ARCHIVESHISTORIQUES
DELACOMMISSION
COLLECTION RELIEEDES
DOCUMENTS "COM"
COM(81)448
Vol.1981/0139

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COMMISSION OFTHEEUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
COM(81)448 final
Brussels,10September 1981
Draft
COUNCILDECISION
concerning theconclusionofanAgreement onaconcerted
actionprojectinthefieldoftreatment anduseofsewage
sludge (COSTproject68ter)betweentheEuropean
EconomicCommunity andcertainnon-member statesparticipating
intheschemeforEuropeancooperation inthefieldofscientific
andtechnical research(COST)
(submittedtotheCouncilbytheCommission )
C0M(81)448final^^A
,£?•-■\-£ri"S" i
.rv iv'-A/■

Subject tAgreement onaconcerted action project inthefield of
treatment anduseofsewage sludge (COST project 68'er)
tobeconcluded between theEEC andsome Third States
participating inEuropean Cooperation inthefield of
scientific andtechnical research (COST).
Aresearch project ontreatment anduseofsewage sludge hadbeen the
subject ofCOST project 68intheperiod 1972-1974 *Theagreement on
theimplementation ofthis project hadbeen signed bythefollowing
countries *
i *
Member States Non-Member States
Belgium Finland ^Denmark 1 .Norway
Prance Turkey - N
Germany Sweden
Italy Switzerland
Netherlands Yougoslavia
United Kingdom
Following theCouncil decision of15March 1976 approving asecond
research programme onthe environment andinview ofthevery encou - -
raging results obtained inCOST project 68aconcerted action project
ontreatment anduseofsewage sludge (COST project 68bis)wasadopted
bytheCouncil of27September 1977 (l)® TheThird States participating
inEuropean Cooperation .inthefield ofscientific andtechnical ;research
(COST )were invited toparticipate inthis concerted action project and .
therelevant agreement Was'concluded bytheCouncil on19March 1979 (2)
andsigned on26July 19X9® .Community ,Norway ,Austria ,Switserland ,
Finland andSweden yfete the .signatories ofthis agreement .
Byitsdecision of*3March ,*1981 (3),theCouncil adopted asectoral research
anddevelopment programme -oh.thefield ofenvironment (environmental
protection andclimatology ).Including anewconcerted action project on
treatment anduseoffeewdge pludge «Article 8oftheabove mentioned
decision provides foraconclusion ofinternational agreements between the
Community andThird States ,"inparticular those involved inEuropean Coope­
ration in'thefield ofscientific andtechnical research (COST )with aview
toassociating them wholly orpartly with this programme .TheCommission has
been ,pursuant tothis provision ,authorized tonegotiate tothis effect .
(1)O.J.N°L267 ,19.10' !1977 ,P«35
(2)O.J. N°L72 ,23.03.1979 .P.35
(3)O.J.N°L101 ,11.04.1981 .p.1*■

-2-
Thenegotiations axenowcompletedandhaveculminatedinthedraft
agreementannexedtotheattacheddraftCouncildecision.This
agreementprovidesfor:
-thesettingupofaCommunity-COST Concertation Committee;
-concertation withinthisCommittee,secretarial servicesfor
whichareprovided "bytheCommission,"betweentheCommunity
projectandthecorresponding programmesoftheCOSTnon­
•MemberStates; /
-,afinancialcontribution ofeachnon-MemberStateparticipating
intheprojectequivalenttoone-tenthoftheCommunitycon­
tributiontotheproject,i.e.20,000ECUforthedurationofthe
project.
Thefollowingnon-MemberStateshaveexpressedtheirdesiretoparticipate
inthisproject:Austria,Norway,Sweden,Switzerland andFinland.
TheCommissionrequesttheCounciltoadoptthedraftdecisionattached
hereto.

