CELEX: 51978PC0686
Language: en
Date: 1978-12-08
Title: Draft COUNCIL DECISION concerning the conclusion of an agreement on a concerted action project in the field of treatment and use of sewage sludge (cost 68 bis) between the Community and The Republic of Austria The Republic of Finland The Kingdom of Norway The Kingdom of Sweden The Swiss Confederation (submitted to the Council by the Commission)

ARCHIVES HISTORIQUES
DE LA COMMISSION
COLLECTION RELIEE DES
DOCUMENTS "COM"
COM (78) 686
Vol. 1978/0261
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 ---pagebreak---   COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
                                                                    COM(78)686 final.
                                                                    Brussels , 8 December 1978
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                                           Draft
                                  COUNCIL DECISION
  concerning the conclusion of an agreement on a concerted action project
  in the field of treatment and use of sewage sludge ( cost 68 bis ) between
• the Community and
                             The Republic of Austria
                         .   The Republic of Finland
                             The Kingdom of Norway
                             The Kingdom of Sweden
                             The Swiss Confederation
               ( submitted to the Council by the Commission )
  C0M(78 ) 686 final .
 ---pagebreak---                                      - II -
        COMMUNICATION ' FROM THE" COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL
Subject :  Agreement between tha EEC and Austria , Finland , Norway ,
           Sweden , Switzerland           on a concerted-action project in the field
           of treatment and use of sewage sludge ( COST 68 bis )
A research project directed towards a specific aspect of the problem of sewage
sludge was the subject of COST Project 6S (" Treatment of sewage sludge") in the
period 1972-74 . The agreement for the implementation of this project was signed
on 23 november 1971 by the following countries :
                 Member countries                      Non-Member countries
                 Belgium .                             Fintand
                 Denmark                               Norway
                 France        v.                      Turkey
                 Germany                               Sweden
                 Italy                                 Switzer land
                 Netherlands                           Yugoslavia
                 United Kingdom
Following the Council Decision of 15 March 1976 approving a second research
programme on the environment and in view of the results obtained, in COST
Project 68 , a Community research programme (concerted-action) in the field
of treatment and use of sewage sludge was adopted by the Council on
27 September 1977 + .
Article 6 of the above-mentioned Decision provides for the conclusion of an
international agreement between Community and non-member States participating
in COST , with a view to ensuring the concertation between the concerted action
which is the subject of the said Decision and the relevant programmes under- -
taken in these States . The Commission has , pursuant to this provision , autho­
rized negotiations to that effect .
The negotiations have been completed and have resulted in the draft agreement
which is contained iri the Annex to the draft Council decision attached hereto .
This agreement provides           -    ~                         '
- for a setting-up of a Community-COST concertation Committee
- that the concertation between the Community action and the relevant
   programmes of Third States will be effected within the said Committee whose ,
   secretariat will be ensured by the Commission .
These provisions are in accordance with the scheme of Community- CO ST Cooperation
 approved by the Council on 18.7.1978 .
 The following non-member States have indicated their wish to accede to the
Agreement ; "
 The Commission hereby requests the Council to adopt the draft decision concerning
 conclusion of an agreement on a concerted-action project 1n the field of treat­
 ment and use of sewage sludge < C0S7 68 bis ).                    ^  -
 +) O.J. No . L 26? du 19 . 10 . 1977
 ---pagebreak---                    Draft Council Decision concerning
                   the ccnc lusion - of an agreement cn
                   a concerted-action project in t he
                   field - of' Treatment and u~e of
                   sewage sludge ( COST 68 . bis )
   The Council of the European Communities ,,-
   Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community ,
   Having regard to the Council Deci sion . 77 / 651 / EEC of 27 September 1?7_7 .
   adoDtinq a . concerted__European -Economic Community project in :.the field of
  treatment and use of sswaqe__sludge . (1 ) , and in particular Article 6(1)thereof
   Having regard to the proposal from the . Commi ssion ,
   Whereas the Commission has , pursuant to Article 6(2 ) of the above-
   mentioned Decision , "has'"r.eyc-t fat rd an Agreement . wi th _cer tain non-member
   States" 'participating in European 'cooperation in the field of scientific
   and "technical"" research" ( COST ) with 'a' view to" extendi ng_ the" ccorc^TndtTon
   which- is the subject' of the' abovemenviociea ■ Oeciswtt -tOr -r^s -earrci'r -win-Jertiiken
   in those States ;                                                  -
   Whereas , therefore , this Agreement should b <? concluded ,.
   HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS :
                        «
                                    Article 1
    An Agreement between the Community and Austria , Finland , Norway ,
    Sweden ..* and Switzerland on a~concerted-actYon pro je ct~~i n~ the f i t Id of
    treatment and use of sewage sludge is hereby concluded on behalf
    of the European Econsom'ic Community . . "
    The text of the Agreement is annexed hereto .
                                    Article 2
     The President of the Council is hereby authorized to designate the
     persons empowered to sign the Agreement and to . confer on them the
     necessary powers to commit the Community .
     Done at                                 Date :
                                                       For the Counci I
( 1 ) O^J . No . L 267, 19.10.1977                    The President
 ---pagebreak---                                                        ANNEX
                    COMMUN ITY - COST CONCERTATION
                              AGREEMENT
            on a concerted action project in the field of
          treatment and use of sewage sludge ( COST 68 bis )
The European Economic Community , hereinafter referred to as "the Community"
and   Austria , Finland , Ncrway , Swerien , Switzerland ,
hereinafter referred to as the      Participating Non-Member States ",
Whereas a European concerted research project in the field of treatment
and use of sewage sludge is likely to contribute effectively to the re­
duction of environmental pollution and to the more economic use of natural
resources ;
Whereas a research project directed toward a specific aspect of the
problem on sewage sludge , carried out pursuant to an Agreement concluded
on 23rd November 1971 in the framework of European Cooperation in the field
of Scientific and Technical Research ( COST Project 68 ), produced very en­
couraging results ;                                          _
Whereas the Council of the European Communities in its . decision of 27th
September 1977 adopted a Community concerted action project in the field
of treatment and use of sewage sludge ;
Whereas the Council of the European Communities agreed on some modalities
for cooperation within the COST framework on 18 July 1978 ?
   i                                                           v
Whereas the Member States of the Community and the Participating Non-
Member States , hereinafter referred to as " the States", carry out re­
search in the fields listed in Annex A , and expect to derive mutual benefit
from a coordination of this research ;
Whereas the implementation of the research covered by the concerted action
programme will require a financial contribution of about 8 million u.a .
from the States ,         •               '           ~
HAVE AGREED AS FOLLOWS :
 ---pagebreak---                               Article 1
  The Community and the participating non-Member States , hat einafter
  referred to as "the contracting parties", shall participate for a
  period extending to 18.10.1930 in a concerted action project in the field
  of treatment *nd use of sewage sludge .
  This project shall consist in the concertation between the Community
  concerted action and the relevant programmes of the participating
 -non-Member States .                               - .
  The national programmes covered by this agreement are listed in       •
  Annex A.                    v
  Th§ States remain entirely responsible for the research executed by
  their national institutions or organisation .
                                Arti cle 2
  The Concertation between the contracting parties will be effected
  through a Community-COST Concertation Committee , hereinafter re­
  ferred to as " the Committee ".
  The Committee shall draw up its rules of procedures . Its Secretariat
  will be provided by the Commission of the European Communities here­
  inafter referred to as " the Commission ".
  The terms of reference and the composition of this Committee are
  defined in Annex B.
                                Article 3
  In order to ensure optimum efficiency in the execution of this project
  a project leader shall be appointed by the Commission in "agreement with
  the participating n on Member States .                   r              *
                                Article 4
  The maximum financi a„l contributions of the contracting parties to the
  coordination cost ^ shall be
  140.000 EUA from the Community for a^three year period
   10.000 EUA from each participating non-Member State for the period
                referred to in Article 1 ,
  the European unit of account being defined by the Financial Regulations of
. the European ^Communities in force and by financial arrangements complying
  therewith .     The rules governing the financial execution of the Agree­
  ment are" 'set out in Annex C.     -                                      ,
 ---pagebreak---                              ■Article 5
(a ) Through the Committee , the States shall exchange regularly all useful
information concerning the execution of the research covered "by the concerted
action project . They shall also endeavour to provide information on similar
research planned or carried out "by other "bodies . This information shall "be
treated as confidential if requested by the States which provides it »
( b ) The Commission in agreement with the Committee shall prepare yearly progress
reports on the "oasis of the information supplied and shall forward them to
The States »
             4 ■                  .             ' . . • ■V '  '       '
( c ) After completion of the concerted action project , the Commission in agreement
with the Committee shall forward to the States a general report on the .execution
and results of the project . This report shall be published by the Commission
six months after it has been forwarded , unless a State objects . In this case
the report shall be confidential and transmitted at their request r solely to
the institution and. organisation carrying out a research or production activity
justifying access to knowledge resulting from the performance of the research
covered by the concerted aotion project .
