EUROPEAN COMMISSION Brussels, 4.1.2019 SWD(2018) 495 final COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT Accompanying the document REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF REGIONS On the review and update of the second European Community Implementation Plan in accordance with Article 8(4) of Regulation No 850/2004 on persistent organic pollutants {COM(2018) 848 final}



TABLE OF CONTENT 1.Introduction 1.1.Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) 1.2.International agreements addressing POPs 1.2.1.UNECE Protocol on POPs 1.2.2.Stockholm Convention 1.2.3.Coordination and cooperation among the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions 1.3.Purpose of the Union Implementation Plan on POPs 2.Key Union Legislation and Policies related to the Union’s Obligations under the Stockholm Convention and UNECE Protocol on POPs 2.1.Legislative instruments 2.1.1.The POP Regulation 2.1.2.EU chemicals legislation 2.1.2.1.REACH 2.1.2.3.Regulation on Plant Protection Products 2.1.2.4.Biocidal Products Regulation 2.1.2.5.Regulation on the export and import of hazardous chemicals 2.1.2.6.PCB Directive (Directive 96/59/EC) 2.1.3.Other environmental legislation with POP relevance 2.1.4.Legislation on food and feed and on the protection of public health

2.1.5.Information exchange between Commission and Member States on POPs in food and consumer products 2.1.6.Food monitoring within the European Union 2.1.7.Emission monitoring legislation 2.1.9.Public access to environmental information 2.2.Strategies, policies and programmes 2.2.1.Sustainable development 2.2.1.1.Substitution of substances for intentional use 2.2.2.Environment Action Programme 2.2.3.Strategies for control of pesticides and chemical substances 2.2.4.Environment and Health Action Plan 2.2.5.Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) 2.2.6.Monitoring efforts of the EU 2.3.Financial instruments 2.3.1.Funding instruments for the EU 2.3.2.Funding for neighbouring and partner countries 2.3.3.Multilateral programmes funded by the EU 2.4.Research and Development and the Framework Programmes 2.4.1.European Research Institutions including the JRC 2.4.2.Supporting co-operation, co-ordination and networking 2.4.3.Future research and innovation

2.5.Information Exchange, Public information, awareness and education 2.5.1.Stockholm Convention Regional Centres 3.Overall Assessment of the POPs issue in the EU 3.1.POPs regulated before 2009 (“old POPs”) 3.1.1.Production 3.1.2.Use and placing on the market 3.1.3.Import and export 3.1.4.Stockpiles and waste 3.2.POPs regulated from 2009 (“new POPs”) 3.2.1.Endosulfan 3.2.2.Tetrabromodiphenyl ether and pentabromodiphenyl ether 3.2.3.Hexabromodiphenyl ether and heptabromodiphenyl ether 3.2.4.Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), its salts and perfluorooctane sulfonyl fluoride 3.2.5.Pentachlorobenzene (PeCB) 3.2.6.SCCPs – short chain chlorinated paraffins 3.2.7.HCBD – hexachlorobutadiene 3.2.8.PCN – polychlorinated naphthalenes 3.2.9.Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD) 3.3.Unintentionally produced POPs 3.3.1.Estimation and monitoring of emissions

3.3.2.Addressing industrial sources 3.3.3.Addressing domestic sources 3.4.Information on the state of knowledge on stockpiles and contaminated sites 3.4.1.PCB contaminated sites and deposits 3.4.2.HCH contaminated sites and waste deposits 3.4.3.Other POPs Pesticides 3.4.4.Contaminated sites from unintentionally formed POPs (PCDD, PCDF, PCB, HCB, PeCB, PAHs) 3.4.5.PBDE contaminated sites 3.4.6.PFOS contaminated sites 3.4.7.Hexachlorobutadiene contaminated sites 3.5.Emerging risks from POPs 4.Implementation of the basic obligations of the Stockholm Convention 4.1.Elimination of intentional production and use of POPs (Article 3(1)) 4.1.1.POP pesticides, HBB, HBCDD, HCB and PeCB 4.1.2.PCBs 4.1.3.Hexabromodiphenyl ether, heptabromodiphenyl ether, tetrabromodiphenyl ether and pentabromodiphenyl ether 4.1.4.DDT 4.1.5.Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid, its salts and perfluorooctane sulfonyl fluoride (PFOS) 4.2.Elimination of import and export of POPs (Article 3(2)) 4.3.Prevention of the production and use of new chemicals exhibiting characteristics of POPs (Article 3(3))

4.4.Assessing and controlling chemicals in use (Article 3(4)) 4.5.General exemptions 4.6.Reduction of total releases from unintentional production (Article 5) 4.6.1.Pentachlorobenzene (PeCB) 4.7.Identification and environmentally sound management of stockpiles and wastes 4.7.1.Disposal and destruction of PBDE containing materials 4.7.2.Disposal and destruction of PFOS and PFOS precursor containing materials 4.7.3.Disposal and destruction of POPs Pesticides 4.7.4.Destruction of PCB and PCB containing materials 4.8.Identification of contaminated sites (Annex A, B and C Chemicals) and if addressed then remediation in an environmentally sound manner 5.Implementation of the obligations on supporting activities 5.1.Information exchange 5.2.Public information, awareness and education 5.3.Research, development and monitoring 6.Implementation of other commitments 6.1.Technical assistance 6.2.Financial Assistance 6.3.Reporting 6.4.Effectiveness evaluation 6.5.Addition of Future Chemicals to the Stockholm Convention

7.EU research projects since 2007 with references to POP issues List of tables Table 1Overview on POPs regulated at international level; the new POPs under the Stockholm Convention (since 2009) are highlighted in grey Table 2EU chemicals legislation relevant for POPs Table 3Further environmental legislative instruments with relevance on the use and disposal of POPs (including unintentional POPs). Table 4Food & Feed related legislation with relevance to POPs Table 5Overview on the new POPs (ESWI 2011) Table 6Emissions of unintentionally produced POPs according to E-PRTR (PCDD + PCDF as TEQ) Table 7Research Projects with references to POPs funded under FP7 (by June 2011) Table 8Research Projects with references to POPs funded under the FP6 and by other programmes, focusing on projects with starting date from 2007 on. Table 9Research Projects with references to POPs funded by LIFE+

Preface This document presents the European Union implementation plan required by the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), of which the European Union is a Party. This document also details the work undertaken by the European Union towards the Protocol to the UNECE Convention on Long- Range Transboundary Air Pollution (CLRTAP) on POPs and Regulation (EC) No 850/2004 on POPs. The implementation plans sets out the Union's regulatory framework for POPs and PBT substances, and what have been identified as the key challenges facing the European Union within Part I (Party Baseline). Part II subsequently sets out the Union’s response to these key challenges and what actions need to be undertaken to help achieve the overall aims of protecting human health and the environment from exposure to POPs. This version of the implementation plan presents the Union’s third implementation plan since the entry into force of the Stockholm Convention in 2004. The first plan, titled the ‘Community Implementation Plan’ was developed in 2007 (SEC(2007) 341). The implementation plan was updated with a ‘Union Implementation Plan’ published in 2014 (SWD(2014) 172 final) . The review and update of the second implementation plan has become necessary to further address: 1) the inclusion of a number of new POPs into the Stockholm Convention; and 2) the technical and legislative progress made in the area. The updated implementation plan will be submitted to the Secretariat of the Stockholm Convention and published on the website of the European Commission. This document can also be read alongside the triennial synthesis reports (2004-2006, 2007-2009 and 2010-2012) that were developed on the basis of information submitted by the Member States of the European Union pursuant to Article 12 of Regulation (EC) No 850/2004) regarding progress towards the objectives of the Regulation, Convention and Protocol. 1.Introduction 1.1.Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) are chemicals that persist in the environment, bio-accumulate and pose a risk of causing significant adverse effects to human health or the environment. These pollutants are transported across international boundaries far from their sources and even accumulate in regions where they have never been used or produced. POPs pose a threat to the environment and to human health all over the globe, with the Arctic, Baltic and the Alpine regions being examples of EU sinks of POPs. International action has been deemed necessary to reduce and eliminate production, use and releases of these substances. The substances addressed in the international legal instruments on POPs are listed in Table 1 . At European Union level, significant progress towards the elimination of POPs has been achieved. Production and use of all POP chemicals is prohibited with some minor time limited exemptions that are decreasing. A main challenge for the EU is to eliminate POPs from the waste cycle and remaining stockpiles as these still present a major emission source. 1.2.International agreements addressing POPs