4 DRAFTCOUNCILDECISION
concerningtheconclusionofanAgreementonaconcertedactionprojectin
thefieldoftreatmentanduseofsewagesludge(COSTproject68ter)
betweentheEuropeanEconomicCommunityandcertainnon-memberStatespar­
ticipating .intheschemeforEuropeancooperationinthefieldofscientific
andtechnicalresearch (COST)
THECOUNCILOFTHEEUROPEANCOMMUNITIES,
HavingregardtotheTreatyestablishing theEuropeanEconomicCommunity,
HavingregardtoCouncilDecision81/213/EECof3March1981adoptingasectoral
researchanddevelopment programmeinthefieldofenvironment (environmental
(1)-protectionandclimatology )-indirectandconcertedactions,andin
particularArticle8(1)thereof,
HavingregardtothedraftDecisionsubmittedbytheCommission,
Whereas,pursuanttoArticle8(2)ofDecision81/213/EEC,theCommissionhas
negotiatedanAgreementwithcertainnon-memberStatesinvolvedinEuropeanCoope­
rationinthefieldofScientific andTechnic^.Research(COST)withaviewto
associating themwhollyorpartlywiththisprogramme;
WhereasthisAgreementshouldbeapproved,
HASDECIDEDASFOLLOWS:
Article 1
TheCommunity-COSTConcertation Agreementoha.concertedactionprojectinthefield
) -.
oftreatmentanduseofsewagesludge(COSTproject68ter)betweentheEuropean
EconomicCommunityandcertainno.n-membe,rStatesinvolvedinEuropeanCooperation
inthefieldofScientificandTechnicalResearch(COST)isherebyapprovedon
behalfoftheCommunity.
ThetextoftheAgreementisannexedhereto.
Article2
ThePresidentoftheCouncilisherebyauthorizedtodesignatethepersons
empoweredtosigntheAgreementinordertobindtheCommunity.
DoneatBrussels, FortheCouncil
ThePresident
O.J.N°L101,11.04.1981,p\1

COMMONITV-COSTOONCERTATION AGREEMENT
ONACCii'CERTEj >ACTIONPROJECTINTHEFIELD
OPTREATMENT ANDUSEOFSEWAGESLUDGE
(COSTPROJECT68ter)
TheEuropeanEconomicCommunity,hereinafterreferredtoas"theCommunity
TheSignatoryStatesofthisAgreement,hereinafterreferredtoas
"theparticipating non-MemberStates",
WhereasaEuropeanconcertedresearchactionprojeotinthefieldof
treatmentanduseofsewagesludgeislikelytocontributeeffectively
tothereductionofenvironmental pollutionandtomoreeconomicuseof
naturalresource;
WhereasaCommunity-COST concertation agreementonaconcertedaction
projectinthefieldoftreatmentanduseofsewagesludge(COSTProject
68bis)hasbeenconcludedbetweentheCommunityandsomenon-Member
StatesinvolvedinEuropeanCooperationinthefieldofScientificand
TechnicalResearch(COST)on26July1979andexpiredon18October1980;
Whereastheabovementionedconcertedactionprojecthasproducedvery
encouragingresults; ■ •
WhereasbyitsDecisionof3March1981theCounciloftheEuropean
Communities adoptedamultiannual researchanddevelopment programme
inthefieldofenvironment (environmental protectionandclimatology)
(indirectandconcertedactionsI98I-I985)includinganewconcerted
actionprojectonthetreatmentanduseofsewagesludgetobecarried
outduringtheperiod1stJanuary1981-31December1983?

Whereas theMember States oftheCommunity andtheparticipating non-Member
States ,hereinafter referred toas"theStates ^intend ,subject tothe
rules andprocedures applicable totheir national programmes ,tocarry out
theresearch described inAnnex Aandareprepared tointegrate such re­
search into aprocess ofconcert ationwhich they consider will beof
mutual benefit ;
Whereas theimplementation oftheResearch covered bytheconcerted action
project will require afinancial contribution ofapproximately 10million
ECUfrom theStates ,
HAVE AGREED ASFOLLOWS :
Article 1
4 ––––
TheCommunity andtheparticipating non-Member States ,hereinafter
referred toas"theContracting Parties 1',shall participate fortheperiod
■, ■ .. "1January 19°1 -31December 1983 inaconcerted action project inthe -
field oftreatment anduse ofsewage sludge *
This project shall consist inconcertation between theCommunity
concerted aotion programme andthecorresponding programmes ofthepar­
ticipating non-Member States .Research areas covered bythis Agreement
are listed inAnnex A.
TheStates shall remain entirely responsible fortheresearch executed
bytheir national institutions orbodies#
.Article 2
Concertation between theContracting Parties shall beeffected through
aComaunity-COST Concertation Committee ,hereinafter referred toas
"the Committee ".

