Romania allots EUR 7.1 mln for air quality projects

Romania will allot this year RON 13 million (EUR 2.8 million) for developing the national network for monitoring air quality and RON 20 million (EUR 4.2 million) for reducing the impact on the atmosphere, water and soil, including monitoring air quality, according to the draft budget of the Environment Fund, an entity under the Environment Ministry’s authority. The European Commission asked Romania and eight other EU countries to take urgent steps in reducing air pollution or face infringement. In June 2017, the European Commission sent Romania a letter of formal notice on the significant deficiencies in monitoring air quality. Air pollution poses a significant risk for public health, causing over 25,000 premature deaths each year in Romania, according to the European Commission. EU countries are obliged to assess air quality and limit their citizens’ exposure to air pollution but in 23 of the 28 member states air pollution is still higher than EU standards. editor@romania-insider.com