1.2.1.UNECE Protocol on POPs The Executive Body to the UNECE Convention on Long-Range Trans-boundary Air Pollution (CLRTAP) adopted the UNECE Protocol on POPs on 24 June 1998 in Aarhus, Denmark. The UNECE Protocol on POPs, focuses currently on a list of 16 substances comprising eleven pesticides, two industrial chemicals and three unintentional by-products. The ultimate objective is to eliminate any discharges, emissions and losses of these POP substances. The UNECE Protocol on POPs bans the production and use of some substances outright (aldrin, chlordane, chlordecone, dieldrin, endrin, hexabromobiphenyl, mirex and toxaphene). Others are scheduled for elimination at a later stage (dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane (DDT), heptachlor, hexachlorobenzene (HCB) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)). In addition, the UNECE Protocol on POPs also severely restricts the use of hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) (including lindane). The Protocol includes provisions for dealing with the wastes of substances that are banned and it obliges Parties to reduce their emissions of dioxins, furans, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and HCB below their levels in 1990 (or an alternative year between 1985 and 1995). For the incineration of municipal, hazardous and medical waste, it lays down specific emission limit values. On 18 December 2009, Parties to the Protocol on POPs adopted decisions 2009/1, 2009/2 and 2009/3 to amend the Protocol to include nine new substances: hexachlorobutadiene, hexa and heptabromodiphenyl ether (found in the commercial octabromodiphenyl ether product), tetra and penta bromodiphenyl ether (found in the commercial pentabromodiphenyl ether product), pentachlorobenzene, perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), its salts and other derivatives, polychlorinated naphthalenes, and short-chain chlorinated paraffins. Furthermore, the Parties revised obligations for DDT, heptachlor, HCB and PCBs as well as certain emission limit values (ELVs) from waste incineration, sinter plants and electric arc furnaces for secondary steel production. Parallel to this, with a view to facilitating the Protocol’s ratification by countries with economies in transition, the Parties introduced flexibility for these countries regarding the time frames for the application of ELVs and best available technologies (BAT). Finally, the Parties adopted decision 2009/4 to update guidance on BAT to control emissions of POPs in annex V and turn parts of it into a guidance document (ECE/EB.AIR/2009/14 ). The amendments for annex V and VII entered into force on 13/12/2010, while the 2009/1 and 2009/2 amendments have not yet entered into force. The Union formally accepted the amendments on 24 June 2016, based on Council Decision (EU) 2016/769 of 21 April 2016 on the acceptance of the Amendments to the 1998 Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long- Range Transboundary Air Pollution on Persistent Organic Pollutants. 1.2.2.Stockholm Convention The Stockholm Convention on POPs was adopted in 2001 and entered into force in 2004. It promotes global action on an initial cluster of twelve POP substances, with an overall objective to protect human health and the environment from POPs and requires Parties to take measures to eliminate or reduce the release of POPs into the environment. Specific reference is made to a precautionary approach as set forth in Principle 15 of the 1992 Rio Declaration on Environment and Development. This principle is implemented by Article 8 of the Convention, which lays down the rules for including additional chemicals in the Stockholm Convention. The Annexes A, B and C to the Convention were amended at the fourth Conference of the Parties (COP-4) in 2009 to include nine new POPs. The amendments entered into force on 26 August 2010 and add the following chemicals to Annexes A, B and/or C of the Convention: alpha hexachlorocyclohexane; beta hexachlorocyclohexane; chlordecone; hexabromobiphenyl; hexabromodiphenyl ether and heptabromodiphenyl ether (commercial octabromodiphenyl ether); lindane; pentachlorobenzene; PFOS, its salts and perfluorooactane sulfonyl fluoride (PFOSF); and tetrabromodiphenyl ether and pentabromodiphenyl ether (commercial pentabromodiphenyl ether). During the discussions of the fifth Conference of the Parties (COP-5) in 2011, a work plan (following decision SC-4/19) was put in place to limit and reduce the emissions to the environment of the four Stockholm Convention homologue groups of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (POP-BDEs) from wastes and also to help close the knowledge gaps for PFOS. COP-5 was also used to promote closer ties between the Stockholm Convention and the related policy instruments covered by the Rotterdam Convention and Basel Convention. Additionally during the discussions of COP-5 it was agreed to add Endosulfan (SC5/3) to Annex A of the Convention with specific exemptions. During the discussion of the sixth Conference of the Parties (COP-6) in 2013, the decision was made to add the flame retardantant hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD) to Annex A of the Convention with specific exemptions for production as allowed for the parties listed in the register of specific exemptions and for use in expanded polystyrene and extruded polystyrene in buildings. During the discussion of the seventh Conference of the Parties (COP-7) in 2015, the decision was made to add three further substances to the Annexes of the convention. Hexachlorobutadiene and pentachlorophenol (PCP) and its salts and esters were added to Annex A, while polychlorinated napthalenes (PCN) were added to Annexes A and C. The addition of PCN and its salts and esters to Annex C was due to the fact that PCNs were also used in di-electric equipment in a similar fashion to PCBs, and thus represent an unintentional emission source. COP-7 also held further discussions on the possible addition of hexachlorobutadiene to Annex C, with agreement reached that further evidence should be gathered and reviewed at the next COP. Discussion was also held on the continued use of PFOS and the exemptions currently in place to assess which applications still required exemptions. These additions at COP-5, COP-6 and COP-7 took the total number of substances to 26 as regulated under the Convention. The amendment for endosulfan entered into force on 27 October 2012, while the amendment for HBCDD entered into force on 26 November 2014. The three additional substances that were agreed to be added to the Annexes of the Convention at COP-7 (following the details of UNEP/POPS/COP.7/15) entered into force in December 2016. There are 22 chemicals currently listed in Annex A of the Stockholm Convention which are subject to a prohibition on production and use, except where there are generic or specific exemptions. In addition, the production and use of DDT, a pesticide still used in many developing countries, is severely restricted, as set out in Annex B of the Stockholm Convention. The continued use of DDT has been the subject of review and assessment at COP-5, COP-6 and COP-7. There are also exemptions and acceptable uses in place for PFOS, its salts and PFOSF that have been added as part of the 2009 amendments (COP-4). The generic exemptions allow laboratory-scale research, use as a reference standard and unintentional trace contaminants in products and articles. Articles containing POPs manufactured or already in use before the date of entry into force of the relevant obligation are also subject to an exemption provided that Parties submit information on the uses and a national plan for waste management for such articles to the Secretariat of the Stockholm Convention. Releases of unintentionally produced by-products listed in Annex C (dioxins, furans, PCBs, PeCB, HCB and from December 2016 also PCNs) are subject to continuous minimisation with the ultimate objective of total elimination, where feasible. According to Annex C, Parties shall promote and, in accordance with their action plans, require the use of best available techniques for new sources within their major source categories identified in Part II and Part III of Annex C of the Stockholm Convention. The Stockholm Convention also foresees identification and safe management of stockpiles containing or consisting of POPs. Waste containing, consisting of or contaminated with POPs shall be disposed of in such a way that the POP content is destroyed or irreversibly transformed so that it does not exhibit POPs characteristics. Where this does not represent the environmentally preferable option or where the POP content is low, waste shall be otherwise disposed of in an environmentally sound manner. Disposal operations that may lead to recovery or re-use of POPs are explicitly forbidden. With regard to shipment of wastes, relevant international rules, standards and guidelines, such as the 1989 Basel Convention on the Control of Trans-boundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal, are to be taken into account. In addition to control measures, the Stockholm Convention includes several general obligations. Each Party is obliged to develop and endeavour to implement a National Implementation Plan (NIP), facilitate or undertake the exchange of information and promote and facilitate awareness and public access to information on POPs. The Parties shall also encourage or undertake appropriate research, development, monitoring and co-operation pertaining to POPs, and where relevant, to their alternatives and to candidate POPs. They shall also regularly report to the Conference of the Parties on the measures taken to implement the provisions of the Stockholm Convention. The Stockholm Convention recognises the particular needs of developing countries and countries with economies in transition and therefore specific provisions on technical assistance and on financial resources and mechanisms are included in the general obligations.

Table 1 Overview on POPs regulated at international level; the new POPs under the Stockholm Convention (since 2009) are highlighted in grey Substance CAS Listed in Stockholm Convention Listed in the UNECE Protocol on POPs Listed in the EU POP Regulation Intentionally produced POPs Aldrin 309-00-2 Annex A yes yes Chlordane 57-74-9 Annex A yes yes Chlordecone 143-50-0 Annex A yes yes Dieldrin 60-57-1 Annex A yes yes Endosulfan 959-98-8

33213-65-9

115-29-7

1031-07-8 Annex A no yes Endrin 72-20-8 Annex A yes yes Heptachlor 76-44-8 Annex A yes yes Hexabromobiphenyl (HBB) 36355-01-8 Annex A yes yes Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD) 25637-99-4 3194-55-6 Annex A no yes Hexabromodiphenyl ether and heptabromodiphenyl ether 68631-49-2

207122-15-4

446255-22-7

207122-16-5

and others Annex A yes yes yes Hexachlorobenzene (HCB) 118-74-1 Annex A yes yes Alpha hexachlorocyclohexane* 319-84-6 Annex A yes: Hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCH; CAS: 608-73-1 ), including lindane (CAS: 58-89-9) Yes (all isomers including gamma HCH found in lindane) Beta hexachlorocyclohexane* 319-85-7 Annex A Lindane* 58-89-9 Annex A Mirex 2385-85-5 Annex A yes yes Pentachlorobenzene 608-93-5 Annex A yes yes Pentachlorophenol (PCP) 87-86-5 Annex A no no Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) all PCBs and their mixtures have different CAS numbers Annex A yes yes Tetrabromodiphenyl ether and pentabromodiphenyl ether 5436-43-1

60348-60-9

and others Annex A yes yes yes Toxaphene 8001-35-2 Annex A yes yes DDT 50-29-3 Annex B yes yes Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid, its salts and perfluorooctane sulfonyl fluoride (PFOS) 1763-23-1 s,

