The directives of the EU regarding air quality brought about severe commotion in the Netherlands. They force to give up the leading position of economy in favour of sustainability. However, there are good arguments to make strict demands on air quality, and it is not disastrously if the demands restrict our economic activities somewhat. Air quality affects the satisfaction of a basic need (health), while the needs that are no more satisfied by possibly lost production have a high degree of luxury. Satisfaction of such needs is much less important than satisfaction of basic needs. If Europe would not have enacted the directives, the policy in the Netherlands regarding sustainability would have been less strict. The Dutch reactions on the EU-policy make clear that it is inconceivable to Dutch policy makers to give sustainability the leading position unlike economy. They would have continued the traditional policy that yet aims at reduction of some harmful emissions but under the restriction that the measures do not affect economic production. Regarding the field of transportation, downgrading the importance of economic activities enlarges the number of available measures to reduce pollution. In addition, it is not so detrimental if the directives prevent building planned new roads. (Author/publisher)
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