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COM (83) 306 
 
 
 
Vol. 1983/0 125 
  
 
Disclaimer  
Conformém ent au règlement (CEE, Euratom) n° 354/83 du Conseil du 1er février 1983 
concernant l'ouverture au public des archives historiques de la Communauté économique 
européenne et de la Communauté européenne de l'énergie atomique (JO L 43 du 15.2.1983, 
p. 1), tel que modifié par le règlement (CE, Euratom) n° 1700/2003 du 22 septembre 2003 
(JO L 243 du 27.9.2003, p. 1), ce dossier est ouvert au public. Le cas échéant, les documents 
classifiés présents dans ce dossier ont été déclassifiés conformément à l'article 5 dudit 
règlem ent. 
In accordance with Council Regulation (EEC, Euratom) No 354/83 of 1 February 1983 
concerning the opening to the public of the historical archives of the European Economic 
Community and the European Atomic Energy Communit y (OJ L 43, 15.2.1983, p. 1), as 
amended by Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1700/2003 of 22 September 2003 (OJ L 243, 
27.9.2003, p. 1), this file is open to the public. Where necessary, classified documents in this 
file have been declassified in conformity with Article 5 of the aforementioned regulation. 
In Übereinstimmung mit der Verordnung (EWG, Euratom) Nr. 354/83 des Rates vom  1. 
Februar 1983 über die Freigabe der historischen Archive der Europäischen 
Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft und der Europäischen Atomgem einschaft (ABI. L 43 vom  15.2.1983, 
S. 1), geändert durch die Verordnung (EG, Euratom) Nr. 1700/2003 vom 22. Septem ber 2003 
(ABI. L 243 vom 27.9.2003, S. 1), ist diese Datei der Öffentlichkeit zugänglich. Soweit 
erforderlich, wurden die Verschlusssachen in dieser Datei in Übereinstimmung mit Artikel 5 
der genannten Verordnung freigegeben. 
COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
C O M (8 3 ) 3 0 6  final  
Brussels, 2  J u n e 1 9 8 3
c o m m u n i c a Tio n F R O M T H E _ C O M M I S S I O N _ T O  T H E  C O U N C I L
concerning the  preparation of directives o n  arsenic  
pursuant to C oun cil Directive 7 6 /4 6 4 /E E C
COM(83) 306 final

Communication from  thè Com m ission to thè C ounciL
concermng thè preparation of d i recti ves o n
arsenic pursuant to C o u n c iL  D i  recti v e 76/464/E E C
1. O n  4  M a y  1976, thè C o u n c iL  adopted Directive 76/464/E E C  o n  pollution
caused b y  certain dangerous substances discharged into thè aquatic
1environm ent of thè C o m m u n ity  ;  thè a im  of thè Directive is to eli­
m inate or reduce w ater pollution caused b y  thè dangerous substances  
belonging to thè families a n d  groups of substances included in Lists I  
a n d  II annexed to thè Directive.
Directive 76/464/E E C  is a n  outline Directive w h ich  - in respect  
of List I  substances - is to b e  applied b y  m e a n s of im plem enting  
directives containing limit values applicable to thè em ission stan-  
dards for thè effluents concerned a n d  quality objectives for thè  
aquatic environment.
2. G r o u p  4  of List I  com prises "substances in respect of w h ich  it h as  
been proved that they possess carcinogenic properties in or via  
thè aquatic environm ent".
T h e  C om m ission  h as studied arsenic a n d  thè m inerai c o m p o u n d s of  
arsenic (collectively referred to below  as arsenic) a n d  h as reached  
thè following conclusions:
3. Arsenic is a  naturally-occurring pollutant of surface waters a n d
is norm ally present at concentrations of betw een 1  a n d  1 0 ug/litre. 1
1  0 J  N o  L  129, 18.05.1976, p. 23.

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It h as been proved that arsenic has carcinogenic properties for  
m a n  either in or via thè aquatic environment.
It should therefore b e classified as one of thè substences to b e  
included o n  List I  in thè A n n e x  to D i  recti ve 76/464/EEC.
4. T h e  data currently available sh o w  that arsenic concentrations in  
C o m m u n ity  waters are below  thè m a x im u m  aimissible concentration  
of 5 0  ug/L  for water intended for h u m a n  consum ption (D i recti ve  
80/778/EEC)1.
T hese concentrations are also L o w e r  than thè m andatory values  
(100-50 ug/L) a n d  thè guide values (50-10 ug/L) for surface water  
intended for thè abstraction of drinking water (D i recti ve 75/440/EEC)1  2.
Furtherm ore, arsenic concentrations in river sediments are steadiLy  
falling, particularly in thè Rhine, a n d  it h as been sh o w n  that thè  
present level of arsenic in such sediments is n o  higher than thè  
level in 1900; this proves that thè a m o u n t of arsenic being dis-  
charged is decreasing rather than increasing.
5. T h e  h u m a n  organism  ingests a  m u c h  L o w e r  proportion of arsenic fro m  
drinking w ater than fro m  food. According to thè present state of  
know ledge, arsenic concentration in C o m m u n ity  waters does not there­
fore represent a  danger to h u m a n  health.
6. T h e  data currently available o n  thè quality of C o m m u n ity  surface  
waters s h o w  that thè m ajor proportion of thè arsenic present in  
thè environm ent is attributable to thè naturai poLL ution L o a d  or  
to sources difficult to monitor. Direct industriai discharges are  
responsible for only locai increases in arsenic concentrations,  
particularly in thè zones directly affected b y  such discharges.
1  0 J  N o  L  229, 30.08.1980, p. 11.
2  0 J  N o  L  194, 25.07.1975, p. 26.

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7. T h e  C o m m issio n  is of thè opinion that there is n o  n eed  to d r a w
u p  a  cpecific im plem enting dircctivc fon  arsenic within thè fram e-  
w o r k  of D i  recti v e 76/464/E E C .
8. Arsenic should therefore b e  subject to thè provisions applicable  
to substances o n  List II in thè A n n e x  to Directive 76/464/E E C .
In  thè C om m ission's view, there is therefore a  n eed  to m onitor  
arsenic concentrations in C o m m u n ity  waters, particularly d o w n strea m  
of industriai discharge points.
If arsenic concentrations w ere to increase or if n e w  insight is gained  
into thè effects of arsenic o n  m a n  or his environm ent, thè C o m m issio n  
will, if necessary, p u t fo rw a rd  appropriate proposals to thè Council.