L 309/22 Official Journal of the European Communities 27.11.2001 DIRECTIVE 2001/81/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 23 October 2001 on national emission ceilings for certain atmospheric pollutants 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 (1), Having regard to the Opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (%), Having regard to the Opinion of the Committee of the Regions (?), Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 251 of the Treaty (%), in the light of the joint text approved by the Conciliation Committee on 2 August 2001, Whereas: (1)  The general approach and strategy of the Fifth Environmental Action Programme was approved by the Resolution of 1 February 1993 of the Council and the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States meeting within the Council on a Community programme of policy and action in relation to the environment and sustainable development (°) and it sets as objectives that critical loads and levels for acidification in the Community are not to be exceeded. The programme requires that all people should be effectively protected against health risks from air pollution and that permitted levels of pollution should take account of the protection of the environment. The programme also requires that guideline values from the World Health Organisation (WHO) should become mandatory at Community level. () The Member States have signed the Gothenburg Protocol of 1 December 1999 to the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Convention on long-range transboundary air pollution to abate acidification, eutrophication and ground-level ozone. () OJ C 56 E, 29.2.2000, p. 34. () 0J C 51, 23.2.2000, p. 11. () 0] C 317, 6.11.2000, p. 35. (*) Opinion of the European Parliament of 15 March 2000 (O] C 377, 29.12.2000, p. 159), Council Common Position of 7 November 2000 (O] C 375, 28.12.2000, p. 1) and Decision of the European Parliament of 14 March 2001 (not yet published in the Official Journal). Decision of the European Parliament of 20 September 2001 and Decision of the Council of 27 September 2001. () 0] C 138, 17.5.1993, p. 1. (3)  Decision No 2179/98/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 September 1998 on the review of the European Community programme of policy and action in relation to the environment and sustainable development ‘Towards sustainability’ (°) specified that particular attention should be given to developing and implementing a strategy with the goal of ensuring that critical loads, in relation to exposure to acidifying,  eutrophying and  photochemical  air pollutants, are not exceeded. (4 Council Directive 92/72[EEC of 21 September 1992 on air pollution by ozone () requires the Commission to submit to the Council a report on the evaluation of photochemical ~ pollution in  the Community, accompanied by any proposals the Commission deems appropriate on the control of air pollution by ground-level ozone and, if necessary, on reducing emissions of ozone precursors. (5)  Significant areas of the Community are exposed to depositions of acidifying and eutrophying substances at levels which have adverse effects on the environment. The WHO guideline values for the protection of human health and vegetation from photochemical pollution are substantially exceeded in all Member States. (6)  The exceedance of critical loads should therefore be gradually eliminated and guideline levels respected. (7) At present it is not technically feasible to meet the long-term objectives of eliminating the adverse effects of acidification and reducing exposure to ground-level ozone of man and the environment to the guideline values established by the WHO. It is therefore necessary to provide for interim environmental objectives for acidification and ground-level ozone pollution, on which the necessary measures to reduce such pollution are to be based. (8)  Interim environmental objectives and the measures to meet them should take account of technical feasibility and the associated costs and benefits. Such measures should ensure that any action taken is cost-effective for the Community as a whole and should take account of the need to avoid excessive costs for any individual Member State. () OJL 275,10.10.1998, p. 1. () OJ L 297, 13.10.1992, p. 1.