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WŒÊ. COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 
COM(91) 394 final 
Brussels, 23 October 1991 
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WÊÊÊÛÊ 
llËÉ Proposal for a 
COUNCIL_DECISION 
concerning the signature by the European Economic Community 
of the Protocol to the Geneva Convention on long-range transboundary 
air pollution concerning the control of emissions of volatile 
organic compounds or their transboundary fluxes 
IP 
(presented by the Commission) 
- 2 -
EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 
Subject: Signature by the European Economic Community of the 
Protocol to the Geneva Convention on long-range 
transboundary air pollution concerning the control of 
emissions of volatile organic compounds or their 
transboundary fluxes 
1. The Community - and all of the Member States - is a party to the Convention 
on long-range transboundary air pollution (Geneva Convention, 1979), 
drafted by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe. 
Under this Convention, a Protocol on the control of emissions of volatile 
organic compounds (VOCs) or their transboundary fluxes has been prepared 
and will be put to the parties for signature in November 1991. 
2. The Community has for a long time recognized the need to reduce VOC 
emissions, which are harmful to both human health and to natural and 
economic resources as they are one of the causes, together with NOx, of 
photochemical pollution. 
With this in mind, the Community has adopted legal measures to reduce VOC 
emissions from motor vehicles, which makes it competent as regards certain 
provisions of the Protocol. 
3. The existing Community legislation (motor vehicles) and the recent 
Commission proposals which have already been the subject of a common 
position by the Council (heavy goods vehicles) should be extended to 
include other provisions to enable the Community, in accordance with the 
Commission's estimates, to fulfil the obligations arising from the 
Protocol, the main one being to achieve a 30% reduction in VOC emissions by 
the end of 1999 as compared with the level in 1988 or any other year 
between 1984 and 1990. 
- 3 -
The Commission is preparing, within the context of the CORINAIR programme, 
a detailed inventory of atmospheric emissions of various pollutants, 
including VOCs, in 1990. 
Consequently, it proposes that this year should be specified as the year of 
reference for VOC emissions when the Community signs the Protocol. 
4. On 24 July 1990 the Commission was authorized by the Council to participate 
in the Working Group drafting the Protocol and to negotiate on behalf of 
the Community in close consultation with the Member States. 
5. In view of the responsibilities which the Community has already assumed and 
the need to increase the control of transboundary atmosheric pollution at 
international level as well, the Commission believes that the Community 
should sign the VOC Protocol. 
The Commission further proposes that the Community's interpretation of 
certain terms in the Protocol which are incompatible with its specific 
status. 
- A -
Proposai for a 
COUNCIL DECISION 
concerning the signature by the European Economic Community 
of the Protocol to the Geneva Convention on long-range transboundary 
air pollution concerning the control of emissions of volatile 
organic compounds or their transboundary fluxes 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, 
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, 
Whereas the Treaty calls for active cooperation by the Community and the 
Member States in international environmental protection activities; 
Whereas the Community is party to the United Nations Economic Commission 
for Europe Convention on long-range transboundary air pollution1 (Geneva 
Convention, 1979) and to one of its Protocols on the funding of the 
European Monitoring and Evaluation of Pollutants (EMEP) programme;2 
Whereas the Commission has taken part, on behalf of the Community, in the 
negotiations conducted within a Working Party under the auspices of the 
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe on a draft Protocol to the 
Convention on long-range transboundary air pollution concerning the control 
of emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) or their transboundary 
fluxes; 
Whereas the VOC Protocol will be open for signature by the parties to the 
Convention on long-range transboundary air pollution at the ninth meeting 
of the Executive Body for the Convention, which will be held in Geneva from 
19 to 22 November 1991; 
1 OJ No X 171, 27.6.1981, p. 11. 
2 OJ No L 181, 4.7.1986, p. 1. 
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Whereas the availability of data on VOC emissions in the Community will be 
ensured, for 1990, thanks to the CORINAIR programme and the Community 
should therefore specify that year as the reference year for VOC emissions; 
HAS AGREED THE FOLLOWING: 
Article 1 
The European Economic Community shall sign the Protocol to the 1979 
Convention on long-range transboundary air pollution concerning the control 
of emissions of volatile organic compounds or their transboundary fluxes, 
specifying 1990 as the reference year and subject to conclusion. 
Article 2 
The President of the Council shall appoint a representative empowered to 
sign the Protocol on behalf of the Community. 
He shall at the same time deposit the declaration appearing In Annex I to 
this Decision. 
Done at Brussels, For the Counci 
The President 
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ANNEX ! 
Declaration bv the European Economic Community 
The European Economic Community declares that the term "national emissions" 
appearing in the preamble and in Articles 1 and 2 of the draft protocol to 
the Convention on long-range transboundary air pollution concerning the 
control of emissions of volatile organic compounds or their transboundary 
fluxes Is to be interpreted, as far as It Is concerned, as meaning "the 
Community emissions comprising the total emissions of the EEC Member 
States". 
Furthermore, the term "national" appearing in Articles 4, 5, 7 and 8 
similarly means that legislation, programmes, strategies and policies 
adopted, developed or implemented by the European Economic Community within 
the framework of matters within its field of competence. 
ISSN 0254-1475 
COM (91)394 final 
DOCUMENTS 
EN ! 14 06 
Catalogue number : CB-CO-91-470-EN-C 
ISBN 92-77-76815-0 
Office for Official Publications of the European Conmuinities 
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