Council Directive 94/66/EC of 15 December 1994 amending Directive 88/609/EEC on the limitation of emissions of certain pollutants into the air from large combustion plants

COUNCIL DIRECTIVE 94/66/EC of 15 December 1994 amending Directive 88/609/EEC on the limitation of emissions of certain pollutants into the air from large combustion plants
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION
,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 130s (1) thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commisison (1),
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (2),
Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 189c of the Treaty (3),
Whereas the 1973 (4), 1977 (5), 1983 (6), 1987 (7) and 1993 (8) European Community action programmes on the environment stress the importance of the reduction and prevention of atmospheric pollution;
Whereas Directive 88/609/EEC (9) did not set limit values for SO2 for new plants with a rated thermal input of between 50 and 100 megawatts which use solid fuel; whereas, however, Annex III thereof states that the Council, on the basis of a report from  the Commission, shall set emission limit values for plants in this category;
Whereas, according to the Commission's report to the Council on the availability of low-sulphur fuel, the difficult situation which had delayed the setting of these limit values has now improved, thanks notably to the availability on the world market of  sufficient quantities of coal with a low sulphur content; whereas emissions from the combustion of this type of coal can be limited to 2 000 mg/Nm3 (*);
Whereas in view of the damage caused to the environment by atmospheric pollution, the emission limit values for plants with a rated thermal input of between 50 and 100 megawatts should be set at this level,