The UK must convince the EU within two weeks that its air quality is satisfactory in order to avoid a court case.

The news comes amid a European Commission assessment of air quality data for the city of London. In one month’s time the commission will decide whether it will grant an extension until June for the UK capital. The assessment came following a ‘final warning’ issued to Greater London and Gibraltar by the EU last summer.

London’s air currently contains a higher number of PM10 airborne particles than outlined in EU regulations. The UK has responded with a six-stage infringement process, which Janez Potocnik, the environment commissioner, said on Thursday is currently in stage two. He also noted that air quality infringement processes have been set in motion against 20 of the 27 EU member states.

Thus far two nations have faced cases in the European Court of Justice over exceeding PM10 regulations, and the United Kingdom could be the next. Countries found to have breached European Union regulations face immense fines.

The news follows a scientific study backed by London Mayor Boris Johnson last year that concluded that 4,267 people had died an ‘early death’ as a result of long-term exposure to poor air quality in the capital.