A method for controlling a selective catalytic reduction catalyst in an exhaust line of an internal combustion engine is disclosed, wherein the supply of a quantity of a gaseous ammonia reductant to the SCR catalyst uses a closed-loop SCR catalyst model coupled to a SCR-out NOx sensor that measures a SCR-out NOx emission value. The closed-loop SCR catalyst model uses a relationship linking the measured SCR-out NOx value to the NOx conversion efficiency and the ammonia slip. The actual NH3 emission value and/or an actual SCR-out NOx indicative value are computed based upon differentiation of said relationship.