L67/14 Official Journal of the European Communities 9.3.2002 DIRECTIVE 2002/3/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 12 February 2002 relating to ozone in ambient air 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 Economic and Social Committee (%), Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions (3), Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 251 of the Treaty (¥), in light of the joint text approved by the Conciliation Committee on 10 December 2001, Whereas: (1) On the basis of principles enshrined in Article 174 of the Treaty, the Fifth Environmental Action Programme, approved by the Resolution of the Council and the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States meeting within the Council of 1 February 1993 on a European Community programme of policy and action in relation to the environment and sustainable development (°) and supplemented by Decision No 2179/98/EC (°) envisages, in particular, amendments to existing legislation on air pollutants. The said programme recommends the establishment of long-term air quality objectives. (2)  Pursuant to Article 4(5) of Council Directive 96/62/EC of 27 September 1996 on ambient air quality assess- ment and management (7), the Council is to adopt the legislation provided for in paragraph 1 and the provi- sions laid down in paragraphs 3 and 4 of that Article. (3) It is important to ensure effective protection against harmful effects on human health from exposure to ozone. The adverse effects of ozone on vegetation, ecosystems and the environment as a whole should be reduced, as far as possible. The transboundary nature of ozone pollution requires measures to be taken at Community level. () O] E, 29.2.2000, p. 40, and O] (3 O] 0] Op 56 29 E, 30.1.2001, p. 291. 51, 23.2.2000, p. 11. 317, 6.11.2000, p. 35. inion of the European Parliament of 15 March 2000 (O] C 377, 29.12.2000, p. 154), Council Common Position of 8 March 2001 (O] C 126, 26.4.2001, p. 1) and Decision of the European Parlia- ment of 13 June 2001 (not yet published in the Official Journal). Decision of the European Parliament of 17 January 2002 and Deci- sion of the Council of 19 December 2001. () O] C 138, 17.5.1993, p. 1. (9 O L 275, 10.10.1998, p. 1. () O] L 296, 21.11.1996, p. 55. C C C ()9 C (4)  Directive 96/62/EC provides that numerical thresholds are to be based on the findings of work carried out by international scientific groups active in the field. The Commission is to take account of the most recent scientific research data in the epidemiological and envir- onmental fields concerned and of the most recent advances in metrology with a view to re-examining the elements on which such thresholds are based. (5)  Directive 96/62[EC requires limit and/or target values to be set for ozone. In view of the transboundary nature of ozone pollution, target values should be set at Community level for the protection of human health and for the protection of vegetation. Those target values should relate to the interim objectives derived from the Community integrated strategy to combat acidification and ground-level ozone, which also form the basis of Directive 2001/81/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2001 on national emission ceilings for certain atmospheric pollutants (%). (6) In accordance with Directive 96/62[EC, plans and programmes should be implemented in respect of zones and agglomerations within which ozone concentrations exceed target values in order to ensure that target values are met as far as possible by the date specified. Such plans and programmes should to a large extent refer to control measures to be implemented in accordance with relevant Community legislation. (7)  Long-term objectives should be set with the aim of providing effective protection of human health and the environment. Long-term objectives should relate to the ozone and acidification abatement strategy and its aim of closing the gap between current ozone levels and the long-term objectives. (8)  Measurements should be mandatory in zones with exceedances of the long-term objectives. Supplementary means of assessment may reduce the required number of fixed sampling points. (9)  An alert threshold for ozone should be set for the protection of the general population. An information threshold should be set to protect sensitive sections of the population. Up-to-date information on concentra- tions of ozone in ambient air should be routinely made available to the public. (% OJ L 309, 27.11.2001, p. 22.