EC urges Romania to ensure air quality monitoring

The European Commission sent a letter of formal notice to Romania over significant gaps in monitoring air pollution, EC announced yesterday. Air pollution causes more than 25,000 premature deaths per year in Romania. “Romania has failed to establish a monitoring network compliant with EU standards and requirements to effectively assess and improve air quality,” according to EC. The warning covers the monitoring network of various zones and agglomerations as well as all major pollutants. EU law on ambient air quality requires member states to assess air quality in their territory and to take measures to limit the exposure of citizens to pollutants. Romania has big problems in complying with EU legislation on environment. Earlier this year, the European Commission decided to take Romania to court for failing to review and adopt its national waste management plan and waste prevention program. Bucharest among top three Romanian cities with poor air quality editor@romania-insider.com