Air quality steadily improving but EU standards still not fully met, latest EEA data analysis shows | Press releases

The latest data collected from monitoring stations showed specifically that EU standards were broadly met for fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) (99% of stations) and for nitrogen dioxide (NO₂ )(98% of stations), two significantly harmful air pollutants. Despite this, World Health Organization (WHO) guideline levels are not widely met in Europe and air pollution remains the region’s largest environmental health risk, causing diseases, lowering quality of life and leading to preventable deaths.

The EEA’s Air quality status report 2025 gives the latest official reported data (those for the past two years) on levels of key air pollutants in Europe and compares these concentrations against the current and 2030 EU air quality standards and the WHO health-based air quality guideline levels. 

The revised EU Air Quality Directive significantly tightens air quality standards, aligning them more closely with WHO recommendations. This year’s report also includes an analysis of the most recent data against these stricter EU standards which must be met by 2030. This preliminary analysis is intended as an indication of the current distance-to-target and is not a compliance assessment.  

A risk to health 

Air quality in Europe has improved significantly over the past few decades for most pollutants but there are still locations across the EU that have pollutant concentrations that exceed current EU standards, and are above the stricter WHO guideline values.   

The most significant of these pollutants is fine particulate matter (PM_2.5). Since 2011, all countries have reduced exposure of their urban population to PM_2.5 particles, the most harmful pollutant from a health perspective. But the vast majority (94%) of the EU urban population still remains exposed to PM_2.5 concentrations above WHO guideline values, highlighting the need for additional measures to reduce the associated health risks.  

When assessed against WHO guideline levels, the number of monitoring locations in 2023 where air quality is considered safe for health was relatively low, particularly for PM_2.5 and ozone. The risk of health impacts linked with these pollutants include respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.   

Achieving the recently revised EU limits, required by 2030, will help to reduce these health impacts and bring air quality levels closer to the WHO guideline values over the coming years, the EEA report says.  

Progress to stricter 2030 EU rules 

A distance-to-target analysis of current data to the 2030 limit value found that a significant proportion of air pollution monitoring stations in 2023 already comply with the 2030 standards for all pollutants, particularly for nitrogen dioxide, where more than 70% of stations had concentrations below the standards to be met in 2030.

For fine particulate matter, (PM_2.5) a lower number of stations fell below the 2030 annual limit value. But to meet these standards everywhere, and based on current progress, additional measures to improve air quality, especially in cities, are likely to be needed. 

Background 

The EEA report is the first in the EEA’s ‘Air quality in Europe 2025’ package. Later this year, the EEA will publish complementary briefings on air pollutant emissions, and on impacts of air pollution on human health. This includes estimates of premature deaths and ill health that can be attributed to poor air quality.  

For more information

The European Air Quality Index provides up-to-date information on air quality across Europe and allows the public to check the air pollution levels in their region in near real time.