EU takes France to court for second time over air pollution

FILE PHOTO: The Eiffel Tower is surrounded by a small-particle haze which hangs above the skyline in Paris, France, December 9, 2016 as the City of Light experienced the worst air pollution in a decade. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes/File Photo

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Commission will take France to the EU Court of Justice for flouting limits on air pollution for more than a decade, the EU executive said on Friday.

Air pollution contributes to more than 400,000 premature deaths in Europe each year, but despite EU laws requiring countries to limit pollution, most of the bloc's 27 members are set to miss targets this year to tackle dirty air.