Directive 2004/107/EC lays down target values to be met by a certain date, determines common methods and criteria for the assessment of the listed pollutants, lays down the information that needs to be transmitted to the Commission and ensures that adequate information on concentration levels of those pollutants is made available to the public. It requires that detailed arrangements for forwarding the ambient air quality information are adopted.

Directive 2008/50/EC establishes the framework for the assessment and management of ambient air quality. It provides that the information on ambient air quality and the timescales in which such information is to be made available by Member States are to be laid down for the reporting and the reciprocal exchange of information on air quality. It also requires that ways are identified to streamline how such information are reported and exchanged.

Directive 2008/50/EC provides that Decision 97/101/EC is to be repealed with effect from the end of the second calendar year following the entry into force of the implementing measures on transmission of information and reporting. Accordingly, the provisions of Decision 97/101/EC should be reflected in this Decision.

An Internet interface called the ambient air quality portal should be created by the Commission, assisted by the European Environment Agency, where Member States should make the air quality information available and where the public has access to the environmental information made available by Member States.

To reduce the administrative burden and the scope for errors, Member States should use an electronic, Internet-based tool accessible through the ambient air quality portal when making information available. That tool should be used to check the consistency of the information, the data quality and to aggregate the primary data. Where this Decision requires information to be made available in aggregate form, the tool should therefore undertake this aggregation. Member States should be able to use the tool independently from making available the ambient air quality information to the Commission to fulfil a reporting obligation or to exchange ambient air quality data.

The European Environment Agency should assist the Commission, as appropriate, with the management of the ambient air quality portal and the development of the tool for information consistency, data quality and aggregation of primary data. The European Environment Agency should in particular assist the Commission in the monitoring of the data repository, as well as the analysis relating to fulfilment by the Member States of their obligations under Directives 2004/107/EC and 2008/50/EC.

It is necessary for the Member States and the Commission to collect, exchange and assess up-to-date air quality information in order to understand better the impacts of air pollution and develop appropriate policies. In order to facilitate the handling and comparison of up-to-date air quality information, the up-to-date information should be made available to the Commission in the same standardised form as validated data within a reasonable timeframe after it has been made available to the public.

The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Ambient Air Quality Committee,