L 28536 Official Journal of the European Union 31.10.2009 DIRECTIVE 2009/126/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 21 October 2009 on Stage II petrol vapour recovery during refuelling of motor vehicles at service stations THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 175(1) thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee ('), After consulting the Committee of the Regions, Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 251 of the Treaty (), Whereas: (1) Decision No 1600/2002/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 July 2002 laying down the Sixth Community Environment Action Programme (°) established the need to reduce air pollution to levels which minimise harmful effects on human health and the environment. (2)  The Geneva Protocol on the control of emissions of volatile organic compounds or their transboundary fluxes sets emission reduction targets for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and the Gothenburg Protocol to abate acidification, eutrophication and ground-level ozone (*) sets emission ceilings for four pollutants — sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, VOCs and ammonia — and requires best available techniques to be used to keep emissions down. (3)  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 (°) lays down air quality objectives (") Opinion of 13 May 2009 (not yet published in the Official Journal). (%) Opinion of the European Parliament of 5 May 2009 (not yet published in the Official Journal) and Council Decision of 24 September 2009. () OJ L 242, 10.9.2002, p. 1. (4 OJ L 179, 17.7.2003, p. 3. () O] L 152, 11.6.2008, p. 1. for ground-level ozone and benzene and Directive 2001/81/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2001 on national emission ceilings for certain atmospheric pollutants (°) lays down national emission ceilings for VOCs which contribute to the formation of ground-level ozone. Emissions of VOCs, including petrol vapour, in one Member State can contribute to air quality problems in other Member States. Ozone is also a greenhouse gas and contributes to atmospheric warming and climate change. Directive 94/63/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 December 1994 on the control of volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions resulting from the storage of petrol and its distribution from terminals to service stations (7) (Stage I petrol vapour recovery) aims to recover petrol vapour emitted from the storage and distribution of petrol between oil terminals and service stations. Petrol vapour is also emitted during the refuelling of motor vehicles at service stations and should be recovered in a manner consistent with the provisions of Directive 94/63/EC. Various Community instruments have been developed and implemented to limit VOC emissions. However, further action is necessary to achieve the objectives for health and the environment established in the Sixth Community Environmental Action Programme and Directive 2001/81/EC. With a view to reducing lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions from road transport fuels, Directive 98/70/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 October 1998 relating to the quality of petrol and diesel fuels () will, from 1 January 2011, permit the placing on the market of petrol containing a larger proportion of biofuel components than was previously the case. This may lead to an increase in VOC emissions, because of the possibility for Member States to implement limited derogations from the vapour pressure requirements of that Directive. 309, 27.11.2001, p. 22. 0] L 0] L 365, 31.12.1994, p. 24. 0J L 350, 28.12.1998, p. 58.