What are the European standards for particulate matter emissions?

There are presently no European national ceilings for emissions of particulate matter.

Emissions of the secondary PM precursors SO2, NOX and NH3 are covered by the EU National Emission Ceilings Directive (NECD) (2001/81/EC) and the Gothenburg protocol under the United Nations Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution (LRTAP Convention) (UNECE 1999). The NECD generally involves slightly stricter emission reduction targets than the Gothenburg Protocol for EU-15 Member States for 2010.

Table: 2010 Targets under the NEC Directive and the Gothenburg Protocol, in kt

	2010 NECD ceilings			2010 CLRTAP Gothenburg Protocol ceilings
	NOX	SOX	NH3	NOX	SOX	NH3
Austria	103	39	66	107	39	66
Belgium	176	99	74	181	106	74
Bulgaria	247	836	108	266	856	108
Cyprus	23	39	9
Czech Republic	286	265	80	286	283	101
Denmark	127	55	69	127	55	69
Estonia	60	100	29
Finland	170	110	31	170	116	31
France	810	375	780	860	400	780
Germany	1051	520	550	1081	550	550
Greece	344	523	73	344	546	73
Hungary	198	500	90	198	550	90
Iceland*
Ireland	65	42	116	65	42	116
Italy	990	475	419	1000	500	419
Latvia	61	101	44	84	107	44
Liechtenstein				0.37	0.11	0.15
Lithuania	110	145	84	110	145	84
Luxembourg	11	4	7	11	4	7
Malta	8	9	3
Netherlands	260	50	128	266	50	128
Norway				156	22	23
Poland	879	1397	468	879	1397	468
Portugal	250	160	90	260	170	108
Romania	437	918	210	437	918	210
Slovakia	130	110	39	130	110	39
Slovenia	45	27	20	45	27	20
Spain	847	746	353	847	774	353
Switzerland				79	26	63
Sweden	148	67	57	148	67	57
Turkey*
United Kingdom	1167	585	297	1181	625	297

By taking into account the naturally occurring sea salt in the air, the calculated salinity correction can be adjusted downwards by means of the sea salt correction. In various regions it is investigated whether the concentrations of fine dust can be reduced by the planting of trees and bushes.

Source: European Environment Agency | Image: Pixabay