EU Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas said the value attached to the health benefits from the air quality strategy and others that were shelved would outweigh the expected costs.

"In all of these scenarios the benefits are four times more than the costs," he told reporters.

That means health benefits for the air quality initiative alone are calculated to be worth about 48 billion euros ($58.51 billion), he said.

"You need new measures to take care of it," he said of air pollution in Europe, adding he hoped the strategy would be approved in September.

Environmentalists say the delay is the latest move by the current Commission to show preference to business interests.

Dimas said other commissioners and previous EU executive teams have emphasised economic growth and jobs over environmental and social policies.

"But this is something that I do not accept. I do not agree," he said, adding he would emphasise the benefits of environmental policies and the importance of acting now during next week's debate.

Members of the European Parliament have also criticised the Commission's decision to delay the initiatives.

Other strategies on waste, soil, pesticides, natural resources, marine protection and urban environmental management will be presented later this year.

A Commission announcement on aviation emissions that was originally scheduled for this month has also been rescheduled for September.