(fra kommisjonsbeslutningen)

(1) Directive (EU) 2024/2881 establishes air quality standards and air quality monitoring and reporting in order to ensure a high level of protection for human health and the environment. 

(2) Considering the advances in air quality modelling over the last decades, Directive (EU) 2024/2881 provides for a more prominent role for air quality modelling, including in relation to air quality assessment and determining the spatial representativeness of sampling points. 

(3) The Commission is to set out rules concerning the technical details for modelling applications used, on one hand, for the determination of the spatial representativeness of sampling points and, on the other hand, for air quality assessment. In order to reflect current knowledge and good practices on air quality assessment and on determining the spatial representativeness of sampling points as provided in the technical support document on the use of modelling for various application domains under Directive (EU) 2024/2881, it is appropriate to set out such rules in the form of minimal technical requirements for the use of modelling applications, as well as minimum quality assurance criteria and validation principles for modelling applications used for air quality assessment and for determining the spatial representativeness of sampling points. 

(4) Points D.2, D.9 and D.10 of Annex IV to Directive (EU) 2024/2881 require Member States to publish information on the spatial representativeness of all sampling points at least every five years. Furthermore, Point B.2(i) of Annex IV to Directive (EU) 2024/2881 requires Member States to clearly define the area which each sampling point is representative of in the zones where the level of air pollutants is above the assessment threshold. The assessment of spatial representativeness of sampling points is to be used in various situations as laid down in Article 8(5) and (6), Article 9(7), and Point B.2(i) of Annex IV to Directive (EU) 2024/2881. In order to ensure that the spatial representativeness of sampling points is determined in a comparable manner across Member States, it is appropriate to provide technical details on how to perform the spatial representativeness assessment. Therefore, it is necessary to set out the methods and the criteria for assessing the spatial representativeness of sampling points and to establish a step-by-step methodology for this assessment via measurements and modelling applications. Furthermore, in order to understand to which extent a zone or an alternative geographical area is covered by the different areas of representativeness determined for sampling points, it is necessary to set out the methodology for producing a spatial representativeness area map.

(5) Articles 8 and 23 of Directive (EU) 2024/2881 require Member States to undertake air quality assessments and to report the findings of those assessments to the Commission on an annual basis. To that end, Member States are allowed to use different methods, namely fixed measurements, indicative measurements, modelling applications, and objective estimations. This Decision complements the requirements set out in Directive (EU) 2024/2881 without prejudice to the provisions already contained therein. 

(6) In point A of Annex V to Directive (EU) 2024/2881, it is recognised that the use of modelling applications and indicative measurements leads to higher uncertainty than fixed measurements. Therefore, it is appropriate to set out rules on how results from modelling applications and indicative measurements are to be taken into account when assessing air quality with respect to the limit and target values and how potential exceedances that are identified by those assessment methods can be verified. It is also necessary to provide rules on how Member States are to use modelling results to provide information on the spatial distribution of air pollutants concentrations, to identify potential hotspots in the zone, and to provide information on the area of exceedance calculated by modelling applications.

(7) In order to allow Member States sufficient time to adapt to the technical requirements laid down in this Decision, its application should be deferred. Article 8(3) of Directive (EU) 2024/2881 foresees a period of two years from the date of adoption for the use of modelling applications or indicative measurements in addition to fixed measurements to assess the ambient air quality in all zones where the level of pollutants exceeds a relevant limit or target value. This period is also considered appropriate and proportionate in view of the administrative and technical adjustments required for the other requirements set out in this Decision. 

(8) The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Ambient Air Quality Committee,