Air pollution in Europe — 2026 reporting status under the National Emission reduction Commitments Directive

Progress towards emission reduction commitments

The NEC Directive establishes obligations to reduce national emissions of five main air pollutants (EU, 2016): NH₃, NMVOCs, NO_X, PM_2.5 and SO₂. The current reduction obligations apply from 2020 to 2029, while stricter obligations will apply from 2030 onwards.

The analysis presented in this briefing is based on the latest air pollutant emission inventory data, up to and including 2024, as reported by Member States in 2026. Member States have reported annual emissions since 1990; particulate matter emissions have been reported since 2000.

Status of 2020-2029 emission reduction commitments under the NEC Directive

In 2026, Member States reported data for 2024. These data indicate that 21 Member States met the emission reduction commitments set for 2020-2029 for all five main air pollutants (Figure 1). This indicates continued progress in meeting the obligations set out in the NEC Directive. Meanwhile, six Member States failed to meet their emission reduction commitments for at least one of the five main air pollutants. Reducing NH₃ emissions continues to be the most common challenge for Member States.

Figure 1. Number of Member States meeting and not meeting their 2020-2029 national emission reduction commitments for each of the five main air pollutants in 2024.

Efforts needed to meet national emission reduction commitments for 2020-2029

Based on emission data for 2024, four Member States (Hungary, Latvia, Portugal and Sweden) did not meet their national emission reduction commitments for NH₃ (Table 1). Since 2005, in many Member States, NH₃ emissions have decreased only slightly; in some cases they have increased.

This highlights the need for more targeted national measures to address NH₃ emissions from the agriculture sector since this is the main source of NH₃ emissions in the EU. Agricultural practices aiming to reduce NH₃ emissions include:

• improving how and when fertiliser is applied;
• improving manure management practices;
• optimising livestock diets.

Two Member States (Cyprus and Lithuania) did not meet their national emission reduction commitments for NO_X (Table 1). This points to the need for further measures and effort. It is worth noting that road transport is a key source of NO_X.

For PM_2.5, NMVOCs and SO₂ all but one Member States met their 2020-2029 national emission reduction commitments based on emission data for 2024 (Table 1). Cyprus still needs to significantly reduce its SO₂ emissions to meet the reduction commitment. The main sources of SO₂ in Cyprus are energy supply and manufacturing. Further reductions are also needed in PM_2.5 emissions as well as in NMVOC emissions in Cyprus. The main sectors for PM_2.5 emissions are transport as well as the manufacturing and extractive industries. For NMVOCs the main sectors are the manufacturing and extractive industries alongside agriculture.

Table 1. Magnitude of emission reductions required by EU Member States to meet their commitments for 2020-2029

Progress towards the 2030 emission reduction commitments under the NEC Directive

Stricter commitments will enter into force in 2030. In this context, Member States need to do more to achieve their national emission reduction commitments for 2030 and beyond. Based on 2024 data, 21 Member States need to further reduce emissions of at least one pollutant to fulfil their 2030 commitments (Figure 2).

The distance to the targets is significant for several Member States, thus calling for more decisive effort. NO_X is the pollutant for which most Member States need to make additional efforts to meet their 2030 reduction commitments. PM_2.5 reduction commitments are also challenging and steep reductions are required in some Member States for them to meet their targets. Likewise, NH₃ emissions will need to be significantly reduced in several Member States.

Six Member States (Belgium, Estonia, Finland, Greece, the Netherlands and Slovakia) have already met all their reduction commitments for 2030. Despite these achievements, further measures may well be needed to avoid increases in emissions that could risk reversing this progress. 

Figure 2. Number of Member States meeting and not yet meeting their national emission reduction commitments for the five main air pollutants for 2030 and beyond

Efforts needed to meet national emission reduction commitments for 2030

NH₃

For NH₃ emissions, 13 Member States had already met their more stringent 2030 emission reduction commitments in 2024 (Table 2). However, more than half the Member States still need to reduce NH₃ emissions to meet their 2030 commitments. Agriculture is the main sector contributing to NH₃ emissions. As such, it is crucial to implement good agricultural practices to reduce NH₃ emissions from intensive livestock farming, manure and slurry management as well as the application of fertiliser. This is discussed in the EC’s Fourth Clean Air Outlook (EC, 2025).

