8. 8. 88 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 208/5 
4.3. The Commission should, if necessary, submit greater reduction than 50 % by the year 2000. 
additional proposals for achieving a considerably 
Done at Brussels, 3 June 1988. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Alfons MARGOT 
Opinion on the proposal for a Council Directive amending for the second time Directive 82/ 
501/EEC on the major-accident hazards of certain industrial activities (*) 
(88/C 208/03) 
On 5 April 1988 the Council decided to consult the Economic and Social Committee, 
under Article 130S of the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, on the 
abovementioned proposal. 
The Section for Protection of the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Affairs, which 
was responsible for preparing the Committee's work on the subject, adopted its Opinion on 
3 May 1988. The rapporteur was Mr Beltrami. 
At its 256th plenary session (meeting of 2 June 1988), the Economic and Social Committee 
adopted the following Opinion unanimously 
1. General comments 
1.1. The Commission proposal is presented under 
Article 130S of the Treaty establishing the European 
Community. It seeks to amend Directive 82/501/EEC 
of 24 June 1982 on the major-accident hazards of certain 
industrial activities (2). 
1.2. Subject to the comments which follow, the Com­
mittee approves the Commission initiative and concurs 
on the importance of effective measures to avoid serious 
accidents associated with certain industrial activities 
and with the mass storage of dangerous substances, 
and to reduce their possible effects on workers, the 
public and the environment. The Committee considers 
that the Directive should be adopted without delay, 
and rapidly implemented by all Member States. 
(!) OJNoC119, 6. 5. 1988, p. 2. 
(2) OJ No L 230, 5. 8. 1982. 1.3. In its present form, Directive 82/501/EEC covers 
only two types of storage of dangerous chemicals: 
a) storage outside an industrial installation (isolated 
storage): in this case, the Directive covers only ten 
substances or groups of substances; 
b) storage associated with industrial operations inside 
an industrial installation: in this case, all storage of 
dangerous (i.e. toxic, very toxic, flammable and 
explosive) chemicals is covered by the Directive. 
The present proposal aims to better protect the public 
and the environment by strenghtening and expanding 
the scope of the Directive as regards the storage of 
inherently dangerous substances and preparations 
which have the potential to cause a serious accident. 
No C 208/6 Official Journal of the European Communities 8. 8. 88 
1.4. The scope of the Directive (previously amended 
by Directive 87/216/EEC of 19 March 1987) is to be 
extended to cover the storage of all dangerous chemi­
cals, whether in bulk or in packaged form, within an 
industrial installation or elsewhere. 
The proposal adds a new paragraph to Article 8 and a 
new Annex VII defining the ways in which information 
on certain dangerous activities and storage sites should 
be communicated to the public, and laying down the 
minimum contents of this information. 
1.5. The Committee would here refer back to the 
comments made in its previous Opinions on the original 
and the amending Directives(1). Stressing the links 
between the protection of workers and protection of 
the environment, the Committee called for the fullest 
possible information to be provided to the public and 
the neighbouring population (2). 
1.6. The Committee agrees with the Commission 
that measures to prevent major accidents should extend 
to storage at sites not connected with industrial activi­
ties, where the risks covered by .the basic Directive 
are also present. It feels, however, that the minimum 
quantities and obligations listed in Article 5 should 
differentiate more strongly between this type of storage 
and storage associated with industrial installations. 
The risk of a major accident at a site used solely for 
storage is not the same, because of the absence of a 
whole series of production-linked activities with all 
that they entail: movements around the plant, mixing 
operations, high temperatures, excessive pressure, 
abnormal reactions, etc. 
The likeliest accidents at a site used solely for storage 
would be a fire or the spillage of liquids, and nowadays 
better technology exists for controlling these both at 
the storage site and outside. Furthermore, there are very 
few staff at isolated storage sites. 
1.7. The Committee appreciates why the Com­
mission has elected to amend and extend the basic 
Directive which is already in force in a number of 
Member States. However, it feels that a separate Direc-
(!) OJ No C 182, 21. 7. 1980 and OJ No C 101, 28. 4. 1986. 
(2) OJ No C 182, 21. 7. 1980, points 1.3 and 1.13. tive would be clearer both in terms of drafting and 
for understanding the provisions governing separate 
storage sites. 