307-35-7,

and others Annex B yes yes SCCPs – short chain chlorinated paraffins 85535-84-8 under review yes yes HCBD – hexachlorobutadiene 87-68-3 Annex A yes yes PCN –polychlorinated naphthalenes all PCNs & their mixtures have different CAS numbers Annex A yes yes Unintentionally produced POPs Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDD) 1746-01-6 Annex C yes yes Polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDF) 1746-01-6 Annex C yes Hexachlorobenzene (HCB) 118-74-1 Annex C yes yes Pentachlorobenzene 608-93-5 Annex C yes yes Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) all PCBs & their mixtures have different CAS numbers Annex C yes yes PCN – polychlorinated napthalenes all PCNs & their mixtures have different CAS numbers Annex C yes no Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) 207-08-9 and others No yes yes * Lindane, Alpha- and Beta hexachlorocyclohexane, as well as Chlordecone and Hexabromobiphenyl are new POPs under the Stockholm Convention but have already been covered under the POP Protocol and the EU POP Regulation. 1.2.3.Coordination and cooperation among the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions The Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions are multilateral environmental agreements, which share the common objective of protecting human health and the environment from hazardous chemicals and wastes. These agreements can assist countries to manage chemicals at different stages of their life-cycle. Recognizing the potential for synergistic work under the three conventions at the national, regional and global levels, the international community has worked over the past years on enhancing cooperation and coordination among the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Convention. These efforts culminated in the adoption of recommendations on enhancing cooperation and coordination among the three conventions by the three Conferences of the Parties held in 2008 and 2009, and the holding of simultaneous extraordinary meetings of the Conferences of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions in Bali, Indonesia in February 2010, and in Geneva in May 2013 and May 2015. One of the first steps of the synergies process was the restructuring of the secretariats in a manner that strengthens organizational synergies while respecting the legal autonomy of each convention. Further steps taken at successive triple COP meetings resulted in aligning and integrating the work of the Stockholm, Basel and Rotterdam Conventions including cross-cutting measures for information exchange. Today, the enhanced coordination and cooperation resulting from the synergies process is a fundamental pillar of all the work that is done under the conventions in order to increase policy coherence and maximise efficiency and resources. The synergies are mainstreamed in all relevant activities, as appropriate, rather than being a separate activity. The May 2015 COP meeting introduced 17 new joint activities building on these synergies, and also broadened the remit of the global environment facility (GEF) to cover financing for projects on both chemicals and waste (BRS Secretariat, 2015). 1.3.Purpose of the Union Implementation Plan on POPs The Stockholm Convention lays down an obligation to all Parties, to develop and endeavour to implement a plan for the implementation of its obligations under the Stockholm Convention. For the Union, this obligation is also transferred to the Article 8 of Regulation (EC) No 850/2004 on Persistent Organic Pollutants. The Union has in 2007 therefore developed an Implementation Plan on POPs (SEC(2007) 341), which also covers the substances that fall under the UNECE Protocol on POPs . The overall purpose of the implementation plan is not only to fulfill legal obligations, but also to take stock of actions taken and lay down a strategy and action plan for further Union measures related to POPs included in the Stockholm Convention and/or in the UNECE Protocol on POPs. The implementation plan therefore aims to: · review the existing Union level measures related to POPs; · assess their efficiency and sufficiency in meeting the obligations of the Stockholm Convention; · identify needs for further Union level measures; · establish a plan for implementing the further measures; · identify and strengthen links and potential synergies between POPs management and other environmental policies and other policy fields; and · increase awareness on POPs and their control measures.

In developing this implementation plan information and data has been taken from the following key sources: ·European Union policy and legislative documents used to govern and manage the Union’s policy landscape on chemicals; ·Member States’ reports submitted to the European Commission as per Article 12 of the POP Regulation; ·Member States National Implementation Plans; ·European Union databases on chemicals including: oChemical databases held by the European Chemicals Agency as part of the REACH and CLP Regulations; oEuropean Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (E-PRTR); oUNECE EMEP database for POPs release estimates; oEurostat; oPesticides database; oEuropean Substance Information Systems (ESIS) database; ·Scientific journal literature; ·Input from key experts in the field. Further detailed information can also be found within Member State national implementation plans, and triennial synthesis reports developed by the European Commission, which detail work undertaken within Europe, including information on releases and monitoring of POPs.



PART I – Party Baseline This section presents the Union’s baseline with regard to POP chemicals regulated under the Stockholm Convention and the Protocol on POPs. As such it includes at first an overview on the key EU legislation related to the implementation of obligations in the mentioned international frameworks as well as related EU strategies and programmes, followed by a description of existing financial instruments to support the implementation as well as research activities. In order to get a full picture of the status quo of the implementation, a description will be provided on what efforts are currently being undertaken by the Union to raise awareness and enhance communication. Furthermore, an overall assessment of POPs regarding their production, their use, their placing on the market as well as with regard to existing stockpiles and the contamination of the waste stream will be described. This Part I ‘Party Baseline’ presents the basic information on the EU situation and will be followed by an in-depth analysis in Part II regarding each single obligation of the Stockholm Convention. This analysis is followed by the identification of actions to improve the implementation. 2.Key Union Legislation and Policies related to the Union’s Obligations under the Stockholm Convention and UNECE Protocol on POPs

The EU has implemented a number of legislative measures that are related to POPs addressing both the aims of the Stockholm Convention but also the UNECE Protocol on POPs. The following figure gives an overview of the main chemical and environmental legislation relating to POPs and to which stage of the lifecycle it refers to. Details on the legislation related to POPs are described in the following sub-sections. Figure 1: Overview on the main chemical and environmental legislation related to POPs 2.1.Legislative instruments 2.1.1.The POP Regulation The main legal instrument for implementing the Stockholm Convention and the UNECE Protocol on POPs is Regulation (EC) No 850/2004 on persistent organic pollutants (POPs) (hereafter called the “POP Regulation”). This Regulation entered into force on 20 May 2004 and as a regulation it is directly applicable in all Member States, including those which are not yet Parties to the Stockholm Convention or the UNECE POP Protocol. The POP Regulation contains provisions regarding production, placing on the market and use of chemicals, management of stockpiles and wastes and measures to reduce releases of unintentionally produced POPs. Exports of POPs are regulated under Regulation (EU) No 649/2012 concerning the export and import of hazardous chemicals. The exemptions to the prohibitions under the POP Regulaiton are limited to a minimum. Furthermore, the POP Regulation contains provisions requiring the setting up of emission inventories for unintentionally produced POPs, national and European Union implementation plans and monitoring and information exchange mechanisms. To a certain extent the POP Regulation goes further than the international agreements emphasising the aim to eliminate the production and use of the internationally recognised POPs, notably this includes the development of thresholds for POPs within waste, which are detailed in Annex IV and V of the Regulation. Where the thresholds are exceeded the waste cannot be recycled and should be treated in a way that the POP content is irreveribly transformed or destroyed. The POP Regulation has been amended several times. The concentration limits in Annex IV and V were established by Regulation (EC) No 1195/2006 and 172/2007 and by Regulation (EU) 2016/460 , respectively. Annex V was further amended by Regulation (EC) No 323/2007 in order to allow pre-treatment operations prior to the permanent storage of wastes containing POPs. Regulation (EC) No 219/2009 empowered the Commission to establish some concentration limits in the annexes, to amend annexes whenever a substance is listed in the Convention or the Protocol, to modify the existing entries and to adapt annexes to scientific and technical progress. The decision of the Conference of the Parties to the Basel Convention on the updated general technical guidelines for the environmentally sound management of waste consisting of, containing or contaminated with POPs was taken up by Regulation (EC) No 304/2009 amending Annexes IV and V as regards the treatment of waste containing POPs in thermal and metallurgical production processes The decisions of the fourth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP4) to the Stockholm Convention on 4–8 May 2009 to list new substances were taken up by the Regulation (EU) No 757/2010 amending Annexes I and III and by the Regulation (EU) No 756/2010 of 24 August 2010 amending Annexes IV and V . The Commission further adopted Regulation (EU) No 519/2012 amending Annexes IV and V to set the missing concentration limit values (the so-called lower and upper POP content) for PFOS and POP-BDEs, as well as amending Annexes I, IV and V to take into account the decisions of COP-5 to list Endosulfan, COP-6 to list HBCDD, and COP-7 to list hexachlorobutadiene, and PCNs. This also includes the 27th Session of the CLRTAP Executive Body to list hexachlorobutadiene (HCBD), polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCN) and short-chained chlorinated paraffins (SCCP). Concerning management of stockpiles, the Regulation provides that all remaining stockpiles for which no use is permitted shall be managed as waste. Stockpiles greater than 50 kg meant for permitted uses shall be notified to the competent authority and managed in a safe, efficient and environmentally sound manner. Holders of a stockpile consisting of or containing any POPs for which no use is permitted shall manage that stockpile as waste generally in such a way that the POP content is destroyed or irreversibly transformed. With regard to wastes, producers and holders of waste are obliged to undertake measures to avoid contamination of waste with POP substances. Waste with POPs content higher than the above mentioned lower POP limits must generally be disposed of or recovered in such a way that the POP content is destroyed or irreversibly transformed. By way of derogation, wastes containing POPs below the limit values indicated in Annex V may be otherwise dealt with in accordance with a method listed in Annex V, part 2, subject to the conditions outlined in Article 7.4 (b) . 2.1.2.EU chemicals legislation Other chemicals legislation complements the POP Regulation in implementing the obligations of the Stockholm Convention and the POP Protocol. As Table 2 shows, the other chemicals legislation particularly ensures that the export ban on POPs is implemented and that allowed imports and exports are in conformity with the rules of the Stockholm Convention, ensures that POPs are collected and irreversibly destroyed and prevents that the chemicals exhibiting POP characteristics are produced or marketed. Table 2 EU chemicals legislation relevant for POPs Acronym Legal reference POPs regulated / POP reference Areas of regulation REACH Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 Testing on PBT (persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic) criteria according to Annex XIII Production, placing on the market & use CLP Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 Inventory of classification and labelling of hazardous substances. Classification, Labelling, Packaging Plant Protection Product Regulation Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 Active substance, safener or synergist shall only be approved where it is not considered to be a persistent organic pollutant (POP) resp. PBT substance.

