Air quality limit values for Particulate Matter (PM) proposed by the European Parliament, Commission and Council may not be attainable in time. Even with very strict emission limit values for cars and industrial installations, additional traffic policies will be needed in urban areas. Still it remains uncertain if the proposed PM-values can be realized in time everywhere in Europe. Even the proposed possibilities for derogation offer no solution. This follows from an assessment by the Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP) and the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (MNP) of the impact of the proposed changes in the consolidated EU Air Quality Directive, at the request of the European Parliament.