COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 
Brussels, 24.06.1996 
COM(96) 301 final - SYN 161 
OPINION OF THE COMMISSION 
on the amendments proposed by the European Parliament 
to the Council's common position on the 
proposal for a 
COUNCIL DIRECTIVE 
on the disposal of poJychlorinated biphenyls 
and polychlorinated terphenyls (PCBs/PCTs) 
(presented by the Commission pursuant to Article 189 c (d) of the EC Treaty) 

1. On the 12 December 1988 the Commission presented to the Council a proposal 
for a Directive, based on Article 100 a of the EC Treaty, on the disposal of 
PCBs and POTs1 
2. The Economic and Social Committee delivered its opinion on 28 February 
19892. 
3. The European parliament delivered its opinion at first reading on 17 May 19903 
and 12 December 19904. 
4. The Commission submitted to the Council an amended proposal based on 
Articles 100a and 113 of the Treaty5 on 22 October 1991. 
5. The Council reached agreement in principle with a view to adopting a common 
position based on the Article 130 s of the Treaty on 16 December 1994. It 
accordingly consulted the European Parliament on that point. The European 
Parliament agreed to that change in the legal basis in its resolution of 20 
September 1995. On 27 November 1995 the Council adopted a common 
position in accordance with Article 189 c of the Treaty. 
6. At its sitting of 22 May 1996 the European Parliament adopted its decision at 
second reading on the common position with 3 amendments. 
7. The Commission did not accept any of the amendments suggested by the 
European Parliament. The Commission' s position on each of the amendments 
adopted by the European Parliament at its second reading is as follows : 
Amendment 5 
-This amendment to the third recital asks for funding research into other 
methods of disposal of PCBs-PCTs and in particular in those involving bacterial 
biodégradation and pretreatment using chlorine extraction. 
Such research goes beyond PCBs-PCTs. It concerns organochlorine 
compounds in general. However, the Commission will endeavour to include this 
research in the fifth research programme. 
1 COM(88) 559 final-SYN 161 of 18 October 1988 OJ No C 319, 
12.12.1988 
2 OJ No C 139, 5.6.1989, p.l 
3 OJ No C 149, 18.6.1990, p.150 
4 OJ No C 19, 28.1.1991, p.83 
5 COM(91) 373 final-SYN 161, 22 October 1991, OJ No C 299, 
20.11.1991, p.9 
Amendment 2 
Knfcf'i lo H it ? Hlh lociliil iincl N?(|un?.lr. lui induction of lh<- maximum hunt lei 
PCBs-PCTs content in mixtures to be used as combustibles, including waste 
oils, from 50 to 20 ppm. 
In the Commissions view this reduction should be achieved through an 
amendment of Directive 75/439 on the disposal of waste oils. The Commission 
undertook, by way of a declaration to the Council minutes, to propose a 
modification to Directive 75/439 with a view to reduce the maximum limit of 50 
ppm to 20 ppm PCB/PCT content in mixtures to be used as combustibles 
including waste oils. 
Amendment 3 
-It refers to Article 3 and asks Member States to monitor compliance with the 
present Directive and to provide for effective penal sanctions. 
The monitoring of compliance and providing of penal sanctions is the task of 
each Member State. 
3 

ISSN 0254-1475 
COM(yô) 301 iinaJ 
DOCUMENTS 
EN 14 
Catalogue number : CB-CO-96-309-EN-C 
ISBN 92-78-05776-2 
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