Active substances meeting two of the PBT criteria shall be candidates for substitution Placing on the market & use Biocidal Products Regulation Regulation (EU) 528/2012 Active substances meeting two of the PBT criteria shall be candidates for substitution Placing on the market & use PIC Regulation concerning the export and import of hazardous chemicals Regulation (EU) No 649/2012 POPs as listed in Annexes A and B of the Stockholm Convention are subject to export ban Export and import of dangerous chemicals PCB Directive Directive 96/59/EC Disposal of polychlorinated biphenyls and polychlorinated terphenyls (PCB/PCT) Disposal

2.1.2.1.REACH Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 concerning REACH inter alia provides provisions to ensure that industrial chemicals having POP characteristics are identified and prevented from being produced or imported in the EU. Furthermore under the authorisation and restriction processes, the promotion of innovation, use of safer alternatives and contribution to the goal of achieving sustainable development of chemical use are covered. REACH requires EU companies which manufacture or import chemical substances in quantities of one tonne or more per year to register these substances and ensure that they can be used safely. This information is submitted in the form of registration dossiers to the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) . The submission contains a technical dossier and, for substances manufactured or imported in quantities of 10 tonnes per annum (tonnes p.a.) or above, a Chemical Safety Report (CSR). The chemical safety assessment detailed by the CSR has to cover: (`)human health hazard assessment; (`)physicochemical hazard assessment; (a)environmental hazard assessment; (b)persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT) and very persistent and very bioaccumulative (vPvB) assessment. For hazardous substances (such as those assessed to be a PBT or vPvB), an exposure assessment and risk characterisation must be included in the Chemical Safety Report. For some of the substances identified as PBT or vPvB, an authorisation from the Commission is required for particular uses. This is the case when a substance meeting the requirements of the very high concern (SVHC) criteria is included in Annex XIV of the Regulation and will then become banned once the set sunset date has passed unless an authorization is granted. Only specific uses for which a request for authorization has been made following specific requirements with regard to the assessment of the substance can be allowed. Prior to inclusion into Annex XIV the selected substances are part of the so-called Candidate List which in itself already implies a number of obligations such as e.g. the obligation to deliver information on the content of a substance in an article. REACH further includes the possibility to restrict the use, placing on the market or production of substances by listing them in Annex XVII of REACH. This is another legal instrument that can be used to prevent production and use of substances having POP characteristics. With the above described measures REACH gives greater responsibility to industry to manage the risks from chemicals and to provide safety information on the substances. This information has to be passed down the chain of production. The REACH Regulation also aims to increase the knowledge of the chemicals properties and of the exposure through the required provision of specific documentation and to improve the risk management of chemicals. 2.1.2.2.CLP The CLP Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 is the European Union Regulation on Classification, Labelling and Packaging of chemical substances and mixtures . The legislation introduces throughout the EU a system for classifying and labelling chemicals, based on the United Nations’ Globally Harmonised System (UN GHS). CLP is about the hazards of chemical substances and mixtures and how to inform others about them. The CLP does not contain a specific hazard class for PBT and vPvB substances, however article 53(2) calls for the promotion at the UN level for the harmonisation of the criteria for classification and labelling of PBT and vPvB substances. However, the classification and labelling inventory set up by the CLP Regulation make available relevant information that can be used to identify new potential POP candidates and also provides classification and labelling on several POPs. 2.1.2.3.Regulation on Plant Protection Products Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 concerning the placing of plant protection products on the market (PPP Regulation) prevents chemicals exhibiting POP characteristics from being used in plant protection products. This is achieved by the provisions according to which an active substance, safener or synergist shall only be approved for use in plant protection products where it is not considered to be a POP or if it is not considered to be a persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT) substance or a very persistent and very bioaccumalative substance (vPvB). In addition, a substance shall be approved as a candidate for substitution if it meets two of the PBT criteria. 2.1.2.4.Biocidal Products Regulation Regulation (EU) No 528/2012 concerning the making available on the market and use of biocidal products aims to promote substitution of substances that exhibit POP or PBT characteristics in biocidal products for less hazardous ones. The use of POP or PBT substances in biocidal products is only allowed if there are no alternatives available. This is achieved by the provision that an active substance that meets two of the PBT criteria as set out in Annex XIII of the REACH Regulation shall be considered a candidate for substitution and shall be identified as such in Annex I of the new Biocide Regulation. The inclusion of an active substance in Annex I that is considered as a candidate for substitution shall be renewed for a period not exceeding ten years. As part of the evaluation of an application for an authorisation (or a renewal of an authorisation) of a biocidal product containing an active substance that is a candidate for substitution, the Competent authority shall perform a comparative assessment to evaluate whether there are other authorised biocidal products (or non-chemical control or prevention methods) which present significantly lower risk for human or animal health or the environment.

2.1.2.5.Regulation on the export and import of hazardous chemicals The export of POP substances or articles containing POPs is regulated by Regulation (EU) No 649/2012 concerning the export and import of hazardous chemicals . This Regulation implements the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) Procedure for certain hazardous chemicals and pesticides in international trade and provides for an export ban of POP substances listed in Annex A and B of the Stockholm Convention and in Regulation (EC) No 850/2004. The decisions of the fourth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP4) to the Stockholm Convention held on 4–8 May 2009 to list new substances were implemented by Regulation (EU) No 214/2011. The fifth Conference of the Parties to the Stockholm Convention (April 2011) decided to list endosulfan in Annex A. That decision was implemented in the Union by Regulation (EU) No 73/2013, which adds endosulfan to the list of chemicals that are banned for export. The export of all POPs listed in Regulation (EU) No 649/2012 is banned, except for PFOS, which still benefits from a number of exemptions under the Stockholm Convention for which the export is currently still possible, but only on condition that the importing country consents to the import of that chemical. 2.1.2.6.PCB Directive (Directive 96/59/EC) Articles containing PCBs already in use are covered by specific provisions laid down in Council Directive 96/59/EC on the disposal of polychlorinated biphenyls and polychlorinated terphenyls (PCB/PCT) . The directive aims for the approximation of the laws of the Member States on the controlled disposal of PCBs, the decontamination or disposal of equipment containing PCBs and/or the disposal of used PCBs in order to eliminate them completely. According to the Directive, Member States had to take the necessary measures to ensure that used PCBs are disposed of and that PCBs and equipment containing PCBs are decontaminated or disposed of in an appropriate manner. Member States were obliged to compile inventories of equipment with PCB volumes of more than 5 dm³. These inventories were to be sent to the Commission by September 1999 at the latest. The equipment and PCBs contained in the inventories had to be decontaminated or disposed of by 2010 at the latest (deadlines are different for the new Member States). The inventories must supply the following data: ·the names and addresses of the holders; ·the location and description of the equipment; ·the quantity of PCBs contained in the equipment; ·the date and type of treatment planned; ·the date of the declaration. Moreover, the Directive stipulates that any equipment which is subject to inventory must be labelled. Member States must prohibit the separation of PCBs from other substances for the purpose of reusing the PCBs and the topping-up of transformers with PCBs. Concerning the appropriate waste management, Member States had to take the necessary measures to ensure that: ·PCBs, used PCBs and equipment containing PCBs which is subject to inventory are transferred to licensed undertakings, at the same time ensuring that all necessary precautions are taken to avoid the risk of fire; ·any incineration of PCBs or used PCBs on ships is prohibited; ·all undertakings engaged in the decontamination and/or the disposal of PCBs, used PCBs and/or equipment containing PCBs obtain permits; ·transformers containing more than 0.05% by weight of PCBs are decontaminated under the conditions specified by the Directive.

In accordance with the committee procedure referred to in Directive 75/442/EEC , the Commission: ·had to fix the reference methods of measurement to determine the PCB content of contaminated materials ; ·could fix technical standards for the other methods of disposing of PCBs; ·had to make available a list of the production names of capacitors, resistors and induction coils containing PCBs ; ·had to determine, if necessary, other less hazardous substitutes for PCBs. The Commission completed the tasks mentioned above, as appropriate. Within three years following the adoption of Directive 96/59/EC, Member States had to draw up plans for the decontamination and/or disposal of inventoried equipment and the PCBs contained therein and plans for the collection and subsequent disposal of equipment not subject to inventory. 2.1.3.Other environmental legislation with POP relevance In addition to the chemical legislation, environmental legislation especially those targeting water, waste and products also cover POP-related issues.



Table 3 summarizes the most relevant legislation with POP relevance and indicates which POPs are regulated. The table also includes environmental legislation covering releases of unintentionally produced POPs. The legislation is presented in more detail in Part II if further measures for the implementation may be necessary. In comparison with the first Implementation Plan, 4 new legislative acts have been adopted: Directive 2008/98/EC on Waste (Waste Framework Directive), Directive 2010/75/EU on Industrial Emissions (including waste incineration), Regulation (EC) No 66/2010 on the EU Ecolabel and Directive 2006/11/EC on pollution caused by certain dangerous substances discharged into the aquatic environment. The most important legislation covering the release of unintentionally produced POPs is Directive 2010/75/EU on industrial emissions (IED) which since 7 January 2014 has repealed and replaced Directive 2008/1/EC concerning integrated pollution prevention and control (IPPC Directive) and Directive 2000/76/EC on Waste Incineration (amongst others). The purpose of the IED is to ensure a high level of protection of the environment taken as a whole. Industrial installations operating activities covered by Annex I of the IED are required to obtain an environmental permit from the authorities in the EU Member States. Emissions of all relevant polluting substances (including POPs), which are likely to be emitted in significant quantities, have to be regulated in the permit. The whole environmental performance of the installation is taken into account, covering e.g. emissions to air, water and land, generation of waste, use of raw materials, energy efficiency, noise, prevention of accidents, and restoration of the site upon closure. The conditions set out in this permit, in particular the emission limits, have to be based on the application of the Best Available Techniques (BAT). The definition of BAT in the IED generally corresponds with the one of the Stockholm Convention. In order to identify BAT, the Commission organises an information exchange, where BAT is described and defined for the different industrial sectors in so-called Best Available Techniques REFerence Documents (BREFs). Where relevant, also for POPs, BAT Associated Emission Levels (BAT-AELs) are developed. Under the IED, the BAT conclusions is the part of the BREF that is formally adopted by the Commision. The BAT and BAT-AELs set out therein are to be used by the permitting authorities in setting permit conditions and emission limit values for permits. Emission levels set in the permits for certain pollutants should be within the BAT-AELs unless a derogation from BAT-AELs applies to the installation.

