The 2013 Thematic Strategy on Air Pollution and the 2016 Directive on National Emission Ceilings

In its Thematic Strategy on Air Pollution, the European Commission's established objectives for the protection of human health and the environment from the adverse impacts of air pollution.

To identify the most appropriate means that would achieve these objectives, subsequently the European Commission conducted a comprehensive review of the interplay between its legislation on ambient air quality, source-oriented emission controls, and national emission ceilings. Conclusions were presented by the European Commission in its 2013 Clean Air Policy Package, including a proposal for a revised National Emission Ceilings Directive. Subsequently, the Commission proposal for such a directive has been negotiated between the European Parliament and the European Council representing all Member States, and a final agreement has been reached in 2016.

Throughout this process, IIASA's GAINS model served as the scientific backbone for the policy analyses that informed the negotiations. Following two series of bilateral consultations with national experts to agree on input data to the model, IIASA produced 17 policy reports and presented them to numerous stakeholder meetings and the European institutions.

In particular, IIASA produced the following reports, documentations and presentations:

• Input to the Stakeholder Expert Group meetings (TSAP policy reports (#1 - #6, 2011-2013) 
• Input to the Commissions  Clean Air Policy Package and the proposal on a revised National Emission Ceilings Directive (TSAP policy reports #7 - #11, 2011-2013)
• Further analyses on National Emission Ceilings for the European Commission (TSAP policy reports #12-13), the Council (TSAP policy reports #14 - #16) and the European Parliament (Special Report to the EU Parliament) (2014-2016)
• The implications of the final agreement have been analyzed in the 2018 Clean Air Outlook of the European Commission

Last edited: 14 June 2018