CELEX: 51979PC0084
Language: en
Date: 1979-03-02
Title: Proposal for a COUNCIL DIRECTIVE supplementing the Annex to Council Directive 76/769/EEC on the approximation of the laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States relating to restrictions on the marketing and use of certain dangerous substances and preparations (submitted to the Council by the Commission)

ARCHIVES HISTORIQUES
DE LA COMMISSION
COLLECTION RELIEE DES
DOCUMENTS "COM"
COM (79) 84
Vol. 1979/0027
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COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
          \
                                             COM(79)84 final
                                             Brussels , 2 March 1979
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                             Proposal for a
                            COUNCIL DIRECTIVE
            supplementing the Annex to Council Directive
            76 / 769/ EEC on the approximation of the laws ,
            regulations and administrative provisions of the
            Member States relating to restrictions on the mar­
            keting and use of certain dangerous substances and
                              preparations
            ( submitted to the Council by the Commission )
  C0MC79 ) 84 final
 ---pagebreak---                                           - 2 ~
                                    EXPLAMATORY MET-IORANDt !M
T. GENERAL
   1 . There are very many dangerous substances and pr-parat j oris which are toxic-,
       harmful to health , corrosive , irritating , explosive or easily flammable and
       which can cause harm to man or the environment . In order to protect the
       public and in particular those persons who use dangerous substances and
       preparations from the hazards arising therefrom , the Council , acting on a
       proposal from the Commission , has already adopted severril Directives on the
       classification , packaging arid labelling of dangerous substances and
       preparations . However , it has been found that , in the case of certain
       dangerous substances and preparations , it is not sufficient merely to
       regulate their classification , packaging and labelling . Hence , on 27 July
       1976 , the Council adopted a Directive concerning restrictions on the
       marketing and use of certain dangerous substances and preparations"'".
   2 . Lamps , ashtrays and other objects serving decorative purposes and containing
       liquids which are toxic or harmful t o health ( carbon tetrachloride , tri­
       chloroethylene or tetrachloroethylene ) have been latply put on the market
       in the Meinber States .
       Where these objects have been broken or tampered with , the liquid has escaped
       and evolved dangerous fumes which have led to unconsciousness , to severe damage
       to health and even to the death of one youth . They are easily overturned by
       young children and if , as a result , the glass envelope is shattered , these
       children are the first victims of the fumes which are toxic or harmful to
       health .
       One Member State has therefore placed a prohibition on the importation , manu­
       facture and marVfeting of such fancy lamps , ashtrays and other ornamental
       objects containing the liquids mentioned and has requested the Commission to
       pursue a comparable course of action at Community level on the basis of
       Council Directive 76/769/EEC of 27 July 1976 . On 11 November 1978 a second
       Member State likewise prohibited these objects .
   CXJ No L 262 of 27 September 1976 , p. 201 .
 ---pagebreak---                                       - 3 -
 3.   The prohibition of these products through unilateral and divergent
      measures may give rise to a distortion of the Community market and
            have a direct effect on its functioning . A community solution
      on harmonisation of national provisions is therefore essential , the
      more so as dangerous substances and preparations involved in this case
      have already caused serious / even fatal , accidents .
         In order to obviate further accidents and especially fatalities ,
         it is urgently desirable to introduce such a prohibition at Com­
         munity level as quickly as possible . This should prevent these
         objects from being sold in the Member States where no prohibitions
         yet exist , or will be shortly enacted and then cause further acci­
         dents there .
 II . NOTES ON THE ARTICLES
      Article 1
      This extends the scope of the Annex to the Directive . As a result ,
      carbon tetrachloride , tri - and tetrachloroethylene in fancy lamps ,
      ashtrays and other ornamental objects are prohibited .
      Articles 2 and 3
      These Articles are common to all Directives .
III . CONSULTATION WITH THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE ECONOMIC
      AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE
      The opinions of these two bodies are required in pursuance of Article
      100(2 ) of the EEC Treaty . In order to avoid further fatal of harmful
      accidents it is necessary to engage an accelerated procedure .
 ---pagebreak---  PROPOSAL FOR A COUNCIL DIRECTIVE
supplementing the Annex to Council Directive 76/769/EEC ,. on the approximation
of the laws , regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States
relating to restrictions on the marketing and use of certain dangerous sub­
stances and preparations
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES ,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community , and
in particular Article 100 thereof ,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission ,
Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament ,
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee ,
Whereas certain types of lanps , ashtrays and other ornamental objects contain ,
in glass cylinders , liquids ( carbon tetrachloride , trichloroethylene or tetra­
chloroethylene) which are toxic or harmful to health ;
Whereas sane of these lamps and ashtrays are not very stable and are easily
overturned , especially by young children, with the result that the glass
cylinder is often shattered, the liquid escapes and fumes arise which are toxic
and harmful to health and inflict injury primarily on        children ; whereas
the death of one young person has occurred ;
Whereas, in order to obviate further accidents , and especially fatalities , i t is
urgently desirable to introduce as quickly as possible at Community level a
prohibition on the marketing and use of such objects ;
Whereas prohibitions already adopted by individual Member States affect the
functioning of the common market ; whereas it is therefore necessary to
harmonize the relevant legal provisions of the Member States and in consequence
to amend Directive 76/ 769/EEc \
  0J No L 262 , 27.9.1976 , p. 201
 ---pagebreak--- HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE :
                                    Article 1
The following addition is made to the Annex to Directive 76 / 769 / EEC :
" 3 . - Trichloroethylene                  Use prohibited in lamps ,
      - Tetrachloroethylene                ashtrays and all other ornamental
      - Carbon tetrachloride               objects . "
                                    Article 2
1 . Member States shall bring into force the provisions necessary to comply
     with this Directive by 1 January 1980 at the latest .
2 . Once notification of this Directive has been effected, the Member States
     shall , in sufficient time to enable it to submit its comments , inform the
     Commission of all draft laws , regulations or administrative provisions
     which they intend to adopt in the field covered by this Directive .
                                    Article 3
     This Directive is addressed to the Mentoer States .