Environment minister asks EU for more time to implement clean air measures

Germany’s environment minister Barbara Hendricks has asked the EU Commission for more time to implement binding legislation for ensuring better air quality in inner cities, Zeit Online reports. At a meeting in Brussels, Hendricks said Germany would improve the air quality in the 20 most affected cities by 2020, admitting that “we’re not where we wanted to be” in lowering pollution from car emissions and other sources. “The emergency programme for clean air will bring about improvements,” Hendricks said. EU environment commissioner Karmenu Vella doubted that the measures planned by Germany will be sufficient. “Air pollution limit values will continue to be violated,” Vella said. The EU Commission has threatened to sue states who fail to comply with air quality standards.

Find the article in German here.