CELEX: 51979PC0792
Language: en
Date: 1980-01-11
Title: Proposal for a COUNCIL DIRECTIVE amending for the fourth time 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) 792
Vol. 1979/0261
 ---pagebreak--- Disclaimer
Conformément 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 Communauté européenne de l'énergie atomique (JO L 43 du 15.2.1983,
p. 1), tel que modifié par le règlement (CE, Euratom) n° 1700/2003 du 22 septembre 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 conformément à l'article 5 dudit
règlement.
In accordance with Council Regulation (EEC, Euratom) No 354/83 of 1 February 1983
concerning the opening to the public of the historical archives of the European Economic
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 file is open to the public. Where necessary, classified documents in this
file have been declassified in conformity with Article 5 of the aforementioned regulation.
In Übereinstimmung mit der Verordnung (EWG, Euratom) Nr. 354/83 des Rates vom 1.
Februar 1983 über die Freigabe der historischen Archive der Europäischen
Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft und der Europäischen Atomgemeinschaft (ABI. L 43 vom 15.2.1983,
S. 1), geändert durch die Verordnung (EG, Euratom) Nr. 1700/2003 vom 22. September 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.
 ---pagebreak---  COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
                                                     COM(79)792 final
                                                     Brussels - 11 January 1980
                            Proposal for a                             \
                           COUNCIL DIRECTIVE"" ^        _                 \
amending for the fourth time Counci Directive 76/ 769/ EEC on the
                                            'ça L/"-            -v •    >     >
                                             «»•      .  .  . .      .
approximation of the laws , regulations and administrative provisions
                                     \=*'A    ""                          •■/
of the Member States relating to restrictions on the marketing and
                                                  w        v:        >/
use of certain dangerous substances and preparations • n,/
                                           * /
            ( submitted to the Council by the Commission )
C0M(79 ) 792 final
 ---pagebreak---                                . Background information"
. General           , .      _
   1 . Difficulties have been encountered in th>i application of Council
        Directive 76/769 /EEC of 27 July 1976 on t1" 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 ( l ). It has bren established that polychlorinat ed
        terphenyls ( PCT) are used in - oxje Member States as thermoplastic tooling
        compounds . On acoount of its danger to health , however , such use
        of PCT is prohibited under Council Directive 76/769/EEC . -
   2 . This tooling compound is used not only in the form of a wax for holding
        metals and other materials in the precision machining of turbine parts
        for oivil and military aircraft' engines , but also in nuclea.r reactor techno'
        logy and in the manufacture of high-precision lenses for military and
        other purposes . It was originally developed to meet the stringent require­
        ments of the American space research programme . All other tooling compounds
        leave residual impurities which can severely affect the performance of
        the machined parts . There is as yet no. suitable substitute and research
        in this field has commenced .
   3 . The material is produced in the USA and is used in a' semi-closed cycle ,
        95 i° of "the starting material being recovered and re-used . As regards the .
        residual material , Council Directive 76/403/EEC ( 2 ) on the disposal of
     < .polychlorinat ed biphenyls and polychlorinat ed terphenyls , which entered
        into force on 6 April 1978 * lays down that the collection , regeneration
        and destruction of the material shall be carried out without endangering "
        human health and without harming the environment . In this way man and .
        the environment are to be protected against harm due to the uncontrolled
 ( 1 ) OJ L 262 of 27.9.1976 , pi 201
 ( 2 ) OJ L 108 of 26 . 4.1976 , p. 41
 ---pagebreak---                                        - 2 -
          disposal , dumping or abandonment of such wastes .
      4 . In view of the need to continue using this material , especially in
          the manufacture of military equipment , it should be exempted from the
          existing prohibition on the use of the substances concerned -until a
          suitable substitute has been found . In order to emphasize the search
          for a harmless substitute , the Proposal for a Directive provides for
          a temporary exemption of PCT from the said prohibition .
      5 . The proposed amendment to Directive 76/769/EEC does not prejudice any
           subsequent thorough review of the six uses of PCB and PCT still per­
          mitted under the Directive .
 II . COMMENTS ON THE ARTICLES
      Article 1
      This article amends the Annex to the Council Directive 76/769/EEC relating
      to restrictions on the marketing and use of certain dangerous substances
      and preparations in that PCT is exempted from the existing prohibition on
      the use . Thereof to use in the form of a re-usable thermoplastic tooling
      compound containing not more than 36 $ of PCT , for the supporting , holding
      and stabilizing of parts will be permitted .
      Articles 2 and 3
      These are common to all Direcitves .
III . PREPARATION OF THE PROPOSAL FOR A DIRECTIVE
      The proposal for a Directive was drawn up at the suggestion of a Member
      State Government upon the report of a working party composed of experts
      on public health , hygiene , safety at work , industry and commerce and
      after consultation with the relevant industrial and professional organi­
      zations , which are entirely in agreement with the Proposal .
 IV . CONSULTATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE EC0N0?1TC AND SOCIAL
      COMMITTEE
      Since implementation of the provisions set out in the Proposal for a
      Directive involves the amendment of Member States' legislation , the
      opinion of both bodies is required in acoordance with Article 100 ( 2 )
      of the EEC Treaty .
 ---pagebreak---                                  Proposal for a     '       -
                         ' i    COUNCIL DIRECTIVE .     .       ;  _
amending for' the fourth time Directive 76/ 769/ EEC on the approximation of ~
the laws , regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States ,
relating to the restrictions on the marketing and use of certain dangerous
                            substances and preparations   "
 THE COUNCIL OP 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 Parliment ,
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee ,
Whereas in some Member States polychlorinated terphenyls are used in the
 form of a waxy compound for holding metals and other materials in precision
machining work , chiefly in the machining of turbihe components for civil
and military aircraft engines , but also in nuclear reactor technology and
 in the manufacture of high–precision lenses fpr military and other purposes ;
                              '       .1
Whereas Council Directive 76/ 769/ EEC     prohibits such use ;
Whereas , since such     products are of fundamental importance for the
operations in which they are used , temporaiy authorization of their use in
 special premises approved by the competent authorities appears to be justified
 whereas it- is therefore necessary to amend the Annex to Directive 76/ 769 / EEC ;
Whereas the disposal of polychlorinated terphenyls is regulated by Council
Directive 76/403 /EEC 2 .
  1 0J No L 262, 27.9.1976, p. 201
  20J No L 108, 26. 4. 1976, p. 41 *.
 ---pagebreak---                                                    - 2 -
MS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE :
                                             Artici n i
 In iln - A hm ' - x 1 .Q Inri.'i; Ui/ i ; Kit 7 ^ 9 / iTC , the following new item ohdll be
added to the right-hand column of section 1 :
" 7 . re–usable thermoplastic tooling compounds containing not more
      than 34-3&j& of PCT , for the support , retention and stabilizing
      of parts in order to facilitate their precision machining and
      forming , may continue to be used until 31 December 1985
      in special premises approved by the competent authorities ."
                                             Article 2
Member States shall bring into force the provisions necessary to comply
with this Directive within 12 months of its notification -                         They shall
forthwith inform the Commission thereof .
                                             Article 3
This Directive is addressed to the Member States .