                             Article 6
( a) Each of the contracting parties shall , after signing •     - this Agreement
notify the Secretary-General of the Council of the European Communities as soon
as possible of the completion of the procedures required in accordance with its
internal provisions for the purpose of implementing this Agreement . -
(b ) For the contracting parties which have transmitted the notification provided
for in paragraph 1 , this Agreement shall enter into force on the first ~day of
the month following the date on which the Community and at least one of the
participating non-Member States have transmitted these notifications .
( c ) For those participating non-Member States which transmit this notification
after the entry into force of this Agreement , it shall come into force on
the date of receipt of the notification .                             _   '       '
(d ) Participating non-Member States which have not yet transmitted this
notification at the time of entry into force of this Agreement shall be able
to take part in the work of the Committee without voting rights for a period
of six months after the entry into force of this Agreemento
 ( e ) The Secretary-General of the Council of the European Communities shall
notify each of the contracting parties of the deposit of the notifications
provided for in the gai'agraph a ; and of the date of entry into force of this
Agreement .         .                                    -
 ( f ) Within a period of 5 months after the entry into force other European
 States which took part In. the Ministerial Conference "held in Brussels on
 22nd/23rd November 1971 may accede • to the present Agreement . Instruments of
  accession shall be derosited with tha Secretary General of the Council- of
  the European Communities^ The Agreement sJiall enter into force for - each
  acceding party on 'the data of deposit of sv.ch instrument .-
 ---pagebreak---                                     - 4 -
                                A - -, : • .. c 7
Phis Agreement- , dravn op in       single origivic-.i in s"«x
languages , all texts being- equ^ll,; aa+he:svj.o ? =>hali be deposited in the
archives of the General Secretariat of the Council of the European
Communities which shall transmit 'bo each of the corrlracting parties a
certified true copy e
Done at o o • » ooeecoooeoeoooeoocooaoo              at  09£0606·β4·<'>'>0·'*β·0·»«000
 ---pagebreak--- Pour la Commun stiî é Êeônofniau® Européen !*»
Für die Österreichs sehe Bundesregierung
For the Government of the Republic of Finland
For the Government ' of the Kingdom of Norway
                                               ii
For the Government of the Kingdom of Sweden
Für den Schweizerischen Bundesrat
                                               'i
                      ••                       \
 ---pagebreak---                                                                                                                                                     (
                                              -    i      -  -        1 ■ ■– r***" MM i mini     i   ii     '  1 Hin
                                                                                        \                                                            ·
                                           '                            .                                                                            ί
                                                       ANNEX A                                     '
                                                                                                                                                     !
                                                RSSEAKCH PROGRAMME                                                                              .     :
                             IN THE fIEU> OF TREATMENT AND USE OF SEWAGE SLUGE                                                                        j
                                   .            ( concerted action )
                                  The research covers the following topics :                                          .                               |
                                                                                  Division of research among
               Research topics                       . „
                                                                                     contracting parties
                                                                    Swit­          Austria                    Sueders        Norway     Finland
                                                             CEE :
                                                                    zer-
                                                                 i
                                                                     land
j 1 . Sludge stabilization and odeur problems : j                i
                                                                  i
                                                                                i
                                                                                !        •   -
                                                                                                                        1
    " - Definition and determination of 'degree
        of stability' and relation to odeur
        nuisance                                           I X          X
                                                                                   /
                                                                                                                 *■           x
I -Comparati ve evaluation of stabilization
        procedures                                         ! x ■        X              X                         X            X      I     X
I 2 . Problems related to sludge dewatering :                    i
j      - Research on water binding forces                      X        «                                        x       I    *
                                                                                                                 X       !
       - Development and standardization of                                                    *        I                  I                  ■
                                                                                                                           I
           methods for the assessment of dewate-
           rir.3 properties                                    V
                                                               A        *
                                                                                                        i
                                                                                                        i! .
                                                                                                                 X         ! x '
       - Problems related to the use of floccu­
           lants                                               X ! ! x                     .        . i          x                    i
                                                                                                                                          * x
       - Comparative evaluation of thickening
         ' and dewatering equipment                            X        X                      I
                                                                                                                 i            x             X
                                                                                                                                 - '  I
  3. Analytical problems related to sludge                                                                                            |
                                                                                                                                      I
       treatment s      J use :
       - Characterization of pathogens and eva­
           luation of disinfection procedures                  X         X                                                    X             X
                                                                                                          I
       - Characterisation and determination of
                                                                                                                          i
           polluants ( heavy metals , persistent
           organic compounds ) in sludge and deve­                                                       ]
                                                                                                          !
