The complainant was concerned about the time taken by the European Commission to deal with an infringement procedure against Belgium concerning its compliance with the EU Ambient Air Quality Directive (Directive 2008/50), notably with regard to limit values for nitrogen dioxide (NO2).

The Ombudsman found nothing to suggest that the time taken was the result of negligence or unjustified postponements by the Commission, noting that the periods when the Commission was inactive seemed to be related to the need to analyse a significant amount of information and the need to await further information. She closed the inquiry as a result, but encouraged the Commission to deal with the infringement procedure as a matter of priority given the major public health implications of a Member State’s possible non-compliance with the Air Quality Directive.