3-
Th?Cc-anitteeshallli-awi.pitsralesofprocedure.ItsSecretariat
willbeprovided "by"theConirissionoftheEuropeanCommunities,hereinafter
referredtoas"theCommission"#
Thetermsofreferenceandthecomposition ofthisCommitteeare
definedinAnnexB.
Article3
Inordertoensureoptimumefficiencyintheexecutionofthis
concertedactionproject,aprojectleadercan"beappointedbythe
CommissioninagreementwiththeCommittee *
Article4
Themaximumfinancialcontribution bythe^ContractingPartiesto
theco-ordination costsshallbe:
–200,000ECUfromtheCommunity
-20,000ECUfromeachparticipating non-MemberStateforthe
periodreferredtointhefirstparagraphofArticle1*
TheECUisthatdefinedbytheFinancialRegulationinforceapplic­
abletothegeneralbudgetoftheEuropeanCommunities andbythefinan­
cialarrangements adoptedpursuantthereto*
TherulesgoverningthefinancingoftheAgreement -aresetoutin
AnnexC*
Article5
1*ThroughtheCommittee,theStatesshallexchangeregularlyall
usefulinformationresultingfromtheexecutionoftheresearchcovered
bytheconcertedactionprogramme *Theyshallalsoendeavourtoprovide
information onsimilarresearchplannedoroarriedoutbyotherbodies*~
AnyinformationshallbetreatedasconfidentialiftheStatewhich
providesitBOrequests*

-4-
2.Inagreement with theCommittee theCommission shall prepare annual
progress reports onthebasis oftheinformation supplied acdshalj for­
ward them tothe States . -
3.Atthe endoftheconcertation period ,theCommission shall ,in
agreement with theCommittee ,forward totheStates ageneral report on
theexecution andresults oftheproject .This report shall bepublished
bytheCommission sixmonths after ithasbeen forwarded ,unless aState
objects .Inthat case thereport shall betreated asconfidential and
shall beforwarded onrequest andwith theagreement oftheCommittee ,
solely totheinstitutions andundertakings whose research orproduction
activities justify access toknowledge resulting from theperformance of
theresearch covered bytheconcerted action project .
Article 6
1.This Agreement maybesigned bytheCommunity andbythenon-Member
States ofthat Community which took part intheMinisterial conference
held inBrussels on22and 23November 1971 *
2.Asacondition precedent toitsparticipation intheconcerted action
project defined inArticle 1,each oftheContracting Parties shall ,after
signing this Agreement ,have notified theSecretary-General oftheCouncil
oftheEuropean Communities notlater than 30June 1982 thecompletion of
theprocedures necessary under itsinternal provisions fortheimplemen­
tation ofthis Agreement . ,
3«FortheContracting Parties which have transmitted thenotification
\
provided forinparagraph 2,this Agreement shall enter into force onthe
first dayofthemonth following that inwhich theCommunity andatleast
oneoftheparticipating non-Member States transmitted these notifications
Forthose Contracting Parties which transmit thenotification after
theentry into force ofthis Agreement ,itshall come into force onthe
first dayofthesecond month following themonth inwhich thenotifica­
tion was transmitted .
ν

-5»
ContractingPartieswhichhavenotyettransmittedthisnotification
atthetimeofentryintoforceofthisAgreementshallbeabletotake
partintheworkoftheCommitteewithoutvotingrightsuntil30June1982.
4*TheSecretary-General oftheCounciloftheEuropeanCommunities
shallnotifyeachofthecontractingpartiesofthedepositofthenotifi­
cationsprovidedforinparagraph2andofthedateofentryintoforce
ofthisAgreement.
Article7
ThisAgreement,drawnupinasingleoriginalintheDanish,Dutch,
English,French,German,GreekandItalianlanguages,eachtextbeing
equallyauthentic,shallbedepositedinthearchivesoftheGeneral
Secretariat oftheCouncilof<theEuropeanCommunities whichshalltrans­
mitacertifiedcopytoeachoftheContractingParties.
Doneat

ANNgXA
RESEARCH AREASCOVEREDBTTHEAGREEMENT
1.Sludgestabilization andodourproblems : *
-Definition anddetermination of'degreeofstability' and
relationtoodournuisance
-Comparative evaluation ofstabilizationproc.edures
2.Problemsrelatedtosludgedewatering :
-Researchonwaterbindingforces
-Development andstandardization ofmethodsfortheassessment
ofdewatering properties
-Problemsrelatedtotheuseofflocculants
-Comparative evaluationofthickening anddewatering equipment
3.Analytical problemsrelatedtosludgetreatment anduse:
-Characterization ofpathogens andevaluation ofdisinfection
procedures
-Characterization anddetermination ofpolluants (heavymetals,
persistent organiccompounds)insludgeanddevelopment of
standardized analytical methods
A.Environmental problemsrelatedtosludgeuse:
-Specialprocessing ofsludgeforagricultural use(e.g.composting )
includingtheimprovement ofdisinfection procedures andpolluant
removal
-Transferofpolluarvtstoplantsandharmfuleffectsonvegetation
-Effectsoflongrangesludgeapplication onsoilqualityand
groundwater
-Optimumlanduseofsludge,includingsludgefromdephosphatation plants.

