ARCHIVESHISTORIQUES
DELACOMMISSION
COLLECTION RELIEEDES
DOCUMENTS "COM"
COM(73)1830
Vol.1973/0317

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COMMISSION OFTHEEUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
COM(73)1830 final
Brussels .12November 1973
PROPOSAL FOR A
concerning theparticipation oftheEuropean ,Economic
Community inthenegotiations fortheconclusion ofa
Convention fortheprevention ofsea-pollution from
land-based sources (afterwards called "theConvention ")
(submitted totheCouncil "bytheCommission )
COM(73 )1830 final

-1- ENV.142/73E-rev
CONVENTION ONMARINEPOLLUTION ARISINGPROMLAUD-BASED SOURCES
Communication fromtheCommissiontotheCouncilconcerning
aproposalfortheparticioation oftheCommunityintheConvention
•Background
ThefirstsessionoftheConference onMarinePollutionarisingfrom
Land-basedSourceswasheldinParisfromSeptember17to21,1973at
theinvitationoftheFrenchGovernment.Thefollowingcountries parti­
cipated:Belgium,Denmark,Prance,Germany,Ireland,theNetherlands ,
Norway,Portugal,Spain,SwedenandtheUnitedKingdom.Finland,Luxem­
bourg,Iceland,ItalyandSwitzerland werepresentasobservers.The
CouncilofEurope,theUnitedNationsEnvironmentProgramme(UNEP)and
theCommissionoftheEuropeanCommunitiesalseattendedasobservers.
ThesubjectoftheConference'isextremelyimportant.Withtheadoption
in1972oftheOsloendLondonConvention ,someprogresshasbeenmade
incontrollingpollutioncftheseabydumpingfromships.Variouscon­
ventionsestablished withintheframeworkoftheInternational Maritime
ConsultativeOrganization (HICO)haveastheirobjectthecontrolof
otherformsofsea-pollution ,especiallythatresultingfromthedis­
chargeofoiloroilywaste,whetheraccidentalordeliberate.These
IMCOconventions arebeingreviewedandstre-ngthcned inthecourseof
aninternational conferencebeingheldinLondonatthepresenttime.
Butanimportantaspectofsea-pollution isnotcoveredbyexistingar­
rangements ,viz.pollutionwhichreachestheseathroughriversandes­
tuaries,throughpipelinesorbydirectdischargefromthecoast.
TheParisConference,insofarasitwillleadtoaconventionbeing
concludedinthismatter,willhelptofillamajorgapwhichexistsat
themomentinthegeneralsystemfor■marineprotection.

-2- EBV .142/73E-rov.l
Theprinciple elements of -thedraft Convention which were discussed in
Paris inSeptember concern :
a)anundertaking "bycontracting "parties toreduce oreliminate sea-
pollution caused bythedischarge ofsubstances listed inoneor
several annexes ,
b)theestablishment ,bythecontracting parties ,ofacommon monitoring
network inthemaritime zone covered bytheConvention ,
c)theestablishment ofacommission (composed ofrepresentatives of
theContracting Parties ),which mayinter alia have thetask ofpro­
posing theprogrammes ofpollution-abatement inquestion ,coordinating
andexploiting themonitoring network rreviewing the list ofsubstances
intheannex orannexes jestablishing environmental quality objectives
toguide thegeneral pollution-abatement programmes orsub-regional
agreements which maybeconcluded between two ormore ofthecontrac­
ting parties .
Discussions will beresumed asasecond session ofthe Conference
which will begin onDecember 13th 1973 inParis .Atthis second session
certain differences ofviewpoint will have toberesolved iftheconfe­
rence istosucceed .
These differences ofview remain substantial .They concern thecentral
undertaking oftheConvention -should itseek toeliminate pollution which
iscaused bysubstances ona"black list ",oronly toreduce this pollution ?
They also concern thepowers ofthe "commission "anditsrele visavis
contracting parties .Could this body take decisions ,-ifso,what type
ofdecisions ?Orisitonly tobeanadvisory body towhich states will
turn fortechnical support ?
Itisworth nothing that themost forceful arguments atParis over this
andother points were held notbetween theMember States oftheCommunity
andthird countries ,butamong theMember States themselves .

