Brussels has been ordered to install more air-quality measuring stations along its most polluted roadways within six months or face penalties, according to the ClientEarth non-profit association.
The ruling, issued on Friday by the court of first instance, came in response to a suit against the Region for non-compliance with European air-quality standards filed by ClientEarth.
"The Court found that the Brussels Regional Government violated European Union law by not monitoring and not correctly protecting its citizens’ health against harmful air pollution levels,” ClientEarth said on Friday evening.
“The Brussels regional authorities have thus been ordered to take measures immediately to solve the problem,” the non-profit association said. “They have been instructed to install one or many air-quality measuring stations along the most polluted roads on their territory within the next six months or face penalties.”
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"The Court clearly indicated that citizens have the right to take legal action to contest the way the authorities monitor pollution and that the current surveillance network does not manage to assess real air pollution levels in the city,” ClientEarth added.
The Court also confirmed that there was no official air sampling station along certain roadways, particularly along the “small beltway” comprising the Rue de la Loi and the E40 between Avenue Reyers and the border of the Flemish Region, ClientEarth noted.
The Brussels Times
