# C_2004117EN.01001001.xml

| 30.4.2004 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 117/10 |
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30.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 117/10

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Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on the ‘Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on pollution caused by certain dangerous substances discharged into the aquatic environment of the Community’

(COM(2003) 847 final - 2003/0333 (COD))

(2004/C 117/03)

On 22 January 2004 the Council decided to consult the European Economic and Social Committee, under Article 175 of the Treaty establishing the European Community, on the ‘Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on pollution caused by certain dangerous substances discharged into the aquatic environment of the Community’ (COM(2003) 847 final – 2003/0333 (COD)).

The Section for Agriculture, Rural Development and the Environment, which was responsible for preparing the Committee's work on the subject, adopted its opinion on 5 April 2004. The rapporteur was Ms Sánchez Miguel.

At its 408th plenary session of 28 and 29 April 2004 (meeting of 28 April), the European Economic and Social Committee adopted the following opinion by 97 votes for, none against and one abstention.

1.   Introduction

| 1.1 | The purpose of the proposal is to undertake a codification of Council Directive 76/464/EEC of 4 May 1976 on pollution caused by certain dangerous substances discharged into the aquatic environment of the Community (1). The new directive will supersede the various acts incorporated in it (2); the proposal fully preserves the content of the acts being codified and hence does no more than to bring them together with only such formal amendments as are required by the codification itself. |
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1.1

The purpose of the proposal is to undertake a codification of Council Directive 76/464/EEC of 4 May 1976 on pollution caused by certain dangerous substances discharged into the aquatic environment of the Community (1). The new directive will supersede the various acts incorporated in it (2); the proposal fully preserves the content of the acts being codified and hence does no more than to bring them together with only such formal amendments as are required by the codification itself.

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2.   General comments

| 2.1 | The Committee regards it as very useful to have all the texts integrated into one directive. In the context of a People's Europe, the Committee, like the Commission, attaches great importance to simplifying and clarifying Community law so as to make it clearer and more accessible to ordinary citizens, thus giving them new opportunities and the chance to make use of the specific rights it gives them. |
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2.1

The Committee regards it as very useful to have all the texts integrated into one directive. In the context of a People's Europe, the Committee, like the Commission, attaches great importance to simplifying and clarifying Community law so as to make it clearer and more accessible to ordinary citizens, thus giving them new opportunities and the chance to make use of the specific rights it gives them.

| 2.2 | It has been ensured that this compilation of provisions contains no changes of substance and serves only the purpose of presenting Community law in a clear and transparent way. The Committee expresses its total support for this objective and, in the light of these guarantees, welcomes the proposal. |
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2.2

It has been ensured that this compilation of provisions contains no changes of substance and serves only the purpose of presenting Community law in a clear and transparent way. The Committee expresses its total support for this objective and, in the light of these guarantees, welcomes the proposal.

Brussels, 28 April 2004.

The President

of the European Economic and Social Committee

Roger BRIESCH

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(1)  Carried out in accordance with the Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council – Codification of the acquis communautaire, COM(2001) 645 final.

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(2)  See Part A of Annex II of the proposal.

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