EU tackles France over air quality

FRANCE is facing legal action from the European Commission for failing to respect rules on air quality.

The commission found particle emissions were above the legal EU limits in 14 major towns and cities, with Paris, Marseille and Lyon the worst offenders.

"France has not taken effective measures to remedy the problem of excessive particle emissions," the commission said in a statement.

The places found to be above the legal limit are: Marseille, Toulon, Avignon, Paris, Valenciennes, Dunkirk, Lille, Nice (and the Alpes-Maritimes coast), Grenoble, Montbéliard-Belfort, Lyon (and the Rhône-Alpes region), Bordeaux, Strasbourg and Paris.

France had asked for an extension to apply the rules, but this was refused except in Strasbourg. It will now be asked to explain itself at the European Court of Justice.

An EU directive in 2005 has required member states to take action to limit the concentration of PM10 particles in the air - fine particles from industrial emissions, household heating and car fumes that cause breathing problems.

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