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MMÎSSKMOFTHEEUROEEANCGMMUMîm
COM(75)266final
Brussels,10June1975
DRAFT
DECISION OFTHECOUNCIL
ontheparticipation "bytheEuropean''economicCommunity
inthenegotiations fortheconclusionofa
Convention ontheprotectionoftheRhineagainstchemicalpollution
(submittedtotheCouncil "bytheCommission)
COtI(73)266final

I. INTRODUCTION
AttheMinisterial Conference ontheprotection oftheRhine against
pollution ,which washeld inBonn on4and -5December 1973»thesignatory -
States oftheBerne Convention "approved thegeneral principles and in
particular thethree lists submitted bytheInternational Commission
covering substances whose discharge istobeprohibited ,restricted or
made subject tocertain conditions . TheMinisters agreed that ,having
regard totheCouncil ofEurope declaration ontheblack list ,their
States would asfar aspossible prevent thedischarge ofsubstances on
the black list into the waters ofthe Rhine catchment area .
The Ministers instructed the International Commission todraft the text
ofaninternational agreement onthebasis ofthose principles ,if
possible before thenext Ministerial Conference ,andtosubmit ittothe
States forapproval ."
This Conference ,which theCommission oftheEuropean Communities attended
asanobserver ,also agreed that intaking these measures ,account would
betaken ofthework carried outbytheEuropean Communities ,inaccordance
with their programme ofaction ontheprotection oftheenvironment .
Several meetings were held byspecialized working parties intheInternational
Commission inorder toprepare adraft convention ontheprotection ofthe
Rhine against chemical pollution .This wasdiscussed ataplenary meeting
oftheInternational Commission held inAmsterdam on6and 7March 1975 *
Although alarge measure ofagreement wasestablished onanumber ofarticles ,
marked differences ofopinion remain . These concern the scope ofthe
convention ,themethods fordrawing upaninventory ofwaste ,thetime
limits tobofixed fortheapplication oftheprovisions oftheagreement ,
the content ofthethree lists ofpollutants and themethod offixing
quality objectives .

ENV/111/75-E
Furthermore ,theGerman Delegation pointed outthat work wasinprogress
attheEuropean Communities ontheprotection ofwater andrequested that
priority begiven tothis work .
Inorder toensure thenecessary liaison "between thework being carried out
attheEuropean Communities andthat carried outbytheInternational Rhine
Commission ,thelatter hasgiven authorization forobservers fro:n the
Commission toattend thetechnical andlegal working parties preparing
thetext oftheConvention ontheprotection oftheRhine against chemical
pollution .
n.HOW VILLTHE COMIIUNTTY BENEFIT FROM SIGHING THIS CONVENTION ?
1.This document restates themain arguments already putforward inother
documents transmitted bytheCommission tothe Council which recommend the
Community toconclude international agreements fortheprotection ofthe
waters oftheCommunity *.
Theprogramme ofaction oftheEuropean Communities ontheenvironment ,
adopted bytheCouncil on22November 1973fprovides forseveral Community
projects fortheprevention ofwater pollution .These include ,in
particular :
-establishment ofcriteria concerning theprincipal water pollutants j
-standardization andharmonization ofmethods andtechniques forsampling ,
analysis andmeasurement ofpollutcints ;
-fixing inofcommon quality objectives determining thedifferent
requirements tobemetbyanenvironment bearing inmind itsallotted
purpose ;
-organization anddevelopment oftechnical exchanges between thepollution
monitoring andsurveillance networks ;
-protection oftheenvironment infrontier zones .
2.Pursuant totheaction programme ,theCommission haspresented several
proposals totheCouncil ,some ofwhich have already been adopted .
On7November 1974 »forinstance ,theCouncil agreed toaproposal fora
Directive onthequality ofsurface water intended fortheproduction of
drinking water intheMember States ,which fixed anumber ofquantified
parameters forthis useofsurface water .
QJNo
C0M(74)2029

ENV/l11/75~E
Inthesame field ,theCommission transmitted totheCouncil on
7February 1975 *aproposal foraDirective onthepollution ofseawater
andoffresh water intended for "bathing (quality objectives ).
Itisatpresent preparing proposals fordirectives ontherequired quality
ofwaters intended tosupport thelife offreshwater fish andwater used
forshellfish breeding .Work hasalso been started with aview tothe
establishment ofquality objectives forwater used foragricultural and
industrial purposes .
Inaddition ,thereduction ofwater pollution bypaper pulp mills inthe
Menber States wasthesubject ofaproposal foraDirective transmitted
totheCouncil on20January 1975 * <
3.Inconnection with theCommunities •activity atinternational level ,
itwill berecalled that theCouncil adopted ,on3March last ,adecision
authorizing theCommunity tosign theParis Convention ontheprevention of
marine pollution from land-based sources .Since this pollution islargely
caused bypollution offresh water ,themeasures taken tocontrol itwill
very often bethesame asorsimilar tothose taken forfresh water . ,
Inaddition ,following theproceedings ofthePermanent Representatives
Committee andoftheCouncil on^November 1974 ,theCommission on
11December 1974 transmitted aproposal foraDecision authorizing the
Community tosign theEuropean Convention ontheprotection ofinternational
fresh waters from pollution prepared bytheCouncil ofEurope .
4.Atitsmeeting on7November .1974 ^-"theCouncil recommended theMember
States concerned tosign theParis Convention ,butatthesame time felt
itnecessary toensure theconsistent implementation ofthecommitments
laid down inthis Convention ,ofthose which will arise from thedraft
Convention prepared bytheCouncil ofEurope ,should this beadopted ,and ,
ingeneral ,ofthecommitments entered into bytheMember States inthe
programme ofaction oftheCommunities ontheenvironment .
SeeR/16/75(EBV.6)