The extension of the Directive to sites used solely 
for the storage of chemicals will affect categories and 
activities which may have difficulty in following the 
references to the basic Directive. Moreover, as not all 
the data required for notification under Article 5 are 
relevant to sites used solely for storage, a better defi­
nition is needed of the words 'where appropriate' in 
Annex V, Part II (2). 
1.8. The Committee approves the Commission's 
move to add to the list of substances contained in 
Annex II of Directive 82/501/EEC (Part I of Annex II) 
and to include in Part II virtually all dangerous chemi­
cals not contained in Part I, classifying them according 
to degree of danger. However, as the quantities stipu­
lated will directly affect the number of storage sites to 
be monitored by the supervisory bodies in the Member 
States, and remembering that the aim of the Directive 
is to prevent serious accidents, the Committee urges the 
Commission to continue to use the most objective and 
scientific criteria to fix these quantities and to update 
them as necessary in the light of scientific and industrial 
developments and implementing experience. 
1.9. The Committee agrees on the importance of 
actively informing the public of the accident risks they 
may face and indicating the emergency measures to be 
adopted. It considers, however, that the public authori­
ties must bear the primary responsibility for informing 
the public, as it is they who must draw up the outside 
emergency plan, and who must coordinate measures in 
the event of an accident. 
2. Specific comments 
2.1. Annex I, Part I 
23. In the Italian text, 'isocianato di metilene' 
should be amended to read 'isocianato di 
metile'. 
27. Diisocyanato-diphenylmethane (MDI) 
The Commission is asked to consider whether 
the inclusion of this substance in the list is 
justified, as it is the only substance which does 
not meet the indicative criteria in Annex IV of 
the basic Directive. 
8. 8. 88 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 208/7 
2.2. Annex I, Part 11 
The Commission is asked to estimate how many 
storage sites are to be affected by the provisions 
contained in Annex I, Part II, and in particular the 
threshold quantities proposed in item 2. 
This may show that the classification categories 
and/or the threshold quantities need to be adjusted, 
if they are to allow the relevant authorities to moni­
tor effectively the safety of truly dangerous storage 
Done at Brussels, 2 June 1988. 
1. General remarks 
1.1. The Committee believes that it is self-evident 
and an accepted fact that emissions from motor vehicles 
have been and continue to be a cause for concern in 
environmental-protection terms: it accepts this basic 
fact and addresses itself to the details of implementation 
within the proposed amending Directive. 
1.2. The Luxembourg agreement of June 1985 laid 
down the basic principles of the future exhaust emission sites and to ensure that the burden shouldered by 
businesses is commensurate with the danger posed. 
Point 4, third line 
Correct 'item 2' to read 'item 3'. 
2.3. Annex U (Annex VU) 
The Commission is advised to review and specify 
more clearly the information and data required, 
with a view to ensuring that this information is 
practical and unambiguous. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Alfons MARGOT 
limitation requirements for motor vehicles in the Euro­
pean Community. The EEC Directive 88/76/EEC(2) is 
the result of that agreement, accepted by Council on 
3 December 1987. 
1.3. Council Directive 88/76/EEC (amending the 
Directive 70/220/EEC) makes it clear that petrol and 
diesel engined vehicles are included in the measures, 
with the exception of agricultural tractors and machin­
ery and of public work vehicles, but including military 
vehicles of less than 1,4 litres. Opinion on the proposal for a Council Directive amending Directive 70/220/EEC on the 
approximation of the laws of Member States relating to measures to be taken against air 
pollution by gases from the engines of motor vehicles — European emission standard for 
cars below 1,4 litres (l) 
(88/C 208/04) 
On 26 February 1988 the Council decided, in accordance with Article 100A of the Treaty 
establishing the European Economic Community, to consult the Economic and Social Com­
mittee on the abovementioned proposal. 
The Section for Industry, Commerce, Crafts and Services was instructed to prepare the work 
on this topic and adopted its Opinion on 4 May 1988 on the report by Mr Pearson. 
The Economic and Social Committee, at its 256th plenary session, meeting on 2 June 1988, 
adopted the following Opinion by 86 votes to 10 with 11 abstentions (vote recorded). 
(!) OJ No C 56, 27. 2. 1988, p. 9. (2) OJ No L 36, 9. 2. 1988, p. 1.