The RCP has signed an open letter to EU leaders from 76 leading health and environment organisations calling for their support European Commission proposals to restrict pollutants under the new EU National Emissions Ceilings Directive (NEC).
The NEC Directive sets binding emission ceilings to be achieved by each member state and covers four air pollutants: sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, non-methane volatile organic compounds and ammonia.
There is concern that some Member States wish to water down the proposals in negotiations that start today. Signatories say that the changes “will cause approximately 16,000 additional early deaths in the EU each year.”
The RCP is joined by European health organisations including the European Respiratory Society, European Public Health Alliance, European COPD coalition and the European Health and Environment Alliance.