1. Introduction

1. Introduction

The Project MA 2 of the 1994-95 Work Programme of the European Environmental Agency (EEA 1994 a, b) entitled "Establishment and Maintenance of the European air quality monitoring network and data bases", has the following 6 sub projects:

MA 2-1: Review current database systems (APIS/GIRAFE) for air quality data and monitoring stations.

MA 2-2: Evaluate experience on EU exchange of information and other international air quality data collection.

MA 2-3: Report on maintenance and development of air quality data bases.

MA 2-4: Annually collect agreed air quality data and prepare report on data collected and overview of air quality state and trends in Europe.

MA 2-5: Following recommendations from MA 1, evaluate representativeness and quality of monitoring networks.

MA 2-6: Define in detail requirements for air quality monitoring at the European level.

MA 2-1, 2-2 and 2-3 concerns databases, the evaluation of current ones and current collection and exchange of data, and the recommended development of improved air quality data bases and data collection and exchange.

MA 2-5 and 2-6 concerns representativity of monitoring sites and networks and recommended requirements to European-wide air quality monitoring networks and systems.

In between these activities of the MA 2 project, in MA 2-4 available data are actually to be collected and summarised, to report an annual overview of the state and trends of air quality in Europe. From the MA 2-4 experiences, recommendations can be made, based on the extent, quality and overview of the data, regarding the improvement of the European-wide air quality monitoring systems and the data collection and exchange process.