13. 10. 92 Official Journal of the European Communities No L 297/1 (Acts whose publication is not obligatory) COUNCIL COUNCIL DIRECTIVE 92/72/EEC of 21 September 1992 on air pollution by ozone THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, and in particular Article 130s thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission (), Having regard to the opinion of the FEuropean Parliament (2), Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (3), Whereas the 1987 fourth Community action programme on the environment (*) provides for the possibility of action on plotochemical pollution, and in particular pollution- by ozone, in view of its harmful effects and the state of knowledge concerning its impact on human health and the environment; Whereas, in order to protect human health, ozone concentrations in the air should be limited; whereas scientific and technical information needs to be utilized and promoted in order to obtain wider knowledge of this form of pollution and, in future, take effective and appropriate measures to reduce it; Whereas as complete a knowledge as possible of ozone pollution levels is required in all Member States; Whereas to obtain this knowledge it is necessary to set up measurement stations to provide data on ozone concentrations in the air; (1) O] No C192, 23. 7. 1991, p. 17. (2) O] No C 150, 15. 6. 1992, p. 228. (%) OJ No C 49, 24, 12. 1992, p. 1. (*) O] No C 328, 7. 12. 1987, p. 1. Whereas in order to obtain results which are comparable in . the context of this Directive, the methods used by Member States to determine concentrations need to be equivalent; Whereas, in view of the special nature of photochemical pollution, the reciprocal exchange of information between Member States and the Commission including, once it is effectively set up, the European Environment Agency (%), is essential for a better understanding of the problem; Whereas the setting of information or warning thresholds at which precautions should be taken by the public will make it possible to limit the impact of pollution episodes on health; Whereas the numerical values of these levels should be based on the findings of work carried out in the framework of the World Health Organization (WHO), in particular as regards the dose-effect relationships established for the pollutant in question; Whereas the information collected under this Directive should be regularly evaluated to make it possible to monitor the development of air pollution by ozone and the impact of national and Community provisions to reduce photochemical precursors and establish in the future new provisions concerning ozone and air quality; whereas such evaluation and information should be the subject of a report to be submitted by the Commission as soon as possible and by the end of a period of four years from the date of implementation of this Directive at the latest; Whereas combating air pollution by ozone may also entail measures to reduce ozone precursors; whereas the Commission must therefore also submit, with the abovementioned report, proposals for controlling air (*) O No L 120, 11. 5. 1990, p. 1.