Table 3 Further environmental legislative instruments with relevance on the use and disposal of POPs (including unintentionally produced POPs). Acronym Legal reference POPs regulated / POP reference Areas of regulation EU Ecolabel Regulation (EC) No 66/2010 Criteria of product categories laid down in Commission decisions may cover POPs e.g. in textile floor covering for trace contamination with POP pesticides A product cannot obtain an ecolabel if it contains a PBT/vPvB substance. Different product categories, see: RoHS Directive Directive 2011/65/EU (recast of 2002/95/EC) Ban of PBDE and other hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment. Production and import of electrical and electronic products Waste Directive Directive 2008/98/EC The classification of waste as hazardous waste should be based, inter alia, on the Union legislation on chemicals, in particular concerning the classification of preparations as hazardous, including concentration limit values used for that purpose. Waste Industrial Emissions Directive Directive 2010/75/EU which from 7 January 2014 repealed and replaced Directive 2000/76/EC on Waste Incineration and Directive 2008/1/EC on Industrial Pollution Prevention Control Waste incineration: Emission limit values for air, discharges of waste water for dioxins and furans. Industrial activities: Polychlorinated dibenzodioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans are among the main air pollutants to be considered in permitting and persistent hydrocarbons and persistent and bioaccumulable organic toxic substances among the main water pollutants. First series of Commission Implementing Decisions establishing BAT conclusions for the different industrial sectors have been adopted under the IED (with more to follow over the coming years). Industrial emissions Directive 76/464/EEC has been codified as 2006/11/EC Directive 2006/11/EC Pollution through the discharge of the various dangerous substances within List I into the aquatic environment must be eliminated. List I contains certain individual substances selected mainly on the basis of their toxicity, persistence and bioaccumulation. Pollution caused by certain dangerous substances discharged into the aquatic environment Landfill Directive Directive 1999/31/EC Hazardous waste for landfills needs a prior treatment. Waste WEEE Directive Directive 2002/96/EC, repealed with effect from 15 February 2014 by Directive 2012/19/EU Provisions on waste containing hazardous substances, e.g. PCB (PCBs/PCTs containing capacitors), mandatory segregation of PCB-containing components. Treatment of waste of electrical and electronic equipment ELV Directive Directive 2000/53/EC Due to the segregation of hazardous components from the vehicle, the releases of unintentionally produced POPs from shredder plants are decreased. Collection, treatment, recycling and disposal of end-of-life vehicles. Water Framework Directive Directive 2000/60/EC The Water framework directive acts as the parent piece of legislation for all water and water quality related issues within the EU. For POPs the water framework directive along with the daughter directive on Environmental Quality Standards put in place the requirements to quantify and manage the release of POPs into the water environment. This includes the development of River Basin Management Plans to actively identify and manage the anthropogenic burdens upon waters within the EU. Protection of inland surface waters, transitional waters, coastal waters and groundwater. Environmental Quality Standards (EQS) Directive 2013/39/EC The EQS directive repeals the ‘Annex X’ list of priority and priority hazardous substances quoted under the water framework directive (2000/60/EC). Annex I of the EQS Directive expands upon the Annex X list with additional named pollutants, deemed as priority or priority hazardous substances (including POPs) for which maxmimum environmental concentrations (EQS) must not be exceeded. In the case of priority hazardous substances, discharges, emissions and losses must be phased out to natural background levels. The directive also creates a ‘watch-list’ for monitoring additional substances of concern in the natural environment. The directive also places a requirement for inventories of discharges, emissions and losses for priority substances which should inform planning and reporting under the river basin management plans (RBMPs) communicated under the water framework directive. Protection of inland surface waters, transitional waters, coastal waters and groundwater. Dioxins and Furans, PCBs PAHs, hexachlorobenzene, hexachlorobutadiene, pentachlorobenzene are included in Annex I as PHS, i.e.there is an objective to phase out discharges, emissions and losses. Groundwater Directive Directive 2006/118/EC Groundwater quality standards and threshold values for most important pollutants, among them pesticides. Protection of groundwater from detrimental concentrations of harmful pollutants. Drinking Water Directive Council Directive 98/83/EC Standards for the most common substances (so-called parameters), among them polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and. pesticides (aldrin, dieldrin, heptachlor and heptachlor epoxide). Quality of water intended for human consumption Marine Strategy Framework Directive Directive 2008/56/EC Synthetic compounds identified as priority substances under directive 2000/60/EC which are relevant for the marine environment. Protection of marine waters under the sovereignty and jurisdiction of Member States SEVESO I/II / III Directive Directive 96/82/EC was repealed with effect from 1 June 2015 and replaced by Seveso III Directive 2012/18/EU Pollution from industrial accidents. Prevention, Preparedness and Response to chemical accidents Ambient air quality Directive 2004/107/EC Limit values for benzo[a]pyrene as a marker for PAH in ambient air. Protection of ambient air quality for identified polutants

2.1.4.Legislation on food and feed and on the protection of public health Regulations (EC) No 1881/2006 and 396/2005 and Directive 2002/32/EC set maximum residues levels for POP substances in food and feed. Regulation (EC) No 1883/2006 sets minimum requirements on methods of sampling and analysis for the official control of levels of dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs in certain foodstuffs and Regulation (EC) 152/2009 sets minimum requirements on methods of sampling and analysis for the official control of levels of dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs in feed (see Table 4 ). In comparison with the situation when the first Implementation Plan was drafted, there are substantial changes in the EU food and feed legislation: These changes relate to the conversion of the maximum levels in feed and food for dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs, previously expressed in Toxic Equivalent Factors (TEF) 1998, into maximum levels expressed in TEF 2005. Furthermore maximum levels for non dioxin like PCBs (the so called indicator PCBs) have been established in feed and food. The POP Regulation requires the setting up of emission inventories for unintentionally produced POPs, some of which may enter the food chain via atmospheric deposition and bioaccumulation. More detail can be found in section 2.1.1. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) produced a report in May 2015 to evaluate the methodologies used internationally in deriving health based safety values for dioxins, furans and dioxin-like PCBs within food. This study aimed to better understand the methodologies used by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA), US EPA, and Scientific Committee on Food (SCF). The study notes that, while the JECFA and SCF base assessments on animal data, the USEPA make use of human data. Further diffferences in modelling approach for toxicology and accepted no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) between SCF/JECFA and US-EPA resulted in US-EPA values being 3 orders of magnitude lower than the SCF/JECFA values. EFSA have stated that these differences warrant a comprehensive risk assessment to further understand the relationship between animal and human toxicology data. Table 4 Food & Feed related legislation with relevance to POPs Acronym Legal reference POPs regulated / POP reference Maximum levels for certain contaminants in foodstuffs Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006 - Dioxins (sum of polychlorinated dibenzo-para-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) and dioxin-like PCBs and non-dioxin-like PCBs (indicator PCBs) - benzo(a)pyrene and the sum of of benzo(a)pyrene, benz(a)anthracene, benzo(b)fluoranthene and chrysene as a marker of carcinogenic PAH in certain foodstuffs Regulation (EC) No 1883/2006 shall be repealed by Regulation (EU) No 252/2012 Methods of sampling and analysis for the control of levels of dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs in food for regulatory purposes Pesticide Residues in Food Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 Setting Maximum Residue Levels for POP Pesticides in food products Undesirable substances in animal feed Directive 2002/32/EC Aldrin, Dieldrin, Camphechlor (toxaphene), Chlordane, DDT, Endosulfan, Endrin, Heptachlor, Hexachlorobenzene (HCB), Hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH, incl. Lindane), Dioxins (sum of polychlorinated dibenzo-para-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).. Regulation (EC) 152/2009 Methods of sampling and analysis for checking the levels of dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs in feed for regulatory purposes 2.1.5.Information exchange between Commission and Member States on POPs in food and consumer products The information exchange among the Member States authorities and the Commission on the presence of POPs in food and consumer products is ensured by the rapid alert systems. There are currently two EU rapid alert systems and both are publicly available. The legal basis for their establishment provides Regulation EC/178/2002, Directive 2001/95/EC and Regulation 765/2008. The Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) : was put in place to provide food and feed control authorities with an effective tool to exchange information about measures taken responding to serious risks detected in relation to food or feed. This exchange of information helps Member States to act more rapidly and in a coordinated manner in response to a health threat caused by food or feed. Notifications cover e.g. the contamination of food and feed with dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs or with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The Rapid Alert System for non-food dangerous Products (RAPEX) : RAPEX facilitates the rapid exchange of information between Member States and the Commission on measures taken to prevent or restrict the marketing or use of products (non-feed/non-food) posing a serious risk to the health and safety of consumers. Measures ordered by national authorities and measures taken voluntarily by producers and distributors are reported by RAPEX. 2.1.6.Food monitoring within the European Union Routine monitoring of food and feed is an important aspect of early detection for contamination of food and feed by POPs. Under Regulation EC 882/2004 a European Union Reference Laboratory (EURL) was established in Freiburg, Germany tasked with developing analytical standards for dioxins and furans and PCBs within food and feed. EURL is further complemented by national laboratories within the Member States, who have the role of carrying out analysis for routine monitoring. In order to ensure comparability between EURL and national reference laboratories, proficiency tests are conducted twice annually. These tests involve the use of the same sample, which is issued for analysis by all national laboratories. The results are then collated and assessed with any marked deviation from the average result requiring process amendment and further testing for any specific national reference laboratory. Representatives from the national reference laboratories and EURL meet twice annually to review and discuss any specific topics of interest for analysis. 2.1.7.Emission monitoring legislation The European Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (PRTR) Regulation aims to enhance public access to environmental information. The E-PRTR replaced the European Pollutant Emission Register (EPER) in 2007 and includes additional pollutants and economic activities. E-PRTR covers 91 pollutants compared to 50 in EPER, and 65 economic activities compared to 56 in EPER. The E-PRTR also implements stricter threshold levels for a number of pollutants (including POPs) (see also sections 3.3.1 on emission monitoring and 2.2.6 on monitoring efforts of the EU) compared to previous EPER inventories. The European Commission launched an initative early in 2016 to aid access to monitoring data, which includes information on POPs, called the Information Platform for Chemical Monitoring data (IPCheM). This website resource is managed by the Joint Research Centre in collaboration with a number of international and national bodies. It draws together monitoring data-sets in the form of ‘modules’, which are available publicly. IPCheM will provide a valuable resource to researchers and allow cross-reference of different data-sets quickly and easily.

