Javi LÓPEZ (S&D, ES), Rapporteur on speaks to the press on ambient air quality and cleaner air for Europe. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Strasbourg

air quality (T)

press conference

LÓPEZ, Javi (S&D, ES)

Press conference by Javi LÓPEZ (S&D, ES), Rapporteur on Ambient air quality and cleaner air for Europe

SOUNDBITE (Original), Javi L&Oacute;PEZ (S&amp;D, ES), rapporteur, Thank you very much for attending this press conference. We are going to explain what it means for the Europeans -and especially for the health of the Europeans- that we have approved a new directive on air quality. After 15, 20 years, without a review of the standards on pollution and air quality, Europe decided, after a long process of of discussion the last two years, to introduce a new regulation and new standards. And also, to have more tools for the enforcement of the directive and a better monitoring.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Javi LÓPEZ (S&D, ES), rapporteur, The main message is after 2030, the Europeans must have half of the air pollution in general terms. This will be not only after 2030. It will be a process because the new directive has flexibilities. We introduced flexibilities after the negotiations with the Council in the trilogue. But these flexibilities could be used only with safeguards and only if the local administrations, regional administrations and the member states apply the right policies to move in the right direction.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Javi LÓPEZ (S&D, ES), rapporteur, After this mandate when we've had the worst health crisis in one century, we are tackling with this new directive the worst environmental threat to the human health. And this is not me -nor even the NGOs and the civil society- who is sending this message. This is the European Agency on Environment. It's a factor in 300,000 premature deaths per year, directly or indirectly. We launched the message today, during the vote, that we had more than 6,000 kids under one year old that in the last ten years, directly related to air pollution. Air pollution is at the root of cancer, cardiovascular diseases, asthma, diabetes and a long list of health problems.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Javi LÓPEZ (S&D, ES), rapporteur, It's not only a debate about health. It is also a debate on the protection of our ecosystems. It's an economic debate, because obviously this pollution has an impact in the public budgets regarding the public services and the health care, obviously. And also a debate about climate justice, social justice and inequalities. Why? Because we are not all breathing the same air. This is an important point. We know that the neighbourhoods with low income always have worse air quality. This is affecting the quality of life, health and life expectancy.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Javi LÓPEZ (S&D, ES), rapporteur, We have a discussion on ecosystems, a discussion on health, discussion about inequalities and a discussion about our public budgets. The new directive introduces an automatic review every five years. This is really important. And thanks to the European Parliament: a review, that should take into account and work in line with the World Health Organisation guidelines. Then we expect to be honest that this will be the legal framework to improve air quality for the next 15, 20 years.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Javi LÓPEZ (S&D, ES), rapporteur, This is the potential of this new directive. Something that is also new: we have the principle of subsidiarity. We introduce standards, improving the monitoring. We have a regulation, about the enforcement. But every member state and obviously every local and regional authority can decide the kind of policy mix that they do to move in that direction. But with this directive in the annexe 6, we introduce a list of policies that are in line with these goals.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Javi LÓPEZ (S&D, ES), rapporteur, We need to change the model of our cities. And this means to have cleaner, healthier cities and sustainable cities. And this means, to change our vehicles and the electrification of our vehicles; to have more zones without cars, thinking on walking; to have more bike lines and roads in our cities; a clearer strategic goal on public transport, the use of trains and all kind of new models of mobility, that ensure a more sustainable model of cities.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Javi LÓPEZ (S&D, ES), rapporteur, We have introduced this because we know that we have also discussions on the low emission zones or zero emission zones that are clearly measured, that is in line with these new goals. Because we know that obviously on the local level we have discussions on these and legitimate discussions and on this kind of measures. And can be discussed where, how, when... like the size of this, the rhythm of this. But this is going on the right direction to protect the health of our citizens.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Javi LÓPEZ (S&D, ES), rapporteur, Finally, about the vote. You know, we got, strong majority, but not a consensus. 385 votes in favour and 225 votes against. We were able to build a majority with liberals, with Renew, the majority of this group, the S&D group, The Left, and the Greens; and some, a minority, of the delegations of the EPP group. To be honest, it's difficult to understand, the EPP here in the European Parliament, which always used as a flagship the fight against cancer. That is a legitimate and a good flagship. Then when we vote about this kind of regulations, they vote against, rejecting. It's difficult to understand it.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Javi LÓPEZ (S&D, ES), rapporteur, We had this majority. We got a good agreement with the Council after a lot of negotiations. I would want to thank, especially the Belgian presidency, because they made huge efforts to pass this bill, this new legal framework on this mandate. And I think it's good news for Europe that after this legislature, in which we had the worst health crisis. We are tackling and dealing with the most important environmental threat to human health. That is, air quality and the fight for cleaner air.