Brussels: Some 300,000 Europeans die prematurely every year as a result of air pollution and many more suffer from lung diseases or pollution-induced cancers, European Commission Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans said Wednesday.

The European Commission (EC) proposed stronger rules to have a zero-pollution environment in 2050, Timmermans told a press conference in Brussels.

"Clean air and water are essential for the health of people and ecosystems, he said, noting that today's proposals tackle pollution at both sides: first we prevent, and when pollution does occur, those who created it should pay for cleaning up," he said.

Among the proposals is a requirement that by 2030, EU countries must meet new legally-binding EU air pollution limits that will be closer to the World Health Organization (WHO) standards, he added.

On his part, EU Commissioner for the Environment Virginijus Sinkevicius, told the joint press conference that "what we are presenting today has three major components, one to improve air quality, one to address freshwater quality, and one to modernize wastewater treatment."