National Emissions Ceiling Directive

The National Emission Ceilings Directive (NECD) sets ceilings for the emissions of four key pollutants:

  • Sulphur Dioxide (SO2);
  • Oxides of Nitrogen (NOx);
  • Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs);
  • Ammonia (NH3);

The purpose of the directive is to combat damage from acidification, eutrophication and the formation of ground-level ozone.   

The Directive 2001/81/EC of the European Parliament and the Council on National Emission Ceilings Directive (NECD) set upper limits for the total emissions in 2010 of the aforementioned pollutants. Member States, while required to meet these limit values, are permitted to achieve the targets through national measures. 

The NECD establishes national emission ceilings (ktonne/year) for Member States to achieve by 2010. Since particulate matter (PM2.5) has been added to the list of pollutants in the 2006 review, it will be probably be included in the NECD after 2010. It is estimated that delivering these targets will save about 1.71 million life years from exposure to particulate matter, will reduce mortalities from exposure to ground level ozone and will reduce the threat to the natural environment from both acidification and eutrophication by 55% from what is technically possible. To achieve this improvement on 2000 emissions:

  • SO2 emissions will need to decrease by about 82%;
  • NOx emissions by about 60%;
  • VOCs by about 51%;
  • Ammonia by about 27%.

The upper limit for total emissions for the UK by 2010 are:

  • SO2 – 585 Kilotonnes;
  • NOx – 1167 Kilotonnes;
  • VOC – 1200 Kilotonnes;
  • NH3 – 297 Kilotonnes;

Since the pollutants are transboundary (i.e. they are transported in large quantities across Europe), Member States must tackle these pollutants together. The NECD is currently being reviewed to produce new emissions ceilings targets for 2020. The revised targets are due to be delivered during early 2010. As soon as these are made available SEPA will update this webpage.