No C 254/6 Official Journal of the European Communities 30. 9. 88 
Proposal for a Council Regulation (EEC) amending Article 4 of Council Regulation (EEC) No 
428/87 of 9 February 1987 
COM(88) 487 final 
(Submitted by the Commission on 16 September 1988) 
(88/C 254/07) 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European 
Economic Community, and in particular Article 235 
thereof, 
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, 
Having regard to the opinion of Parliament, 
Whereas by Council Regulation (EEC) No .. 788 
Burma has been added to the countries eligible under the 
system of compensation for loss of export earnings for 
least-developed countries not signatory to the third 
ACP-EEC Convention; 
Whereas, because of the considerable rise in the fore­
seeable cost of the system as a result of the decision to 
include Burma amongst the beneficiaries, the 
Commission proposes that the Council amend Article 4 
of Council Regulation (EEC) No 428/87 concerning the 
estimated budgetary cost, without prejudice to the application of Article 5 of that Regulation in respect of 
budgetary procedure, 
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: 
Article 1 
Article 4 of Regulation (EEC) No 428/87 is hereby 
amended as follows: 
'The estimated budgetary cost of implementing the 
system pursuant to Article 1 should not exceed 65 
million ECU for the five-year period from the 
financial year 1987 to the financial year 1991.' 
Article 2 
This Regulation shall enter into force on the third day 
following that of its publication in the Official Journal of 
the European Communities. 
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and 
directly applicable in all Member States. 
Proposal for a Council Directive amending Directive 80/779/EEC on air quality limit values 
and guide values for sulphur dioxide and suspended particulates 
COM(88) 436 final 
(Submitted by the Commission on 20 September 1988) 
(88/C 254/08) 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European 
Economic Community, and in particular Article 130s 
thereof, 
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, 
Having regard to the opinion of the European 
Parliament, 
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and 
Social Committee, 
Whereas the European Communities' 1973 (»), 1977 (2), 
1983 (3) and 1987 (4) action programmes on the en-
(') OJ No C 112, 20. 12. 1973, p. 1. 
(2) OJ No C 139, 13. 6. 1977, p. 1. 
(J) OJ No C 46, 17. 2. 1983, p. 1. 
(4) OJ No C 328, 7. 12. 1987, p. 1. vironment put the accent on harmonization of the action 
taken to protect the environment and on the need to 
reduce the concentrations of the principal pollutants in 
the air to levels considered acceptable for protecting 
sensitive ecosystems; 
Whereas Council Directive 80/779/EEC (*), as last 
amended by the Act of Accession of Spain and Portugal, 
offers a choice between two methods of sampling and 
analysis and two sets of associated limit values; 
Whereas Article 10 (4) of the abovementioned Directive 
requires the submission between July 1987 an July 1988 
of proposals on this parallel application of two different 
sets of measurement methods and limit values; 
(*) OJ No L 229, 30. 8. 1980, p. 30. 
