The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) has joined a coalition of 17 European health organisations in signing a letter to EU Environment and Health Ministers, ahead of a key EU Council meeting to discuss revision of the National Emission Ceilings (NEC) Directive on December 16.
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. The 17 organisations emphasise the need to protect human health by strengthening the directive’s requirements rather than weakening them in the face of lobbying by specific interests and groups.
The RCP is joined by leading European health organisations including the European Respiratory Society, European Public Health Alliance, European COPD coalition and the European Health and Environment Alliance.
