The European Union: Its Compliance and Activities within the Fields of Outdoor and Indoor Air Quality

Abstract

For historic reasons, outdoor and indoor air quality have been regulated with a different intensity at the European level. This paper seeks to look at the overall issues of air quality regulation and to provide a contrast for the analysis of indoor air regulation. When the Community was founded, it did not even mention the environment among its goals, these were mainly economic and political. Only in the 1970s did the situation begin to change. There was a new awareness about environmental problems such as pollution and concern about air quality in general. The Single European Act and later the Treaty of Maas tricht gave specific legal bases to the Commission to enable it to legislate in this area, and its activity has increased over the years. A large number of direc tives have been issued proposing limits for certain compounds such as lead and nitrogen dioxide. Legislation at the European level has also dealt with the problem of pollution caused by exhaust fumes from cars and by industrial plants. Under its environmental policy the Commission has not directly tack led the problem of indoor air quality, with one exception which is the work place. In order to protect workers and their health, various directives have been issued by the Commission, referring to the social provisions of the Trea ty. Overall, however, indoor air quality regulation is still left to national Mem ber States. This paper analyses this development in terms of the historical coverage of outdoor air regulation and tries to predict the developments that might occur in indoor air regulation. The view is taken that while some general aspects of air quality should be regulated by the European Union, it is still felt that the detailed regulation of this area should be left to Member States.