-3- EW.142/73E-rev.l
Themaindocumentsbeforetheresumed ,sessioninDecemberwillbethesame
asthosewhichwerebeforetheSeptembersessionoftheConference ;namely
aFrenchdraftconventionandaDutchdraftconvention.Inaddition,some
eightyworkingpapersweretabledatParisandmanyofthesearestillto
bediscussed.
PositionoftheCommunityatthetimeofParisConference ,September17-21,1973
Asnotedabove,theCommissionoftheEuropeanCommunitiesparticipated as
anobserveratthefirstsessionoftheParisConference .Aninvitation
tothiseffectwasgivenverballybyMr.RobertPoujade,FrenchMinister
fortheProtectionofNatureandtheEnvironment ,atthetimeoftheCouncil
sessionofJuly19,1973,whichadoptedtheCommunityEnvironment Programme.
(Thisinvitationwassubsequently confirmedinwriting).Duringthismeeting,
theCommission'sPresident,M.Ortoli,anditsVice-President ,M.Scarascia-
IiugnozzabothexpressedgreatinterestintheobjectivesoftheParisConfe­
renceandinitssuccessfuloutcome.Theyalsostressedthecloserelation­
shipbetweentheproposedParisConventionandtheCommunity'sownprogramme
inthefieldofland-originating sea-pollution .Theyreferredespecially
tothefactthat,undertheCommunity'sactionprogramme,MemberStates
oftheCommunityhavecommittedthemselvestoundertaking acourseof
actiononacommunitylevel,forthereductionoreliminationofland-
basedpollution :thatenvironmental qualityobjectivesweretobeesta­
blishedonacommunitybasis,aswellascertainstandardsandthat,in
thesecircumstances ,theopportunity shouldexistfortheCommunitynot
onlytoattendtheConferencebutalso,subsequently ,toadheretoany
ConventionwhichmightresultfromtheConference,
Insayingthis,therepresentatives oftheCommissionwereconsciousthat
itwastooearlytoasktheCounciltotakeadefinitivedecisionasof
thatmomentonthequestionoftheCommunity'ssignature.Infact,atthe
endofJuly,theformoftheConventionitself,thenatureoftheobligations
whichwouldresultfromit,andthedutiesandresponsibilities ofthe
Commissiontobecreatedwithintheframework,werenotyetclearlydefined.

-4- EiTV.142/73E-rev.l
SinceJuly19,1973,tnesituationhasbecomeconsiderably clearer,notably
inrelationtotheworkdonebytheCouncilgroupontheenvironment .
Finally,theCommissiondrawsattentiontothefactthattheNetherlands
intheirdrafttextforArticle15haveformallyproposedthattheCon­
ventionshouldbeopenforthesignatureoftheCommunity.Theexamination
ofArticle15andsubsequentarticleshssnotyotbeenundertakenbut
theseprovisionswillbediscussedatthenextsession.
ThepoliticalargumentforCommunity -participation inthe"Paris"Convention
TheCommissionisoftheview-thattheargumentsforCommunitysignature
havebeenstrengthened withthepassageoftime.Onefundamentalreason
ispolitical.TheHeadsofStateorofGovernmentmeetinginParisin
October1972 ■theMinistersresponsiblefortheEnvironmentMeeting
inBonninthesamemonth;theCouncilofMinistersmeetinginBrussels
onJuly19,1973-haveallreaffirmedtheimportanceofenvironmental
policjrfortheCommunity.Theyhave,moreover,singledoutthemarine
environment andland-originating pollution,asanareaofoutstanding
importance.TheCommunityasawholeshouldthereforebedeeplycommitted
toa"successful "ParisConference andtotheelaboration ofaConvention
designedtofill,asnotedearlier,amajorgapinthenetworkofprotective
arrangements forthemarineenvironment .
TheCommissionholdstotheview,outlinedbyitsrepresentatives at
the19July1973Councilmeeting,thattheimpoitantchargestobolaid
uponContractingPartiestotheParisConventionanduponthe"commission"
createdintheframeworkofthisconvention &reinmanyrespectsidenticalwit!
thosetaskslaiddownfortheCommunityintheprogrammeadoptedbythe
Council.OneoftheobjectivesofthisProgrammeisinfacttoreduce

