Europe (OJ L 152, 11.6.2008, p. 1).
Amendment 73 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5 a. Encourages the Commission to use implementing acts in the current Ambient Air Quality Directives to improve monitoring and implementation and guide Member States in closing loopholes;
Amendment 76 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 b (new)
Paragraph 5 b (new)
5 b. Recalls that 31 infringement procedures against 18 Member States are currently ongoing for flawed monitoring or exceedances of PM10, PM2.5, NO2 or SO2 concentration levels; emphasises the need to speed up legal action against Member states who fail to comply with air pollution laws, as these cases take 6 to 8 years today;