Article 5

Particulate matter 1. Member States shall take the measures necessary to ensure that concentrations of PM10 in ambient air, as assessed in accordance with Article 7, do not exceed the limit values laid down in Section I of Annex III as from the dates specified therein. The margins of tolerance laid down in Section I of Annex III shall apply in accordance with Article 8 of Directive 96/62/EC. 2. Member States shall ensure that measuring stations to supply data on concentrations of PM2,5 are installed and operated. Each Member State shall choose the number and the siting of the stations at which PM2,5 is to be measured as representative of concentrations of PM2,5 within that Member State. Where possible sampling points for PM2,5 shall be co-located with sampling points for PM10. Within nine months of the end of each year Member States shall send the Commission the arithmetic mean, the median, the ninety-eighth percentile and the maximum concentration calculated from measurements of PM2,5 over any twenty-four hours within that year. The ninety-eighth percentile shall be calculated in accordance with the procedure laid down in Section 4 of Annex I to Council Decision 97/101/EC of 27 January 1997 establishing a reciprocal exchange of information and data from networks and individual stations measuring ambient air pollution within the Member States(6). 3. Action plans for PM10 prepared in accordance with Article 8 of Directive 96/62/EC and general strategies for decreasing concentrations of PM10 shall also aim to reduce concentrations of PM2,5. 4. Where the limit values for PM10 laid down in Section I of Annex III are exceeded owing to concentrations of PM10 in ambient air due to natural events which result in concentrations significantly in excess of normal background levels from natural sources, Member States shall inform the Commission in accordance with Article 11(1) of Directive 96/62/EC, providing the necessary justification to demonstrate that such exceedances are due to natural events. In such cases, Member States shall be obliged to implement action plans in accordance with Article 8(3) of Directive 96/62/EC only where the limit values laid down in Section I of Annex III are exceeded owing to causes other than natural events. 5. Member States may designate zones or agglomerations within which limit values for PM10 as laid down in Section I of Annex III are exceeded owing to concentrations of PM10 in ambient air due to the resuspension of particulates following the winter sanding of roads. Member States shall send the Commission lists of any such zones or agglomerations together with information on concentrations and sources of PM10 therein. When informing the Commission in accordance with Article 11(1) of Directive 96/62/EC, Member States shall provide the necessary justification to demonstrate that any exceedances are due to such resuspended particulates, and that reasonable measures have been taken to lower the concentrations. Within such zones or agglomerations Member States shall be obliged to implement action plans in accordance with Article 8(3) of Directive 96/62/EC only where the limit values laid down in Section I of Annex III are exceeded owing to PM10 levels other than those caused by winter road sanding.

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Source: EUR-Lex (Cellar) · retrieved 2026-10-12 · Text as adopted (Official Journal); later amendments are not incorporated in this text.