ANNEXB
TERMSOFREFERENCE ANDCOMPOSITION OFTHECOMMUNITY-COST CONCERTATION
COMMITTEE ONTREATMENT ANDUSEOFSEWAGESLUDGE
1.TheCommitteeshall:
1.1.contribute totheoptimumexecutionoftheconcertedaction
projectbygivingitsopiniononallofitsaspects;
1.2.evaluatetheresultsoftheprojectanddrawconclusions asto
theirapplication ;
1.3.beresponsible fortheexchangeofinformation referredtoin
Article5(1)oftheAgreement;
1.4.suggestguidelinestotheprojectleader.
2.TheCommittee'sreportsandopinionsshallbeforwardedtothe
States.
3.TheCommitteeshallbecomposedofonedelegatefromthe
Commission,ascoordinator oftheCommunityconcertedaction
project,onedelegatefromeachparticipating non-memberState,
•onedelegatefromeachMemberStaterepresenting itsnational
programme,andtheprojectleader.Eachdelegatemaybe
accompagnied byexperts.

ANNEX C
FINANCING RULES
Article 1
These provisions laydown "thefinancial rules referred toinArticle 4of .
theAgreement ontheconcerted action projeot inthefield ofTreatment
andutilisation ofsewage sludge (COST Project 68ter)•
Article 2
Atthebeginning ofeach financial year ,theCommission shall send toeach
oftheparticipating non-Member States acall forfunds corresponding to
itssh&re oftheannual coordination costs under theAgreement ,calculated
inproportion to.themaximum amounts laid down inArticle 4oftheAgree­
ment .
This contribution shall beexpressed both inECUandthecurrency ofthe
State concerned ,thevalue oftheECUbeing defined intheFinancial
Regulation applicable tothegeneral budget oftheEuropean Communities
and determined onthe date ofthe call for funds#
The total contributions shall cover the travel and subsistence costs of
thedelegates totheCommittee ,inaddition tothecoordination costs
proper .
Each participating non-Member State shall pay itsannual contribution to
thecoordination costs under theAgreement atthebeginning ofeach year ,
andby31March atthelatest .Anydelay inthepayment oftheannual
contribution shall give rise tothepayment ofinterest bythepartici­
pating non-Member State concerned atarate equal tothehighest discount
rate jftiling intheStates ontheduedate .Therate shall beincreased
by0.25 ofapercentage point foreach month ofdelay .Theincreased
rate shall beapplied totheentire period ofdelay .However ,such inte­
rest shall beohargeable only ifpayment iseffected more than three
months after theissue ofaoall forfunds bytheCommission .

ΑΐίΝΕΧΕ 0■atwirirwaw.<iww
$
Article 3
Thefunds paid byparticipating non-Member States shall becredited tothe
concerted action project asbudget receipts allocated toaheading inthe
statement ofrevenue oftheBudget oftheCommission *
Article 4
Theapproximative timetable forthecoordination costs referred toin
Article 4oftheAgreement isannexed *
Article 5
TheFinancial Regulation inforce applicable tothegeneral budget ofthe
European Communities shall apply tothemanagement oftheappropriations .
Article 6
Attheendofeach financial year ,-astatement ofappropriations forthe
concerted action project shall be .prepared andtransmitted totheparti­
cipating non-Member States forinformation *

PROVISIONAL TIMETABLE FORTHECONCERTED ACTION PROJECT "TREATMENT ANOUSE OFSEWAGE SLUDGE "
(ACCORD COST 68ter )
1.Initial estimate ofoverall
requirements
-Staff
-Administrative operating
expenditure
-Contracts
TOTAL1981 1982 1983 TOTAL
AC . AP AC AP AC AP AC AP
70.000 70.000 70.000 70.000 60.000 60.000 200.000 200.000
70.000 70.000 70.000 70.000 . 60.000 60.000 200.000 200.000
2.Revised estimate ofexpen -
diture taking into account
additional requirements ar-
riving from theaccession of
participating non-member
States
-Staff
-Administrative operating
expenditure
-Contracts
NEW TOTAL70.000(1 +^:70.000(1 +^)70.000(1· ^)70.000CH^jj )60.000a +^)\
60.000 (1+,^)200.000 α+^>I
200.000(1 +^)
70.000(1 +^)70.000(1· ^)70.0000 +^70.000(1 +^60.000Cl· ^)60.000(1 +^)200.000(1 +^)200.000(1 +^
3.Difference between 1and 2
tobecovered bycontributio
from participating
non-member Statesτ
^70.000 ^70.000/
^70.00070.000jg·60.00060.000 200.000 200.000
n=
AC=
AP=number ofparticipating non-member States
account credited
account paid