Activites

• 2002/09/11 Final act published in Official Journal
  • Directive 2002/61
  • OJ L 243 11.09.2002, p. 0015
• 2002/07/19 Final act signed
• 2002/07/19 End of procedure in Parliament
• 2002/06/11 Decision by Parliament, 2nd reading
  • T5-0280/2002 summary

    Following the recommendation of its rapporteur, Emmanouil BAKOPOULOS (GUE/NGL, Greece), the European Parliament using its procedure without debate, approved the common position.�

• 2002/05/23 Vote in committee, 2nd reading
  • A5-0194/2002
• 2002/02/28 Committee referral announced in Parliament, 2nd reading
• #2410
• 2002/02/18 Council Meeting
  • 15079/1/2001 summary

    The Common Position of the Council includes, in addition to the amendments accepted by the Commission, certain changes that would clarify and strengthen the proposed Directive. The Common Position of the Council provides for the introduction and review of testing methods by Committee procedure. It also accepts two other amendments tabled by the Parliament, by removing carpets from the non-exhaustive list of product categories covered by the provisions of this Directive. In the light of recent scientific and technical information an additional carcinogenic amine is included in the list of banned amines. The Common Position provides for a time-limited exemption for recycled fibres previously dyed with azo dyes. Lastly, the Council considers that the risk assessment procedures should be completed before extending the scope of the Directive to other articles and substances.�

• #2389
• 2001/11/26 Council Meeting
• 2000/11/29 Modified legislative proposal published
  • COM(2000)0785 summary

    The aim of this amended proposal is to clarify the original proposal, without modifying its general structure and objectives. Of the five amendments adopted by the Parliament one has been accepted and parts of another amendment in principle. The Commision recognises that the technical progress in testing methods should be taken into account and has therefore accepted to introduce, when available, an even more reliable testing method. Furthermore, the Commission can accept in principle parts on Parliament's amendment which relates in particular to hand-made oriental carpets. The Commission shares the view that the risk posed by these carpets is likely to be low and has accepted to exempt such carpets from the example list of product categories covered by the provisions. However, the Commission cannot accept that the exemption be only temporary as the low level of risk is not foreseen to change with time. On the other hand, the Commission has not accepted amendments which would extend the scope of the proposed ban. The basis of the Commission's proposal is that risks to health have been identified from azo-dyes in textiles and leather that come into close and prolonged contact with the skin. Such risks have been confirmed by the Scientific Committee in Toxicity, Ecotoxicity and the Environment. Therefore, the Commission cannot accept the Parliament's amendments which relate to banning azo-dyes in articles other than those made of textiles and leather to include other amines. Finally, for reasons of clarity and transparency, especially for suppliers in the Third World, the Commission has proposed the most widely used and accepted testing method to show compliance. The inclusion of other testing has not been accepted.�

  • DG [{'url': 'http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/', 'title': 'Enterprise and Industry'}],
• 2000/09/07 Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
  • T5-0372/2000 summary

    In approving the report drafted by Mr Emmanouil BAKOPOULOS (EUL/NGL, Gr), the European Parliament adopted the proposal on the azocolourants. However, this text was subject to a few amendments. The European Parliament would like the Commission to monitor very carefully the development of further tests methods, and will adjust the annexes to this Directive as soon as even more reliable test methods are available. Furthermore, Parliament want to ensure that handmade oriental carpets are temporarily exempted, until 1 January 2006, from the provisons on testing fabrics. It is stated that in the meantime, it would be desirable if carpet importers were to develop a voluntary quality mark for labelling those carpets for which the suppliers can already provide guarantees that they have been produced without using azocolourants. Furthermore, sleeping bags and pursues worn round the neck are articles which have the potential of coming into direct and prolonged contact with human skin or oral cavity and therefore should be banned. Lastly, in relation to the amines, the presence of these, listed in section A of the proposal, is to be tested, pending the conclusion of the work of Technical Committee 289 on Leather, either according to the Italian method UNI A90.00.00.028.0 of 1998 or according to the German official method of analysis referred to in Annex I of Directive 76/769/EEC.�

• 2000/09/06 Debate in Parliament
  • Debate in Parliament
• 2000/06/21 Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading
  • A5-0168/2000
• 2000/01/17 Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
• 1999/12/10 Legislative proposal published
  • COM(1999)0620 summary

    OBJECTIVE : to amend for the nineteenth time the Council Directive 76/769/EEC relating to restrictions on the marketing and use of certain dangerous substances and preparations (azocolourants). CONTENTS : In order to protect human health and also to preserve the single market, this proposal prohibits the use of dangerous azocolourants, and the placing on the market of some textiles and leather articles coloured with such substances. The test methods to be used refer to the official German analytic measure, currently used worldwide. The costs to industry will be minor since most companies have already adapted to national bans and developed substitutes.�

  • DG [{'url': 'http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/', 'title': 'Enterprise and Industry'}],

Documents

• Legislative proposal published: COM(1999)0620
• Committee report tabled for plenary, 1st reading/single reading: A5-0168/2000
• Debate in Parliament: Debate in Parliament
• Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading: T5-0372/2000
• Modified legislative proposal published: COM(2000)0785
• Council position published: 15079/1/2001
• Committee recommendation tabled for plenary, 2nd reading: A5-0194/2002
• Decision by Parliament, 2nd reading: T5-0280/2002
• : Directive 2002/61
• : OJ L 243 11.09.2002, p. 0015

History

(these mark the time of scraping, not the official date of the change)