30. 9. 88 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 254/7 
Whereas these proposals must take account of the results 
of the parallel measurements referred to in Article 10 (3) 
and of the need to avoid discriminatory provisions; 
Whereas the results of the parallel measurements have 
demonstrated that the limit values set out in Annex I and 
Annex IV are not of corresponding stringency; 
Whereas some Member States apply the limit values in 
Annex I and others those in Annex IV; 
Whereas this has led to the use of different methods of 
sampling which are difficult to compare; 
Whereas it is essential to harmonize the measurement 
methods; whereas, therefore, a reference method for the 
sampling and analysis of suspended particulates in the air 
must be defined, developed and finalized; 
Whereas the Member States have taken measures to 
observe the limit values in the exempted zones as soon as 
possible and by 1 April 1993 at the latest; 
Whereas these measures are based on one or other of the 
two measurement methods and associated values laid 
down by Directive 80/779/EEC; 
Whereas the dual approach for measuring suspended 
particulates in the air causes discrimination between 
Member States; 
Whereas a two-stage review is needed to draft proposals 
to avoid this dual approach without calling into question 
completion of the measures already taken by the 
Member States to observe the limit values; 
Whereas these amendments must be taken into account 
in the obligations imposed by Article 3 on Member 
States applying Annex IV, 
HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE: 
Article 1 
Directive 80/779/EEC is hereby amended as follows: 
1. Article 10 (3) and (4) are replaced by the following: 
'3. Notwithstanding Article 3, Member States 
which decide to avail themselves of the provisions of 
paragraph 2 shall: — inform the Commission before 1 January 1990 of 
any zones where they consider that there is a 
likelihood that the concentrations of sulphur 
dioxide and suspended particulates in the air 
might exceed the limit values set out in Annex IV 
after 1 January 1990, 
— forward to the Commission, as from 1 April 1990, 
plans for the progressive improvement of air 
quality in those zones. These plans, drawn up on 
the basis of relevant information on the nature, 
origin and development of the pollution, shall 
describe in particular the measures taken or to be 
taken and the procedures implemented or to be 
implemented by the Member States concerned. 
These measures and procedures must bring the 
concentrations of sulphur dioxide and suspended 
particulates in the air in these zones to values 
below or equal to the limit values set out in Annex 
IV as soon as possible and by 1 April 1993 at the 
latest. 
4. To overcome the disadvantages of the dual 
approach currently laid down in Annexes I and IV, by 
31 December 1992 the Commission shall submit to 
the Council a proposal for a general review of this 
Directive, which shall take account of the experience 
acquired from the studies referred to in paragraph 5 
and of the results of subsequent measurements taken 
using a reference method for suspended particulates; 
this method must be finalized by the Commission by 
31 December 1990. 
This proposal may also cover any other aspects in 
need of review in the light of scientific knowledge 
and of the experience acquired over the period of 
application of this Directive.' 
2. Annex IV is amended as set out in the Annex to this 
Directive. 
Article 2 
1. Member States shall bring into force the laws, 
regulations and administrative provisions necessary to 
comply with this Directive not later than 1 October 1989 
and shall forthwith inform the Commission thereof. 
2. Member States shall communicate to the 
Commission the texts of the provisions of national law 
which they adopt in the field covered by this Directive. 
Article 3 
This Directive is addressed to the Member States. 
No C 254/8 Official Journal of the European Communities 30. 9. 88 
1. Table A is replaced by the following: ANNEX 
TABLE A 
Limit values for sulphur dioxide expressed in |i.g/m3, and associated values for suspended particulates 
expressed in u.g/m3 
Reference period 
Year 
Winter 
(1 October to 31 March) 
Year 
(made up of units of 
measuring periods of 24 
hours) Limit value for sulphur dioxide 
80 
(median of daily mean values 
taken throughout the year) 
120 
(median of daily mean values 
taken throughout the year) 
130 
(median of daily mean values 
taken throughout the winter) 
180 
(median of daily mean values 
taken throughout the winter) 
250 O 
(98the percentile of all daily mean 
values taken throughout the 
year) 
350 (') 
(98th percentile of all daily mean 
values taken throughout the 
year) Associated value for 
suspended particulates 
> 150 
(median of daily mean values 
taken throughout the year) 
< 150 
(median of daily mean values 
taken throughout the year) 
> 200 
(median of daily mean values 
taken throughout the winter) 
< 200 
(median of daily mean values 
taken throughout the winter) 
> 350 
(95th percentile of all daily mean 
values taken throughout the year) 
< 350 
(95th percentile of all daily mean 
values taken throughout the year) 
(') Member States must take all appropriate steps to ensure that this value is not exceeded for more than three 
consecutive days. Moreover, Member States must endeavour to prevent and to reduce any such instances in which 
this value has been exceeded.' 
2. The text of the first indent of paragraph (i) is replaced by the following: 
'The reference method in Annex III A.'