-5- EEV.142/73E-rev.l
oreliminatepollution,includingsea-pollution fromland-based ,sources.
Thiswillincludetheneedtodefineenvironmental qualityobjectives,to
assessrisks,tofixstandardsandtotakethenecessarymeasuresfor
monitoring andsurveillance .TheCommunitymusttakeupitsresponsibi­
litiesinthisfield,andmoreoveritmustensurethenecessarycohesion
betweenitsownworkandthatcarriedoutbyregionalbodieswhich,in
turn,ought,withintheframeworkoftheirspecifictasks,totakeas
referencethegeneralmethodsandregulationsestablishedatthecommu­
nitylevel.
ThustheCommunitymustcontinueitsprogrammeasenergetically as
possible.Butitmustalsobepresentinthisnowforum,asone.ofthe
contractingpartiesandwiththesamestandingastheothermembers.
AsacontractingpartytheCommunitywould,automatically berepresented
intheCommissionoftheConvention.Asamemberofthatcommission ,itc3uld
seektoensureaconsistency ofapproachbetweenthepoliciesandpro­
grammesofthelatterandthoseoftheCommunity.
GiventheprogressachievedwithirtheframeworkoftheEnvironment
PrograTime,forexampleinthefieldofqualityobjectives ,itispossible
thattheCommunitymaybeinapositiontohastenthetakingof
decisionsbytheParisCommissioninimportantresoects.

-6- El-TV.142/73E-rev.l
4.ThetechnicalargumentsforCommunityparticipatio n
IntheprogrammeadoptedbytheCouncilonJuly19,1973,itisstated
thattheapplication ofcertainagreementsregardingmarinepollution
would"necessitatetheimplementation withintheCommunityoflegislation
andruleswhichwillhavetobeharmonizedsoastoavoidcreatingdistor­
tionsintradeandthedistribution ofinvestments".Theprogrammefurther
statesthat"suchharmonizationwouldbemadeeasierbytheparticipation
oftheCommissionintheworkofthecommitteessetupbytheagreements
withaviewtoensuringtheirimplementation ".
Asnotedabove,theCommunityasaContractingPartytotheParisConvention
wouldberepresented onthecommissioncreatedbytheConventionandwould
thusbeabletoparticipate withinthisConventionintheworkofharmoni­
zationoflegislation andtheworkingoutofrulesofapplication.
Furthermore ,itisprobablethatcertainmeasuresofaneconomiccharacter
ofparticularinteresttotheCommonMarketmaybeadoptedwithinthe
frameworkofthisConvention.WiththeCommunityassuchaContracting
Party,thesemeasurescouldbeadoptedabinitiobytheCommunitywithout
havingtoundergosubsequenttransformation (and"harmonization ")inorder
totake.accountofnationallegislation .Theoretically ,ofcourse,the
communitycouldadoptthemeasuresenvisagedintheframeworkofthe
Convention,withoutwaitinguntiltheyhavebeenadoptedbytheMember
States,evenifitisnotpartytotheConvention.
AnotherreasoninfavouroftheimmediateadhesionoftheCommission
totheConventionisthedifficultywhichwouldariseinrelationto
subsequentadhesion.Thiscouldinfactencounterpoliticaldifficulties ,
particularlyifthetextoftheConventionrequiresthatadhesionshould
dependontheunanimousapprovalofContractingParties(including,of
course,countriesoutsideaswellasinsidetheCommunity).Evenifthere
arenopoliticaldifficulties ,therewouldbenecessarilyconsiderable
delays.