2.1.9.Public access to environmental information The Directive 2003/4/EC on public access to environmental information guarantees the right of access to environmental information held by or for public authorities. This right is for any applicant (private individuals, organisations etc.) and has to be granted without any justification. With regards to emissions, no request can be refused. Thus, this directive is a powerful instrument to gather emission data, also on POPs and can be used supplementary to the above mentioned on E-PRTR. 2.2.Strategies, policies and programmes 2.2.1.Sustainable development In 2001, the European Union adopted the EU Sustainable Development Strategy (EU SDS) to provide a long-term vision combining economic dynamism, social cohesion and high environmental standards . In 2009, the European Commission communication COM(2009) 400 final reviewed the EU SDS to respond to the most recent economic and financial crisis from the perspective of a long-term sustainable development with the goal to further mainstream the EU SDS into the European policy fields. From the seven key challenges proposed, two contain POPs related issues though they are not explicitly mentioned, i.e. sustainable consumption and production as well as Public health. The review reaffirms the position of the European Council about sustainable development as a fundamental EU objective under the Treaty of Lisbon. This follow-up of the Lisbon Strategy was adopted in June 2010 by the heads and governments of the EU Member States. Concerning sustainable development, the European Union had a key role during the UN negoatiations on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including the sustainable development goals (SDGs), which was adopted by the General Assembly on 25 September 2015. There are 17 goals which are to be achieved by 2030 and which include responsible consumption and production; good health and well being; industry, innovation and infrastructure; life below water and life on land. The new European Consensus for Development frames the implementation of the 2030 Agenda in partnership with all developing countries, taking due account of the framework provided by the Lisbon Treaty. In particular, the EU and its Member States undertake to promote resource efficiency and sustainable consumption and production, including the sustainable management of chemicals and waste, with a view to decouple economic growth from environmental degradation and enable the transition to a circular economy. The Stockholm Convention and POP Regulation are intended to protect human health and the environment from those substances identified as POPs. Part of this work includes aspects around innovation and sustainability to ensure that one POP substance is not replaced by another POP. In the Union this is further controlled by the REACH Regulation under the authorisation and restriction processes. 2.2.1.1.Substitution of substances for intentional use A fundamental component of sustainable development and elimination of POPs from goods intentionally placed on the market is the substitution of POPs substances by alternatives which do not have the characteristsics detailed under Annex D of the Stockholm Convention. Within Europe the REACH Regulation aims to identify substances which are persistent, bioaccumulating and/or toxic (in addition to those that are carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic to reproduction or substances which give rise to an equivalent level of concern), termed ‘substances of very high concern’. A key aim of the REACH Authorisation process is to ensure that SVHCs are progresively replaced with suitable alternatives. Action to restrict the use of certain PBT substance, and require the use of alternatives, has also been taken through the REACH restriction process. As part of the 7th EAP, the European Commission funded a pilot project to look at substitution with regard to brominated flame-retardants. The Enfiro project was intended to help develop alternatives to brominated flame-retardants (including substances identified as POPs), as well documenting lessons learnt in order to help others successfully transition away from POPs based substances to safer alternatives. Alongside the Enfiro project the European Commission has aimed to promote collaboration in the field of substitution. The Executive Agency for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (EASME) (part of the programme to assist small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) for innovation (COSME)); has developed the Partnership Opportunities Database (POD) to help SMEs within the EU make contact with partner organisations to look at the issue of substitution, which includes the issue of substitution for SVHCs substances within commercial production and goods. A number of other valuable resources are also open to industry including the information provided by the ECHA website, Subsport, and Medswitch amongst others. 2.2.2.Environment Action Programme The Union’s principal strategy for environmental policy is the Environment Action Programme (EAP), which is also relevant for this implementation plan. The sixth Environment Action Programme (6th EAP) was active during the 2002-2012 period, and sets out the framework for environmental policy-making, which promotes full integration of environmental protection requirements in the Union for sustainable development, and establishes strategic approaches to meet the environmental goals and objectives. In particular the 6th EAP priority area‘Environment and health’ aimed to reduce the hazards of environmental pollutants such as pesticides, endocrine disruptors, dioxins and PCBs in Europe and seeked for a high level of quality of life and well-being for citizens, aspirating to reduce harmful effects on human health and the environment. In June 2013, political agreement was reached on a new Environment Action Programme (EAP), the 7th EAP. The 7th EAP sets out the priority objectives for EU environment policy to 2020, set out in an ambitious longer-term vision for an inclusive, green and competitive European economy that safeguards the environment. The programme identifies three key objectives: ·to protect, conserve and enhance the Union’s natural capital;

·to turn the Union into a resource-efficient, green, and competitive low-carbon economy; ·to safeguard the Union's citizens from environment-related pressures and risks to health and wellbeing. The priority areas can be found at: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/newprg/intro.htm . The 7th EAP sets out a framework to support the achievement of nine priority objectives through development and better implementation of EU environment law, state of the art science, securing the necessary investments in support of environment and climate change policy, and improving the way that environmental concerns and requirements are reflected in other policies. The Programme aims to boost efforts to help EU cities become more sustainable, and improve the EU's capacity to meet regional and global environment and climate challenges. Priority objective 3 of the 7th EAP "To safeguard the Union’s citizens from environment-related pressures and risks to health and well-being", specifically aims to tackle hazardous chemicals, including nanomaterials, and chemicals that interfere with the endocrine system. This will in particular focus on the issues that arise from chemicals in combination, as part of a broader, strategic approach for a non-toxic environment. This area of focus will include work to assess the combination effects of substances and effective management through relevant EU legislation. 2.2.3.Strategies for control of pesticides and chemical substances In July 2006, the Commission adopted a Communication on Sustainable Use of Pesticides (COM (2006) 372 final) to prevent any undesirable effects and risks to humans and the environment by minimising exposure as much as possible and by encouraging the research and development of less polluting alternatives. One of the measures to be integrated through the application of already existing instruments is to provide financial and technical assistance (capacity building) in numerous programmes such as the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM). The Union Strategy for Dioxins, Furans and Polychlorinated Biphenyls adopted in 2001 (COM(2001) 593) has the goal to assess the current state of the environment and the ecosystem and to reduce exposure from dioxins and PCBs to humans and the environment. In July 2007, the Communication of the Commission COM(2007) 396 final provided the second progress report on the main achievements with regard to the implementation of the strategy during the period between 2004 and 2006, elucidating the several environmental measures on POPs which have been adopted in 2004 and the new maximum levels for contaminants in food and feed, which have been updated in 2006. In October 2010, the Commission adopted the third progress report on the Dioxin strategy for the period 2007 to 2009 (COM(2010) 562 final) . The report concluded that the overall objective of the Strategy, i.e. to develop an integrated approach in order to reduce the presence of dioxins, furans and PCBs in the environment as well as in feed and food, has been achieved to a large extent, bearing in mind the reduction of industrial emissions of these pollutants by about 80% over the past two decades. The report further concluded that additional sources should be targeted by national or local measures. In December 2013, the Commission put forward Recommendation 2013/711/EU for further reduction of dioxins and furans, and dioxin-like PCBs within food groups. This included a requirement for increased monitoring of these substances within free range eggs, organic eggs, lamb and sheep livers and sea food (particularly crabs). The recommendation also sets acceptable levels for the presence of dioxins and furans, and dioxin-like PCBs, within food. Further progress is expected within the framework of the European Union Implementation Plan on Persistent Organic Pollutants and the relevant National Implementation Plans (NIPs) elaborated by Member States. 2.2.4.Environment and Health Action Plan The Environment and Health Action Plan (EHAP) was launched in June 2004 to coordinate health, environment and research areas and to develop a system for integrated information on environment and health and to assess the environmental impact on human health more efficiently. In June 2007, a mid-term report was published in a Communication of the Commission (COM(2007) 314 final ). It highlighted the growing links between environment policy and health policy. It showed, for example, that an important development in relation to the Strategy on Dioxins and PCBs was the adoption of Regulation (EC) No. 850/2004 on POPs. The progress report on the implementation of the EHAP of March 2010 (SEC(2010) 387) presented the progress of activities after the mid-term review, assessed the results achieved since 2004 and suggested the follow-up for the Action Plan post 2010. 2.2.5.Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) Many environmental problems transcend national boundaries and can only be efficiently handled through international co-operation. The European Union is a contracting party in more than 40 international environmental agreements , among them the Stockholm Convention, the Basel Convention, the Rotterdam Convention and the Minamata Convention. Within the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM), a number of useful documents that address the question of how to improve communication on chemicals in products and articles including POPs have been developed. The Chemicals in Products Programme (CiP Programme) was initiated by the EU in 2009 and welcomed by the SAICM Governing body, ICCM4, in September 2015. The finalised Programme and the accompanying guidance can be found on UNEP's web page.

