Activites

• 2003/02/15 Final act published in Official Journal
  • Directive 2003/11
  • OJ L 042 15.02.2003, p. 0045-0046
• 2003/02/06 Final act signed
• 2003/02/06 End of procedure in Parliament
• 2002/12/18 Decision by Parliament, 3rd reading
  • T5-0619/2002 summary

    The European Parliament adopted a resolution approving the joint text by the Conciliation Committee. (Please refer to the document dated 08/11/02).�

• 2002/12/17 Debate in Parliament
  • Debate in Parliament
• #2473
• 2002/12/09 Council Meeting
• 2002/11/12 Joint text approved by Conciliation Committee co-chairs
  • 3664/2002
• 2002/11/07 Report tabled for plenary, 3rd reading
  • A5-0437/2002
• 2002/11/07 Final decision by Conciliation Committee
• 2002/09/12 Formal meeting of Conciliation Committee
• 2002/08/02 Parliament's amendments rejected by Council
• 2002/04/10 Decision by Parliament, 2nd reading
  • T5-0162/2002 summary

    The European Parliament approved the resolution, subject to amendments, by Mr Frédérique RIES (ELDR, B) adopting the Council's common position. (Please refer to the text dated 21/03/02). In addition, Parliament requests that although the risk assessments for octaBDE and decaBDE are not yet complete, the marketing and use of these substances should be restricted, given that the current assessments have already established definite risks for human health and the environment.�

• 2002/04/09 Debate in Parliament
  • Debate in Parliament
• 2002/03/21 Vote in committee, 2nd reading
  • A5-0090/2002
• 2001/12/13 Committee referral announced in Parliament, 2nd reading
• #2395
• 2001/12/06 Council Meeting
  • 12332/1/2001 summary

    The Council has been examining the proposal since the beginning of 2001. The Council's common position is generally consistent with the Commission's amended proposal. The Council welcomed the amendment deleting the the derogation for octabromodiphenyl ether (octaBDE) which contains less than 5% pentaBDE. The Council also incorporated part of an amendment which stipulates that octaBDE containing more than 0,1% pentaBDE can no longer be allowed since the use of pentaBDE is restricted. The Council does not consider it appropriate to discuss extending the scope of the Directive to octabromodiphenyl (octaBDE) and decabromodiphenyl ether (decaBDE) before the risk assessment has been completed. The Council also rejected the amendment concerning the procedure for the evaluation and control of risks as the Council considers this amendment to be beyond the scope of the Directive. In conclusion, by incorporating the European Parliament amendments which strengthen the provisions on pentaBDE, the Council believes that it has found a balanced solution which takes account of the risk-assessment procedure on the one hand, and which guarantees a high level of human health and environmental protection on the other.�

• 2001/09/28 Modified legislative proposal published
  • COM(2001)0555 summary

    The European Commission is able to accept one of the eight amendments proposed by the European Parliament. Specifically it relates to the deletion of point 3 in the Annex. Effectively this would mean the deletion of the derogation on pentabromodiphynel ether in concentrations of less than 5% in technical grade octabromodiphenyl ether. In relation to this amendment, the Commission has accepted in principle a new Parliamentary recital that octabromodiphenyl ether may not contain pentabromodiphenyl ether in concentrations higher than 0.1%. Those amendments, which seek to extend the scope of the proposed Directive to include bans on other substances such as octabromidphenyl ether and decabromodiphenyl ether have not been accepted by the Commission. Instead it has decided to wait for the conclusions of a risk assessment report before presenting new proposal on the above mentioned substances.�

  • DG [{'url': 'http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/', 'title': 'Enterprise and Industry'}],
• #2371
• 2001/09/27 Council Meeting
• 2001/09/06 Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
  • T5-0442/2001 summary

    The European Parliament voted to ban the use of a chemical that is widely used to fire-proof furniture and upholstery but has been found to harm human health and the environment. The report drafted by Mr Frédérique RIES (ELDR, B) supports the Commission's proposal to ban pentaBDE, a flame retardant that is used extensively in the manufacture of polyurethane foam but has been found by scientists to be harmful to the environment and is being detected in increasing levels in human breast milk. (Please refer to the previous text).�

• 2001/09/05 Debate in Parliament
  • Debate in Parliament
• 2001/07/11 Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading
  • A5-0271/2001
• 2001/01/18 Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
• 2001/01/15 Legislative proposal published
  • COM(2001)0012 summary

    PURPOSE : to establish uniform rules on Pentabromodiphenyl ether to preserve the Internal Market. CONTENT : Pentabromodiphenyl ether (pentaBDE) is a brominated flame retardant almost exclusively used in the manufacture of flexible polyurethane foam for furniture and upholstery. It belongs to a group of ten substances, the polybrominated diphenyl ethers. The risks to the environment of PentaBDE have been assessed under Council Regulation 793/93/EEC on the evaluation and control of the risks of existing substances. The risk assessment identified a need for reducing risks of pentaBDE to the environment from production and use of polyurethane foam containing pentaBDE. In its opinion of 4 February 2000, the Scientific Committee on toxicity, ecotoxicity and the environment (CSTEE) confirmed the conclusions of the assessment of pentaBDE on the need to reduce risks to protect the environment. On the basis of the risk assessment and recommended risk reduction strategy in the framework Regulation 739/93/EEC and taking account of the Precautionary Principle, the Commission proposes to restrict the marketing and use of pentaBDE and of articles containing pentaBDE. The proposed 24th amendment establishes uniform rules on pentaBDE to preserve the Internal Market. It also guarantees a high level of protection of health and the environment. �

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

Documents

• Legislative proposal published: COM(2001)0012
• Committee report tabled for plenary, 1st reading/single reading: A5-0271/2001
• Debate in Parliament: Debate in Parliament
• Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading: T5-0442/2001
• Modified legislative proposal published: COM(2001)0555
• Council position published: 12332/1/2001
• Committee recommendation tabled for plenary, 2nd reading: A5-0090/2002
• Debate in Parliament: Debate in Parliament
• Decision by Parliament, 2nd reading: T5-0162/2002
• Report tabled for plenary, 3rd reading: A5-0437/2002
• Joint text approved by Conciliation Committee co-chairs: 3664/2002
• Debate in Parliament: Debate in Parliament
• Decision by Parliament, 3rd reading: T5-0619/2002
• : Directive 2003/11
• : OJ L 042 15.02.2003, p. 0045-0046

History

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