EU citizens have the right to sue the government if the air is too polluted

The Eiffel Tower is blurred in the dusty air. Photo taken in September 2016, when Paris (France) experienced the worst air pollution in a decade – Photo: REUTERS

This announcement was made by the attorney general, senior adviser Juliane Kokott at the European Court of Justice (ECJ) based in Luxembourg on May 5. Accordingly, bAny citizen of any country in the European Union (EU), especially in 10 countries (including France, Poland, Italy, Romania…) is assessed as low air pollution level. important, can sue the government for compensation.

“Violation of air quality protection limits under EU law may give rise to a right to state compensation,” said attorney general, senior adviser Juliane Kokott.

Ms. Juliane Kokott also noted that communities in poorer countries often live and work in highly polluted areas and are particularly in need of judicial protection.

Claimants need to prove that their health damage was directly caused by air pollution. Governments can also avoid liability if they can prove pollution limits are “safe”.

Irmina Kotiuk, a lawyer at environmental charity ClientEarth (UK), said that legal confirmation that there are routes for those in charge of national governance to be held accountable for environmental problems is a step. major breakthrough in the fight for clean and healthy air.

This statement was made in the context of European public opinion currently very concerned about the case of a Parisian who asked the French Government to pay nearly 22 million USD in compensation on the grounds that air pollution harms his health. We and the government do not guarantee compliance with the EU limits.

A court in Versailles that is hearing this dispute has asked the EU court to clarify whether individuals can claim such compensation.

Paris has a bad reputation for air quality. The so-called romantic city of lights violated EU legal limits on nitrogen dioxide pollution from 2010 to 2020.

In a bid to reduce premature deaths linked to dirty air, the EU will propose upgrading its pollution limits this year to better align with stricter World Health Organization regulations. .

Air pollution is a matter of great concern in recent decades. Air quality has a direct impact on human health, and is also the cause of a wide range of respiratory diseases, eyesight…