ARCHIVES HISTORIQUES 
DE LA COMMISSION 
 
 
 
COLLECTION RELIEE DES 
DOCUMENTS "COM" 
 
 
 
 
COM (86) 237 
 
 
 
Vol. 1986/0121 
  
 
Disclaimer  
Conform ément au règlement (CEE, Euratom) n° 354/83 du Conseil du 1er février 1983 
concernant l'ouverture au public des archives historiques de la Communauté économique 
européenne et de la Com munauté européenne de l'énergie atomique (JO L 43 du 15.2.1983, 
p. 1), tel que m odifié par le règlem ent (CE, Euratom) n° 1700/2003 du 22 septem bre 2003 
(JO L 243 du 27.9.2003, p. 1), ce dossier est ouvert au public. Le cas échéant, les documents 
classifiés présents dans ce dossier ont été déclassifiés c onformément à l'article 5 dudit 
règlement. 
In accordance with Council Regulation (EEC, Euratom) No 354/83 of 1 February 1983 
concerning the openi ng to the public of the historical archives of the European Econom ic 
Community and the European Atomic Energy Community (OJ L 43, 15.2.1983, p. 1), as 
amended by Regulation (EC, Euratom ) No 1700/2003 of 22 September 2003 (OJ L 243, 
27.9.2003, p. 1), this f ile is open to the public. Where necessary, classified documents in this 
file have been declassified in conform ity with Article 5 of the aforem entioned regulation.  
In Übereinstimm ung mit der Verordnung (EWG, Euratom) Nr. 354/83 des Rates vom 1.  
Februar 198 3 über die Freigabe der  historisc hen Arc hive der Europäischen  
Wirtschaftsgem einschaft und der Europäisc hen Atom gemeinschaft (ABI. L 43 vom  15.2.1983,  
S. 1), geändert durch die Verordnung (EG, Euratom) Nr. 1700/2003 vom 22. Septem ber 2003  
(ABI. L 243 vom  27.9.2003, S. 1), ist diese Datei der Öffentlichkeit zugänglich. Soweit  
erforderlich, wurden die Verschlusssachen in dieser Datei in Übereinstimmung mit Artikel 5  
der genannten Verordnung freigegeben.  
COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
C0MC86) 237 fin a l 
B russels, 30 A p ril 1986
Proposal fo r a 
COUNCIL DIRECTIVE
amending the Annex to  D ire c tiv e  7 9 /1 1 7 /E E C  p ro h ib itin g  the p lacing  
on the market and use of p la n t p ro te c tio n  products 
co n ta in in g  c e rta in  a c tiv e  substances
C0MC86) 237 f in a l

EXPLANATORY M E M O R A N D U M
N itro fe n  is  used as a pre-emergence h e rb ic id e  on cereal crops and a ls o , 
to  a lim ite d  e x te n t, as a pre-emergence treatm ent o f legumes and as an 
e a rly  post-emergence treatm ent o f onions; i t  has been shown to  have 
to x ic  p ro p e rtie s , which j u s t i f y  fo r reason o f the p ro te c tio n  o f human 
h e a lth  i t s  in c lu s io n  in  the l i s t  o f a c tiv e  substances in  the annex to 
D ire c tiv e  79/117/EEC.
1,3«dibromoethane (EDB) and 1 ,2 -d ic h lo ro e th a n e  (EDC) are, or have been, 
used in  the Community to  p ro te c t stored  ce re als by fu m ig a tio n  and as 
s o il treatm ent in  v it ic u lt u r e  and tobacco c u lt iv a t io n .  They have been 
shown to  have to x ic  p ro p e rtie s  to  j u s t i f y  fo r  reason o f the p ro te c tio n  
o f h ea lth  and the environm ent t h e ir  in c lu s io n s  in  the l i s t  o f a c tiv e  
substances in  the annex to  D ire c tiv e  79/117/EEC.
The three  substances concerned have been the su b je ct o f opin io n s given 
by the S c ie n t if ic  Committee fo r  P e s tic id e s .
This proposal provides fo r  the a d d itio n  o f these three  substances to  the 
l i s t  o f a c tiv e  substances in  the Annex to D ire c tiv e  79/117/EEC.

Proposal fo r a Council D ire c tiv e  amending the Annex to  Council D ire c tiv e  
79/117/EEC o f 21 December 1978 p ro h ib itin g  the p la c in g  on the market and 
use o f p la n t p ro te c tio n  products co nta in ing  c e rta in  a c tiv e  substances.
THE COUNCIL O F THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to  the T reaty e s ta b lis h in g  the European Economic Community,
Having regard to  Council D ire c tiv e  79/117/EEC o f 21 December 1978 p ro h ib itin g  
the p la c in g  on the market and use o f p la n t p ro te c tio n  products containing 
c e rta in  a c tiv e  substances (1 ) , as la s t amended by D ire c tiv e  83/131/EEC (2 ), 
and in  p a r tic u la r  A r tic le  6 (3) th e re o f,
Having regard to  proposal from the Commission,
Whereas th a t D ire c tiv e  provides fo r the contents o f the Annex to  be re g u la rly  
amended to  take account o f the  developments o f s c ie n t if ic  and te c h n ic a l know­
ledge;
Whereas i t  has been e s ta b lis h e d  th a t the use o f n itro fe n  as a p la n t p ro te c tio n  
p ro d u c t, in  p a r tic u la r  as a h e rb ic id e , is  lik e ly  to  give ris e  to  harm ful e ffe c ts  
on human and animal h e a lth ;
Whereas i t  has also been e s ta b lis h e d  th a t the uses o f 1,2-dibrom oethane and
1,2 -d ic h lo ro e th a n e  as p la n t p ro te c tio n  p ro d u c ts , in  p a r tic u la r  to  fum igate 
p la n ts  and s o i l ,  are lik e ly  to  g ive  ris e  to  harm ful e ffe c ts  on human and animal 
h ea lth  as w e ll as unreasonable adverse in flu e n c e  on the environm ent;
H AS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE :
A r t ic le  1
The Annex to  D ire c tiv e  79/117/EEC is  hereby amended as fo llo w s  to  include a 
Part C  'O ther Compounds':
Names o f a c tiv e  substances or groups 
o f a c tiv e  substances re fe rre d  to  in  
A r t ic le  3Cases in  which p la c in g  on the 
market or use are p e rm itte d  
in  accordance w ith  A r tic le  4
C. Other compounds
1. N itro fe n
2. 1,2-dibrom oethane
3. 1 ,2 -d ic h lo ro e th a n e
(1) O J No. L 33 o f 8 .2.1979, p. 36
(2) O J No. L 91 o f 9.4.1 98 3, p . 35

-  2 -
A r t ic le  2
The Member S tates s h a ll b rin g  in to  fo rc e  th e  law s, re g u la tio n s  and adm inis 
t r a t iv e  p ro v is io n s  to  comply w ith  t h is  D ire c tiv e  not la te r  than 1  January 
1988. They s h a ll im m ediately in fo rm  th e  Commission th e re o f.
A r t ic le  5
This Directive is addressed to the M e m b e r States.
Done at B ru s s e ls , For th e  C o u n cil,