62021CJ0633_INF
Judgment of the Court (Tenth Chamber), 16 February 2023 –Commission v Greece (Limit values – ΝΟ2)
(Case C‑633/21) (
1
)
(Failure of a Member State to fulfil obligations – Environment – Directive 2008/50/EC – Ambient air quality – Article 13(1) and Annex XI – Systematic and persistent exceedance of the limit values for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in the agglomeration of Athens (Greece) – Article 23(1) – Annex XV – Exceedance period to be ‘as short as possible’ – Appropriate measures)
1.
Actions for failure to fulfil obligations – Subject matter of the dispute – Determination during the pre-litigation procedure – Consideration of events which took place after the delivery of the reasoned opinion – Conditions – Facts of the same kind and constituting the same conduct as those referred to originally
(Art. 258 TFEU)
(see paragraph 31)
2.
Environment – Atmospheric pollution – Ambient air quality – Directive 2008/50 – Limit values for the protection of human health – Systematic and persistent exceedance – Failure to fulfil obligations
(European Parliament and Council Directive 2008/50, Art. 13 and Annex XI)
(see paragraphs 33- 38, operative part 1)
3.
Environment – Atmospheric pollution – Ambient air quality – Directive 2008/50 – Limit values for the protection of human health – Nitrogen dioxide – Exceeded – Evaluation criteria – Exceedance of a limit value measured at a single sampling point – Whether permissible
(European Parliament and Council Directive 2008/50, Arts 13(1) and 23(1) and Annex XI)
(see paragraph 39)
4.
Environment – Atmospheric pollution – Ambient air quality – Directive 2008/50 – Limit values for the protection of human health – Nitrogen dioxide – Exceeded – Consequences – Obligation on the Member State to draw up a plan to remedy the infringement – Time limit – Failure to adopt appropriate and effective measures ensuring that the exceedance period is as short as possible – Failure to fulfil obligations
(European Parliament and Council Directive 2008/50, Arts 13(1) and 23(1), Annex XI and Annex XV, Section A)
(see paragraphs 54-68, operative part 1)
Operative part
The Court:
1.
Declares that:
–
by systematically and persistently exceeding, from 2010 to 2020 inclusive, the annual limit value for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in the agglomeration of Athens (EL 0003), the Hellenic Republic has failed to fulfil its obligations under the combined provisions of Article 13 of, and Annex XI to, 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, and
–
by failing to adopt, as from 11 June 2010, appropriate measures to ensure compliance with the annual limit value for ΝΟ2 in that agglomeration, the Hellenic Republic has failed to fulfil its obligations under Article 23(1) of Directive 2008/50, read in conjunction with Section A of Annex XV to that directive, and in particular the obligation to ensure that the air quality plans set out appropriate measures so that the exceedance period of that limit value can be kept as short as possible;
2.
Orders the Hellenic Republic to pay the costs.
(
1
)	OJ C 513, 20.12.2021.