Romania reaches the face of the EU Court of Justice for the systematic failure to monitor air quality

The European Commission has decided to take the Romanian state to court due to serious gaps in the national pollution measurement network that endanger public health.

Romania faces the EU Court of Justice for the systematic failure to monitor air quality. Displays information from the image Commission Refers Romania to Court of Justice for Failure to Monitor Air Quality

Brussels, December 11, 2025 The European Commission has made the final decision to send Romania to the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU). The reason for this drastic action is the continued failure to comply with the obligations set out in European directives on air quality, with the authorities in Bucharest failing to ensure proper and complete monitoring of pollution levels at the national level.

In short

The monitoring network does not meet the requirements regarding the number and location of sampling points.

There are major deficiencies in measuring suspended particles (PM10, PM2.5), nitrogen oxides, and other critical pollutants.

The modernization efforts initiated after warnings in 2017 and 2023 are considered insufficient by the Commission.

Although European directives require member states to assess air quality through rigorous methods, Romania has failed to demonstrate that its national network provides reliable data. The Commission found that, despite some recent investments in modernizing the infrastructure, significant gaps persist. The current system does not sufficiently cover the monitoring of pollutants with a major impact on health, such as sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, heavy metals, and fine particles.

The infringement procedure has a long history, starting with a first letter of formal notice in June 2017, followed by additional warnings in 2019 and a reasoned opinion in 2023. The European executive concluded that the measures adopted by the Romanian authorities up to this point have not remedied the structural problems, with the network being unable to provide the necessary information for effective air quality management and for protecting citizens.

https://2eu.brussels/ro/stiri/romania-ajunge-in-fata-curtii-de-justitie-a-ue-pentru-esecul-sistematic-de-a-monitoriza-calitatea-aerului