2.2.6.Monitoring efforts of the EU Monitoring efforts in the EU covers monitoring of emission loads into the environment and monitoring of environmental concentrations. The European Monitoring and Evaluation Programme (EMEP) is a scientifically based and policies driven programme for international cooperation under the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (CLRTAP). The EMEP provides scientific information about emission inventories and emission projections, atmospheric monitoring and modelling as well as an integrated assessment to help solve transboundary air pollution problems. This set of information is an important basis for developing further emission control strategies and implementing the Convention and its Protocols. Several measures relating to the monitoring of POPs’ emissions have been taken by the Member States in order to identify and characterize sources and releases of these substances. Many of these measures are included in the NIPs and have benefited from the numerous national policy frameworks. Besides the national emission inventories for the release of unintentionally produced POPs into the air, water and soil, the EMEP emission inventory and the E-PRTR data base are further available inventories of releases. Article 4 of the Water Framework Directive (Directive 2000/60/EC) also requires the development of inventories of discharges and losses for priority and priority hazardous substances (which includes some POPs). This information is intended to inform planning and reporting for river basin management plans (RBMPs); which were due for publication at the end of 2015. As of June 2016, ten Member States have adopted the updated river basin management plans, with a further two adopting part of the updated RBMPs. As regards the monitoring of environmental concentrations, there are several regional monitoring programmes established as part of regional conventions or initiatives that covers part of the EU and includes some of the POPs. The Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) analyses fluxes, pathways and environmental levels of POPs and presents an assessment of the Arctic environment contamination . Other examples are the Trilateral Monitoring and Assessment Programme of the Waddensea (TMAP), the Monitoring Network in the Alpine Region for Persistent and other Organic Pollutants (MONARPOP) as well as sea conventions (such as e.g. HELCOM, OSPAR and MED POL). The mission of the European Environment Agency (EEA) is to provide sound and independent information on the environment, with the goal to ensure that decision-makers and the general public are kept informed about European environmental data, knowledge and assessments. The Agency collects data on POP emissions and where available data on POP concentrations in the environment and analyses their trends , . Some of the Agency’s data on POPs originate from the monitoring of Priority Substances in water bodies conducted by Member States under the Water Framework Directive. In addition, Member States have contributed data on some substances to a working database specifically developed for the Commission's 2011 review of the Priority Substances list. 2.3.Financial instruments Using different funding instruments, the European Union provides a significant amount of funding to environmental projects and programmes, both within the EU as well as in neighbouring countries and in developing countries. There are several financial instruments and programmes that can be relevant also for POP related projects. 2.3.1.Funding instruments for the EU The LIFE programme is the financial instrument for supporting environmental and nature conservation projects and promoting policy priorities in the EU as well as in some candidate, acceding and neighbouring countries. The European Commission proposed replacing most existing environmental funding, including the former LIFE+ categories, with a single fund focused on supporting development, implementation, monitoring, evaluation and communication of Union environmental policy and legislation. This new phase was called LIFE+ and entered into force the 9th of June 2007 . It ran for the period 2007-2013 with a budget of €2.143 billion, while funding was provided via three key areas: LIFE+ Nature & Biodiversity, LIFE+ Environmental Policy & Governance, and LIFE+ Information & Communication, where at least 78 percent of the budgetary resources was used for action grants to projects. LIFE+ projects promoted synergies between different priorities under the 6th Environment Action Programme. Two projects in relation with POPs were funded by the LIFE+ programme: one to evaluate the extent of exposure of the general population, especially women of reproductive age , and the second to evaluate emission exposure of PAHs in the population . The LIFE+ programme was designed to complement other funding programmes for the environment which are described as follows. There are numerous other funds of the EU with different target groups that do not specifically refer to POPs, but which support the implementation of the EU environmental legislation or the supply of technical solutions (the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme , for example, supports small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) innovation activities (including eco-innovation), while the NGO operating grants inter alia promote the active participation of NGOs in the development and implementation of environmental policy). On the 20th of December 2013 the LIFE 2014-2020 Regulation (EU) No 1293/2013 was published in the Official Journal (L 347, p. 185). The Regulation establishes the Environment and Climate Action sub-programmes of the LIFE Programme for the next funding period, 2014–2020. The budget for the period is set at €3.4 billion. On the 19th of March 2014, the LIFE multiannual work programme for 2014-2017 was adopted by Commission Implementing Decision (2014/203/EU). The LIFE multiannual work programme for 2014-2017 sets the framework for the next four years for the management of the new LIFE Programme 2014-2020. It contains an indicative budget, explains the selection methodology for projects and for operating grants and establishes outcome indicators for the two LIFE sub-programmes – for Environment and for Climate Action. The total budget for funding projects during the period covered amounts to €1.1 billion under the sub-programme for Environment and €0.36 billion under the sub-programme for Climate Action. 2.3.2.Funding for neighbouring and partner countries The European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) is designed to target sustainable development and approximation to EU policies and standards – which includes the implementation of the POP Regulation as well – in neighbouring third Countries as well as through a strategic partnership with the Russian Federation. This programme replaces the former programmes MEDA, TACIS and EIDHR mentioned in the first Implementation Plan. For the period 2007-2013, nearly €12 billion in EU funding are available to support these partners’ reforms. The ENPI has 15 cross-border cooperation (CBC) programmes which receive a funding of €1.18 billion for the same period. The Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) which replaces several programmes (e.g. the PHARE programme) and financial instruments for candidate countries (Iceland, Turkey, Serbia, Montenegro and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia) or potential candidates (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo) also provides nearly €12 billion. Most African, Caribbean and Pacific States benefit from development support under the Cotonou Convention finaced through the European Development Fund (€23 billion for the period 2007 – 2013) while South Africa and other developing countries, notably in Asia and Latin America benefit from the Development Cooperation Instrument (over €17 billion for 2007 – 2013). Within the DCI is a substantial specific programme for environmental support, open to all partners except actual and potential candidates, the “Thematic programme on environment and sustainable management of natural resources, including energy” (Thematic Programme for Environment and Sustainable Management of Natural Resources (ENRTP), worth about €1.1 billion for the period 2007-2013) . This programme has provided support to the work of Secretariat of the Stockholm Convention and has also funded projects on the ground.

2.3.3.Multilateral programmes funded by the EU The promotion of measures to address worldwide environmental problems is a key objective of the EU policy. The Commission thus provides funding to international and multilateral programmes. The current instrument is the thematic programme on Global Public Goods and Challenges (GPGC), which covers the period 2014-2020 and replaces previous sectoral programmes funded by the European Union including the Environment and Sustainable Management of Natural Resources including Energy Thematic Programme (ENRTP). Some examples funded within the ENRTP: ·The further elaboration of the dioxin and furan toolkit: €100,000 in 2007, to better adapt the toolkit guidance to the needs of developing countries by including the type of industrial installations and levels of pollution found in those countries. ·The evaluation of the Convention’s effectiveness: €400,000 has been allocated in 2009 for completing data on the levels of POPs in the air, and in breast milk for Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean to establish an adequate baseline for further evaluations. ·Support to the Secretariat of Stockholm convention of €480.000 in 2010 to support Parties to implement their obligations under the Stockholm Convention, i.e. developing countries in the following regions: Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Middle East and countries with economies in transition in CEE. ·Support to the Secretariat of Stockholm convention of €1.450.000 in 2011 to support their 2012-2013 programme of work, including the technical assistance programme, the global monitoring plan for effectiveness evaluation, the programme on unintentionally produced POPs, the programme on endosulfan, the programme on new POPS and candidate POPs and support for participation of developing countries at COP-6. ·Further ENRTP support includes €4.5 million to FAO for the cleaning up of obsolete pesticides in the Africa Stockpiles Programme. ·Through ENRTP the development of the IOMC toolbox (phase I - €3 million and phase II - €2 million) and OECD work on chemicals assessment (€800.000) was also supported. The initial programming for the period 2014-2017 of the GPGC Environment and Climate envelope provided financial support to the Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions to implement the programme of work as agreed by the Conferences of the Parties, which also included the provision of technical assistance to developing countries and countries with economies in transition. Further support was provided to the following initiatives: ·the Quick Start Programme Trust Fund of the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) , which aims at supporting the sound management of chemical and waste in order to minimise significant adverse impacts on the environmnet and human health; ·the Special Programme to support the institutional strengthening at the national level for the implementation of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions, the Minamata Convention and the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management. 2.4.Research and Development and the Framework Programmes Research and development is essential for the support of policies such as, inter alia, consumer protection or the protection of the environment. The Research Framework Programme (FP) is the main instrument for funding research and development in Europe. The Sixth Research Framework Programme (FP6) ran between 2003 and 2007 with a budget of €17.5 billion. Within FP6, 37 projects out of the 66 projects funded addressed some aspects of chemical safety. However, a smaller number of projects focused on exposure to and potential health impacts of POPs. Table 8 (in section 7 of this document) shows the research projects within the FP6; besides nine large-scale projects in FP6 , the table focuses on projects with starting dates in 2007 and later. The Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) which has been recently replaced by Horizon 2020, ran for the period 2007-2013 with a total budget of over € 50.5 billion from which € 1.89 billion was attributedto the relevant thematic areas of ‘Environment (including Climate Change)’, €1.94 billion to ‘Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, and Biotechnology’ and € 6.1 billion to ‘Health’. These thematic areas particularly supported research on projects related to POPs (see Table 7 ). The programmes ‘Ideas’ (€7.5 billion over 7 years) and ‘People’ (€4.7 billion over 7 years) of the FP7 also funded some projects with reference to POPs. The thematic areas and programmes are indicated in Table 7 in section 7 of this document (second column). The primary aim of funding the 'Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, and Biotechnology' research theme under the FP7 was to build a European Knowledge Based Bio-Economy, KBBE being the abbreviation for this thematic area. Thirtyseven projects with POP relevance have been funded under the FP7 receiving around €143 million from the EU. Projects with POP reference have especially been funded within the framework of the thematic area ‘Environment’ – 22 projects– as it included the environment and health sub-activity. This sub-activity funded research to support EU policy initiatives such as the European Environment and Health Action Plan 2004-2010, the Community Strategy for Endocrine Disrupters, and the Stockholm Convention on persistent organic pollutants (POPs). The projects funded deal with, inter alia, harmonising human (bio)monitoring, in Europe, and improving the understanding of environmental and human exposure to chemicals such as PCBs and perfluorinated compounds and their potential health effects.

