France "systematically and persistently exceeded the annual limit value for nitrogen dioxide since Jan. 1, 2010," the court said in a statement. The European Commission, the EU's executive arm, referred the matter to the European Court of Justice (ECJ) in May 2018 after almost a decade of warnings that went unaddressed. Nitrogen dioxide is toxic and can cause significant respiratory problems as one of the main constituents of traffic-jam smog. The case involved 24 areas in France, including the cities of Paris, Lyon, Marseille, Nice and Strasbourg, but also the alpine Arve Valley, France's lorry-clogged gateway to Italy. The court said "France clearly did not adopt, in due time, appropriate measures," noting an "overrun for seven consecutive years".

Source: The Local October 24, 2019 12:56 UTC