                                                                                                                    ' ' !
           lopment of standardized analytical
           method     •                                        X         X             X                          x           X
  4 . Environmental problems related to sludge
       use :
       - Special processing of sludge for agri­
           cultural use ( e.g. composting ) including
           the improvement of desinfection proce­
           dures and polluant removal                          X         X             X                                      X             X
       - Transfer of polluants to plants and
           harmful effects on vegetation                       X         X                                        X           X             X
       - Effects of long range sludge applica­
           tion on soil quality and ground water               X                                                  X           X             X
     - - Optimum land use of sludge , including
           sludge from dephosphatation plants                  X         X             X                          X    .                 . X
                                                                                                                                                        I
                                                                                                                                                        ΐ
                                                                                                                                                        >
                                                                                                                                                        ί
                                                                                                                                                  '■ Ί
                   \
 ---pagebreak---                                                                 ANNEX B
 TERMS OF REFERENCE AND COMPOSITION OF THE COMMUNITY - COST COORDINATION
        ■ COMMITTEE' ON THE TREATMENT AND USE OF SEWAGE SLUDGE
 1.       The Committee shall :
  1.1 .   contribute to the optimum execution of the programme by giving
          its opinion on all of its aspects ;
  1.2 .   evaluate the fesults of the project and draw conclusions as to
          their application ;
  1.3 .   ensure the exchange of . information referred to in •
          Article 5 ( a );                                       ^
  1.4 .   suggest guidelines to the project leader ;   v
 2.       The Committee 's reports and opinions shall be forwarded to
          the States .
 3.       The Committee shall be composed of one delegate from the Commission ,
          as coordinator of the Community concerted action, one delegate from
          each participating Non-Member State , one delegate from each Member
x /       State representing its national programme and of the Project Leader .
        \ Each delegate may be accompained by experts .
 ---pagebreak---                                                        ANNEX C
Provisions governing the finaiiclau arrangements for the Agreei -i-snt on a
concerted action project in the field of treatment and use of sewage
s ludg e ( COST 68bis\       .                            '
METHOD OF FINANCING
                             Article 1
                                                              /
These provisions lay down the financial procedures pursuant to Article 4
of the Agreement signed on ..        ... r..on a concerted action project in
the field of treatment and use of sewage sludge .
                             Article 2
At the beginning of each financial year , a call for funds shall be issued
by the Commission to each of the participating Non-Member States . Such calls
for funds shall denominate the contribution of the Non-Member State in
question both in European units of account and in the currency of the
participating Non-Member State , the value of the unit of account being defined
in the Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European
Communities and determined on the date of the call for funds .
Each participating Non-Member State shall pay its contribution* to the Agree­
ment at the beginning of each year and by 31 March at the latest .
On any sum unpaid by that date , interest shall be charged at the rate of
6% per annum .
However , such interest shall be chargeable only if payment is effected more
than three rnonths after the issue of a call for funds by the Commission .
                             Article 3
The funds accruing from the contributions of participating Non-Member States
shall be credited to the projects being entered in the statement of revenue
of the budget of the Commission as receipts within the meaning of the second
paragraph of Article 90 ( 4 ) of the Financial Regulation dated 21 December 1977
applicable to the general budget of the European Communities .
                             Article 4
The time-table set out in Annex I shows the estimated schedule for the
implementation of the Agreement .
                             Article 5
The Financial Regulation of the Commission currently in force shall apply
to the management of these appropriations ; furthermore , the Commission shall
ensure that such appropriations are managed in conformity with the rules of
procedure for the implementation of the budget .
                             Article 6
At the end of each financial year , a statement of appropriations for this
project shall be prepared and transmitted to the participating Non-Member
States for information .
+ ) This contribution shall amount to a total of 1C.OOO EUA , i.e. 5.000 EUA
    annually .                                              -
 ---pagebreak---                                                          ANNEX    J to ANNEX  C
                           Provisional timetable of joint expenditure
                           on the concerted action programme ( in EUA )
          1 . Administrative ( operating ) expenditure
              ( 3-year estimates )
                                                                        –                          i
 I       1978      ~          1979          1980 ; :           TOTAL           of uhich
   '40 / 000             75 / 000       75,000            190 / 000       - 140 / 000 borne by the
                                                                                      Community
                                                                          -  50 / 000 borne by the
                                                                                      Participating
                                                                                      Non-Member
                                                                                      ~ • _t ■ ■
          2 . Estimated breakdown of expenditure for 1979 . Financing to be
              charged to appropriations under Item 3371 : implementation of
              concerted action projects .-
[ Nature of expenditure                        ^                                                     n
I Secretarial staff                                   20,000
                                                                                                 •     1
I Contracts for experts                               15 / 000
   Administrative ( operating ) expen­
   diture ( costs of formal and other
   meetings / symposia , publications
   etc .                                              <, 0 / 000
                                    TOTAL :
                                                     .75/000                                          I