Within the thematic strategy ‘Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, and Biotechnology’ / ‘Knowledge Based Bio-Economy’, nine large POP-projects were funded, focussing on food safety aspects such as sampling strategies and detection methods for specific foods and on quality and safety assurance of feed. Furthermore under this thematic area, projects are funded seeking alternative solutions to chemical pesticides. In 2007, the Commission also saw the need to examine development of affordable alternatives to DDT to control malaria, e.g. by exploiting available biological knowledge on the mosquito vector. On the topic of “affordable alternatives for DDT”, no research project was granted within FP7. As for identification of substances that can be used as alternatives to POP, there is one research project on substitution options for specific brominated flame retardant. Horizon 2020 has taken over from FP7 with a new body of research planned for the period between 2014 – 2020. This is intended to have an overall budget of about €80 billion euros. Key overall themes for Horizon 2020 will include: ·the programme to assist small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) for innovation (COSME); ·a programme relating to consumer protection and products; ·the third health programme; ·a research programme for coal and steel; ·the justice programme relating to civil and commercial matters; and ·a programme for the promotion of agriculture products. Research relating to POPs will feature in a number of these thematic areas with key work looking at monitoring of POPs in the natural environment, work to assist with the de-pollution of the mediterranean, and the management of ‘POPs’ substances within consumer supply chains. 2.4.1.European Research Institutions including the JRC The Joint Research Centre (JRC) has been established as part of the European Commission in 1958. As the Commission's in-house science service, the Joint Research Centre's mission is to provide EU policies with independent, evidence-based scientific and technical support throughout the whole policy cycle. Working in close cooperation with policy Directorates-General, the JRC addresses key societal challenges while stimulating innovation through developing new methods, tools and standards, and sharing its know-how with the Member States, the scientific community and international partners. The JRC holds an annual budget of around €330 million for direct support to EU institutions within the FP7 which is distributed in seven institutes. Some of these have relevant projects with POPs. The JRC, for example, develops and provides testing methods and reference material also for POP substances. The JRC performs monitoring of POPs, supports the development and standardization of analytical protocols in the frame of the European Committee for Standardization and within the Water Framework Directive and supports the implementation of the Stockholm Convention at the EU level. The JRC provides access to several web-based information tools, for example, EASIS (Endocrine Active Substances Information System) which includes results from different scientific studies on chemicals related to endocrine activity (https://easis.jrc.ec.europa.eu/) as well as IPCHEM (Information Platform for Chemical Monitoring), which provides access to chemical occurrence data in various media (e.g. environment, humans, food/feed, indoor air and consumer products) (https://ipchem.jrc.ec.europa.eu/). The JRC also elaborates the Best Available Techniques Reference Documents (BREFs) based on the IPPC Directive initially and now based on the IED. In the period 1997 – 2008 32 BREFs were drawn up under the IPPC Directive and will have to be updated under the IED with a view to adopting all BAT conclusions by 2020. In addition, a limited number of new BREFs have to be developed covering the activities that have been added to the scope of the IED as compared to the IPPC Directive. Under the IED, the BAT conclusions of the BREF will be adopted as Commission Implementing Decisions . Several of the BREFs also contain information on POPs and related BAT as well as the corresponding emission levels associated with the application of BAT (BAT-AELs). Moreover, the JRC performs multimedia monitoring of POPs at EU and global level, based on the monitoring requirements in the Stockholm Convention. In addition, it provides guidance and experimental support to the "Toolkit Expert Group" in terms of the estimation of worldwide releases of unintentionally produced POPs. The JRC also developes global emissions inventories for greenhouse gases (GHGs), air pollutants (APs) and toxic pollutants such as mercury. Recently included in this JRC database are polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (benzo[a]pyrene, benzo[b]fluoranthene, benzo[k]fluoranthene and indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene), dioxins&furans, hexachlorobenzene and polychlorinated biphenyls that are unintentionally emitted from power generation, residential and transport sectors; these emissions are estimated for all world countries for 1970-2012 period; global gridmaps of 0.1x0.1 degree resolution are also available. Furthermore, the JRC is involved in several research activities that include monitoring programmes and case studies for inland and marine waters, ambient air, soil including contaminated sites, sediments, sewage sludge, compost, food and biota, as well as multi-media modelling of POPs. 2.4.2.Supporting co-operation, co-ordination and networking Modern research in a global environment necessitates co-operation at different levels. The fragmentation of Europe's efforts cannot be overcome without determined actions at European level. Taking up this challenge, the European Commission, Member States and the European Parliament, the scientific community and industry are committed to work jointly towards the creation of a "European Research Area" (ERA) where innovation and trade could flourish for the benefit of the whole European Union. This effort was launched by a European Commission Green Paper in 2007 followed in 2008, by a new political partnership between the Member States and the Commission called the "Ljubljana Process", which aimed to overcome fragmentation and to build a strong ERA.

Additionally as part of the Horizon 2020 planning, the EU created The European Network for Observing our Changing Planet (ERA-PLANET) in January 2016, which includes a network of 38 partner organisations from 14 EU Member States, one European Economic Area country and one associated country aiming at strengthening the European Research Area in the domain of Earth Observation in coherence with the European participation to Group on Earth Observation (GEO) and the Copernicus. The partners will reinforce the interface with user communities, whose needs the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) intends to address. It will provide more accurate, comprehensive and authoritative information to policy and decision-makers in four distinct topics of the ERA-PLANET that reflect the key societal benefit areas reflected in both GEO and Copernicus: Smart cities and Resilient societies; Resource efficiency and Environmental management; Global changes and Environmental treaties; Polar areas and Natural resources. The domains will address, among others: chemical pollution by persistent contaminants, assessment of global change patterns, impact of long-range transport of air pollutants and their atmospheric deposition, challenging issues for cities and society such as urban growth, air quality, health and contaminated sites as well as resource efficiency and depletion. The current ERA-Planet project strives to strengthen the European leadership within the current GEO 2015-2025 Work Plan. 2.4.3.Future research and innovation The Research Centre for Toxic Compounds in the Environment (RECETOX), which is based in the Czech Republic, organised a global meeting for 50 world-leading researchers active in POPs research to address the future research needs and mark the ten years anniversary of the Stockholm Convention (22.-24.5.2011, Brno, Czech Republic). The workshop identified in 10 points the current knowledge gaps and urgent research needs that require a coordinated global action and formulated them into a joint scientific declaration. The outcome was published in the Environmental Science and Technology Journal ( http://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdfplus/10.1021/es202751f ). The ongoing discussion on the fate of newly listed POPs present in articles of everyday use and on the associated challenges with recycling and disposal of such articles will certainly result in identification of additional research needs. Such research could also make use of the documents that address how industry can improve information on chemicals in articles that have been developed under the Chemicals in Products Project (CiP) (see section 2.2.5) Horizon 2020 and in particular Societal Challenge 1 “Health, Demographic Change and Wellbeing”, Societal Challenge 2 “Food Security, Sustainable Agriculture and Forestry, Marine, Maritime and Inland Water Research and the Bioeconomy” and Societal Challenge 5 “Climate Action, Environment, Resource Efficiency and Raw Materials” provide new opportunities for Research and Innovation to develop new solutions to prevent and detect POPs contamination and toxicity to the environment and human health, including marine wastes, pesticides in agriculture and food products. As part of Horizon 2020, the European Human Biomonitoring Initiative (EHBMI) has been created. This is a new medium term European initiative whose full implementation under Horizon 2020 will take place between 2016-2021, with an expected start in December 2016. The objective is to create a European joint programme for monitoring and scientific assessment of human exposures to chemicals and potential health impacts in Europe, building on previous activities undertaken at EU and national levels with a special focus on linking research to evidence based policy decision making. The aim of this interdisciplinary initiative is to assess the exposure of European citizens to chemicals of concern through human biomonitoring (HBM), to link this information to data on exposure sources and epidemiological surveys and to promote research on the exposure response relationships in humans. In addition, it should coordinate HBM activities at national and EU level, promote capacity building and the spread of best practice, provide a platform through which harmonised and validated information and data collected at national level can be accessed and compared and support research and innovation (improving underlying methods and procedures, biomarkers etc). Data generated will be included in the Information Platform for Chemical Monitoring Data (IPChem platform) developed by the EU Joint Research Centre. To date, the preparatory phase conducted in 2015 has identified nine priority groups of chemicals that would be examined in detail via a provisional work plan for 2016; this includes two sets of chemicals found in the Stockholm Convention - POP-BDEs and PFOS. 2.5.Information Exchange, Public information, awareness and education The EU institutions are committed to ensuring transparency and the involvement of stakeholders and the general public. This is stipulated in the Regulation 1049/2001 on public access to EU documents and transparency in the decision-making processes and in the communication from the Commission 2002/704 towards a reinforced culture of consultation and dialogue. The public access to environmental information is specifically laid down in Directive 2003/4/EC. The main instruments for transparency and information access are the Europa website and a specific website dedicated to POPs . In addition the European Commission hosts databases such as Eur-Lex, statistic databases of Eurostat, the E-PRTR , the EU pesticide database , and databases of EU institutions on specific topics such as the European Chemical Substances Information System . The Directorate General for Environment maintains the POP-specific website containing information on Union legislation and POP-related research projects. Moreover, the European Environment Agency (EEA) publishes a substantial amount of information relevant to POPs . In addition the general public or any interested stakeholder can have access to certain information on the presence of SVHC substances in articles in the context of the REACH Regulation. A request can be sent to the supplier of an article who has to provide a reply within 45 days . Within SAICM, the EU has actively promoted the development of the Chemicals in Products Programme, which is a voluntary initiative designed to assist all stakeholders throughout the product life cycle who are seeking procedures for the exchange of information on chemicals in products. Stakeholders include businesses, governments, intergovernmental agencies, recyclers, waste management actors, non-governmental organisations and consumer groups. The programme document explains the objectives of the Programme’s information exchange system and describes