Overview

• The Conseil d’État declined to impose a new financial penalty on the French state, citing effective measures that have improved air quality since 2017.
• All metropolitan areas in France now meet PM10 pollution thresholds, with NO₂ levels nearly compliant in Lyon and projected to meet limits in Paris by 2026.
• Measures such as low-emission zones (ZFEs), reduced diesel usage, and incentives to replace polluting heating systems have contributed to these improvements.
• ZFEs remain controversial, with critics arguing they disproportionately impact lower-income households; a parliamentary commission has voted to abolish them, risking over €3 billion in EU funding.
• A planned ministerial meeting to reconcile urban air quality policies with local and national concerns has yet to take place, highlighting ongoing policy coordination challenges.