NMVOCs

For NMVOC emissions, 16 Member States had met their 2030 emission reduction commitments in 2024 (Table 2). As the manufacturing and extractive industries are the main source of emissions for these pollutants, there is potential for reduction measures for NMVOCs that focus on industrial sectors. Beyond industry, domestic solvent use, as well as residential heating and agriculture are significant sources of NMVOC emissions.

NO_x

Overall, 10 Member States had already met their NO_X emission reduction commitments for 2030 in 2024 (Table 2). However, 17 Member States still need to reduce their NO_X emissions further. In particular, it is necessary to increase efforts to reduce NO_X emissions in the road transport and energy supply sectors. 

PM_2.5

A total of 13 Member States had already met their 2030 emission reduction commitments for PM_2.5 emissions in 2024 (Table 2). Burning solid biomass and fossil fuels for residential heating still contributes significantly to PM_2.5 emissions in some Member States. Therefore, improving insulation and upgrading heating systems, installing low-emission boilers or switching to cleaner fuel types remain important actions to reduce PM_2.5 emissions.

Beyond additional efforts in the energy sector, there is also scope for further reductions in the manufacturing and extractive industries, as well as the road transport sector which includes emissions from internal combustion engines and from tyre and brake wear in vehicles.

SO₂

The progress in SO₂ emission reductions is more positive in comparison with the other pollutants overall. Only two Member States found it challenging to meet their 2030 emission reduction commitments in 2024 (Table 2). Energy supply is the principal source of SO₂ emissions in the EU; the manufacturing and extractive industries represent the second-largest contributor.

Table 2. Magnitude of emission reductions required by EU Member States to meet their commitments for 2030 and beyond

Main sources of air pollutants in 2024

This section presents a visual representation of air pollutant sources in the EU. In addition to the five main air pollutants in the NEC Directive (Figure 3), a broader range of air pollutants is included (Figure 4). The economic sectors contributing to air pollutant emissions differ depending on the pollutant. There are variations between Member States which arise due to differences in their economic structures.

Figure 3. Sectors and activities contributing to emissions of the five main air pollutants regulated under the NEC Directive in EU Member States in 2024

Figure 4. Sectors and activities contributing to emissions of the wider group of air pollutants reported under the NEC Directive in EU Member States in 2024

Past trends in air pollutant emissions for EU Member States, 2005-2024

There was a slight decline in total air pollutant emissions across Member States in 2024, thus maintaining the overall downward trend observed since 2005. Figure 5 shows the trend in total emissions — indexed as a percentage of their value in the reference year 2005 and set against the gross domestic product (GDP) as a percentage of the 2005 value.

From 2005 to 2024, emissions of PM_2.5 and particulate matter with a diameter of 10 μm or less (PM₁₀) fell by 42% and 39%, respectively. Emissions of SO₂ fell by 86%. Major reductions were also seen for NO_X (54%), black carbon (BC, 54%), carbon monoxide (CO, 50%) and NMVOCs (37%).

Notably, NH₃ emissions fell by only 18% — the least out of all the pollutants covered in this briefing.

Figure 5. Trends in EU emissions of NH₃, NMVOCs, NO_x, PM_2.5, SO₂, BC, PM₁₀ and CO between 2005 and 2024

Figure 6 shows trends in the total emissions of other pollutants reported by EU Member States under the NEC Directive, namely heavy metals and benzo(a)pyrene (BaP). These are indexed as a percentage of their value in the reference year 2005 and set against Member States’ GDP as a percentage of the 2005 value. From 2005 to 2024, emissions of arsenic (As), nickel (Ni) and mercury (Hg) fell by 68%, 67% and 60%, respectively. During the same period, lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd) and BaP emissions fell by 47%, 44% and 35%, respectively.

Figure 6. Trends in EU emissions of As, BaP, Cd, Hg, Ni, Pb, between 2005 and 2024

Figures 5 and 6 both show that air pollutant emissions across EU Member States declined between 2005 and 2024, while GDP increased by 49%. This represents a significant absolute decoupling of emissions from economic activity between 2005 and 2024. Absolute decoupling occurs when an environmental impact variable, such as air pollutant emissions, remains stable or decreases while GDP increases. The decoupling of emissions from economic activity results in lower emissions of air pollutants for each unit of GDP produced annually. Based on 2024 emissions, the greatest decoupling has been for SO₂, followed by NO_X, BC, CO as well as As, Ni and Hg.

This observed decoupling may result from a combination of factors including:

• stronger regulation and policy implementation;
• transitioning to alternative fuels;
• technological developments;
• improvements in energy or process efficiencies.