Directive 2008/50/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 May 2008 on ambient air quality and cleaner air for Europe entered into force on 11 June 2008. For the full text of the Directive, please see:

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2008:152:0001:0044:EN:PDF

For a detailed analysis of the implications of this Directive please see a News Release published by the Campaign for Clean Air in London on 12 December 2007:

http://www.cleanairinlondon.org/blog/_archives/2008/3/29/3609593.html

Simon Birkett, Principal Contact for the Campaign for Clean Air in London, said "The new European Union Directive on air quality sets a robust framework to move Europe towards meeting World Health Organisation (WHO) recommended standards of air quality.

"The Directive would not be needed if the UK Government had shown the political will necessary to achieve, on its own, WHO recommended air quality standards and comply with earlier, similar, Directives going back to 1999.

"With the Government in 'denial' about the UK's serious air quality problems, Londoners and others will depend on the European Commission enforcing rigorously the new air quality laws.

"London will depend too on Mayor Johnson showing soon how he will improve urgently London's air quality."