-4- 2W/111/75-E
TheCouncil noted ,atitsmeeting that on22October 1974 theCommission
hadpresented apropoBal foraDecision onthereduction ofpollution
caused "bycertain dangerous substances released into theCommunity 's
water environment andwill endeavour toact onthis proposal before
30June 1975 .
Thedraft decision makes provision fortheCommunity tofixlimit values
forpollutants appearing onablack andagrey list .Italso provides
for anauthorization procedure forpollutants ontheblack list andthe
establishment ofaninventory ofdischarges ofsubstances appearing onthe
twolists . This proposal foradecision isatpresent being discussed
intheEnvironment Working Party oftheCouncil .
5.Thedraft convention atpresent being discussed bytheInternational
Rhine Commission ontheprotection oftheRhine against chemical pollution
makes provision ,forthefixing oflimit values forpollutants onablack
list andquality objectives forpollutants onagrey andbeige list .This
draft also provides fortheestablishment ofnational inventories of
discharges containing thesubstances appearing onthevarious lists .
Inorder toensure that thelimit values andquality objectives areadhered
to,thedraft Convention stipulates that thesignatory States shall make use
ofavariety ofmeans according tothecase inhand ,viz.,application of
better techniques ,implementation oflaws andestablishment ofdetailed
programmes .
6.Itisclear ,then ,that thedraft convention currently being discussed
bytheInternational Commission fortheRhine makes allowance ,inaddition
totheprovisions applicable totheindividual Member States concerned ,for
theimplementation ofanumber ofmeasures already adopted orinthecourse of
being adopted bytheEuropean Communities under itsenvironment programme
which give theCommunities authority inthis field .
For theabove reasons andalso toensure that action taken toprevent
water pollution throughout thewhole Community isconsistent ,theCommission
feels that theEuropean Economic Community assuch should participate
alongside theMember States concerned inthepreparati-on ofaConvention
fortheprotection oftheRhine against chemical pollution with aview to
theCommunity 'ssigning theConvention .

-5- ENV/111/75-E
III .CONCLUSION
The Commission therefore reoommends the Council:' " '" "
(a)toadopt thedraft decision attached hereto ontheparticipation by
theEuropean Economic Community inthenegotiations fortheconclusion
ofaConvention ontheprotection oftheRhine against chemical
pollution ;
(h)toinvite theCommission toinform Switzerland ofthedecision referred
tounder (a).

ENV/111/75-IS
Draft decision oftheCouncil ontheparticipation "bytheEuropean
Economic Community inthenegotiations fortheconclusion ofa
Convention ontheprotection oftheRhino against chemical .pollution -
THECOUNCIL OPTHEEUROPEAN COMMUNITIES ,
Having regard tothe ,Treaty establishing theEuropean Economic Community ;
Having regard tothedraft from theCommission } .
Whereas theDeclaration oftheCouncil oftheEuropean Communities and
oftherepresentatives oftheGovernments oftheManber States meeting
inCouncil on22November 1973 onaprogramme ofaction oftheEuropean
Communities fortheenvironment ^stresses theimportance whioh the
Community attaches totheprevention ofwater pollution andprovides for
action tobetaken tothis end ;
Whereas theMinisterial Conference ontheprotection oftheRhine against
pollution provided forthepreparation ofaConvention ontheprotection
oftheRhine against chemical pollution ;
Whereas adraft forsuch aConvention iscurrently being negotiated and
whereas ,therefore ,theCommunity should take part insuch negotiation ,
HAS DECIDED ASFOLLOWS :
Sole Article ,
TheCommission isauthorized totake part inthenegotiations with a
view totheconclusion ofaConvention ontheprotection oftheRhine
against chemical pollution .
10JNoC112,20December 1973»

-2- EHV/111/75
Itshall conduct these negotiations inconsultation with therepresentatives
oftheMember States ,inaccordance with thegeneral directives annexed
hereto .
FortheCouncil ,
The Président
Brussels ,
\

ENV/111/75-E
Directive from the Council tothe Commission
Thepreliminary draft Convention ,annexed hereto andinthecourse of
preparation ,should "bedrawn upinsuch awayastoenable theCommunity
tosign andadhere tothis Convention andtoensure consistent
implementation ofthecommitments laid down init,ofthose which will
arise from theConvention prepared bytheCouncil ofEurope should this
beadopted ,and ,ingeneral ,ofthecommitments entered into bythe
Member States intheprogramme ofaction oftheCommunities onthe
environment .