Revision of the EU National Emission Ceilings Directive

The issue

The revision of the National Emission Ceilings Directive 2001/81/EC (NECD) is part of the implementation of the Thematic Strategy on Air Pollution (see Commission Website). Inter alia, the revision incorporates new scientific and technical work and takes into account the Community legislation for specific source categories, like Euro 5/6, EURO VI, the revision of the IPPC-directive. In particular, the decision of the European Council of March 2007 to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions by 20% and to have 20% renewables by 2020 has significant impacts on the emissions of air pollutants.

Contribution of the EC4MACS project

The EC4MACS toolbox has been used for numerous studies to prepare for the revision of the NEC directive: The following contracts have provide technical input to the revision of the NECD. For each project the most recent report is given, otherwise the technical annex describing the work to be undertaken is attached.

• Integrated assessment modeling
• Cost-Benefit analysis
• Joint Control Areas
• Integrated measures in agriculture to reduce emissions of ammonia
• Valuation of ecosystem damage DG-

ENV has established a dedicated web site linking to the EC4MACS impact assessment models. Inter alia, the EC4MACS Interim Assessment provided a recent assessment on the future fate of air pollution in Europe and the key determinats.