Germany, the UK, France, Italy, Romania and Hungary have been sent to Europe’s top court for their consistent failure to tackle toxic air pollution. The six governments will face judges in Luxembourg after the Commission finally lost patience after years of air quality breaches.

EEB Air Quality Policy Officer Margherita Tolotto welcomed the news:

“European air quality laws are being broken on a continental scale. Everyone in Europe has the same right to clean air, and when national governments fail to deliver EU protections, it’s right that the European Commission steps in to protect us from the air we breathe. Today’s announcement should surprise no one, the countries being sent to court have had too many final warnings.

“We now need to understand why some governments but not others have been sent to court today. Citizens deserve to know what is being done to protect them from polluted air. The process behind these infringement actions should be far more transparent.”

The European Environmental Bureau (EEB) is Europe’s largest network of environmental citizens’ organisations with around 140 organisations in more than 30 countries.

Read more:

Commission PR: Air quality: Commission takes action to protect citizens from air pollution

EEB Press Release: National air pollution plans ‘too little too late’ to avoid court.