Italy.

The Italian Council of Ministers has approved in definitive form a legislative decree to adopt European Commission Directive 17/2003 on reduction of the sulphur content in gasoline and diesel fuel. The Ministry of Environment affirms that these measures add further weight in the fight against pollution produced by vehicles. The decree establishes specific strict measures aimed to protect health and the environment. The Legislative decree also provides for the possibility to set specific, more stringent measures to protect helath of inhabitants in certain urban conglomerations or the environment in areas considered to be of a critical ecological profile.