-7- ENV/142/73-Erev.1
c..•: "Finally,evenbeforetheConventionisratified,atemporaryCom­
missionwillbeginwork(ashasbeenthecasewithOslo)andthe
Communityshouldhavetheopportunitytobeassociatedwiththat
workattheearliestpossibledate.IfthestatusoftheCommunity
intheConventionremainedindoubt,thiscollaboration couldbe
jeopardized .
Conclusion
ThesethenaresomeofthereasonswhytheCommissionbelievesthat
theCommunityshouldbecomeaContracting PartytotheParisCon­
vention.ThebestsolutionwouldbefortheCommunitytobeina
positiontosigntheConvention (sinappropriateprovisioncouldbe
introducedintoArticle15-asisalreadyproposedintheDutch
text).
If,however,thisisnotthecase,inanyeventthepossibility should
remainopenfortheCommunitytoadheretotheConventionunderthe
sameconditionsassignatorystates(i.e.withouttherequirement
forunanimousapprovalbyContractingParties).

-8- ENV/142/73-E
Rev.l
TheCommissionthereforeproposes "thattheCouncilshould:,
a)authorizetheCommissiontoparticipatejointlywiththeMember
Statesconcernedinthenegotiations withtheobjectofconcluding
aConvention onMarinePollutionarisingfromland-basedsources.A
draftproposalforaCourcildecisionisattachedtothiscommunication .
b)inviteMemberStatestoworktogetherwiththeCommissiontoachieve
thisobjectiveattheresumedsessionoftheConference.
I
c)remindMemberStatesthattheywhould .adoptacommonpositiononthe 1
essentialprovisionsoftheConventionbeforethenextsessionofthe
Conference,especiallyArticles4»10andtheAnnexes(l).
d)invitetheCommissiontoinformtheparticipatingthirdcountriesof
thedecisionmentionedundera).
(l)TheCommissionwillwaitfortheresxtltstfJfthenextconcertation
meetingbefore,ifnecessary,proposingotherdirectivesinaddition
tothoseattached.

-9- E2TV/142/73-E
Rev.l
ProposalforaDecision "bytheCouncil concerning
theparticipation oftheEuropeanEconomic..Communityinthenegotiations
fortheconclusionofaConventionforthepreventionofsear-pollution
fromland-based ,sources(afterwardscalled"theConvention")
THECOUNCILOPTHEEUROPEANCOMMUNITIES ,
HavingregardtotheTreatyinstitutingtheEuropeanEconomicCommunity
andinparticulararticle235»
HavingregardtotheproposaloftheCommission,
HavingregardtotheopinionoftheAssembly,
ConsideringthattheCouncilhasadoptedon19July1973»aprogramme D'S
actionfortheEnvironment ,
ConsideringthatitisappropriatethattheCommunityshouldparticipate
alongsidetheMemberStatesinthenegotiations withotherinterested
Countrieswithregardtoconclusionof"theConvention"
TheCommission 13authorizedtoparticipate ,alongsidetheMemberStates
concerned,inthenegotiations fortheconclusionof"theConvention".
TheCommissionwillconductthesenegotiations inconsultation withthe
representatives oftheMemberStatesinaccordancewiththefollowing
directive.
Brussels,the FortheCouncil,DECIDES:
ARTICLEI.
ThePresident

-10- ENV/142/73-E
Rev.l
Directive from the Council tothe Commission
The articles concerned ofthe draft Convention should bewritten insuch
amanner astopermit theCommunity to "become asignatory andtoadhere
tothis Convention ,without adhesion "being conditional ontheunanimous
approval ofthecontracting parties .