Mercury: Aligning EU legislation with Minamata

‘EU Legislation in Progress’ briefings aim to provide Members of the European Parliament with systematic and automatic analysis on all substantial proposals for EU legislation at every stage of the legislative procedure. Each contains an account of the purpose, content and legal aspects of the legislation proposed, in particular analysing what the legislation would change, as well as any previous legislation and the background. An overview of stakeholders’ views is also provided, as well as the opinions of national parliaments and the two advisory committees.

They are all made publicly available for stakeholders and the public.The United Nations' Minamata Convention on mercury was agreed in 2013 with a view to protecting human health and the environment from the adverse effects of mercury. Although mercury use has declined significantly in recent decades, mercury released into the air, water and land remains a serious threat to human health and the environment. Once emitted into the air or water, mercury can travel over long distances, which makes it a global problem.

Current EU policy bans exports of mercury, provides for the storage of mercury waste, restricts the use of mercury in various products and seeks to address pollution caused by it. However, there are some regulatory gaps between EU legislation and the Minamata Convention.

The European Commission submitted a legislative proposal in 2016 aiming to align this legislation with the Convention in view of its ratification. Stakeholders were divided over the proposal. The European Parliament's Committee for Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) began to consider the proposal in the spring of 2016.

The rapporteur for the European Parliament's Committee for Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) has presented his draft report on the proposal. The deadline for submission of amendments was 13 July 2016.

The European Parliament's Committee for Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) adopted its report on 13 October 2016. Interinstitutional negotiations began in November 2016.

On 14 December 2016, the Commission, Council and Parliament reached agreement in interinstitutional trilogue negotiations. The agreement, endorsed by Coreper on 16 December 2016 and by the ENVI Committee on 12 January 2017, was submitted for a first-reading vote in the March II 2017 plenary.

After completion of the legislative procedure at first reading in the European Parliament and the Council, the presidents of the co-legislators signed the final act on 17 May 2017. The regulation will apply from 1 January 2018.

Author: Didier Bourguignon

EP: EPRS: Briefing: EU Legislation in Progress http://epthinktank.eu/eu-legislation-in-progress/

ESO: Background information: Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on mercury, and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1102/2008 http://www.europeansources.info/record/proposal-for-a-regulation-of-the-european-parliament-and-of-the-council-on-mercury-and-repealing-regulation-ec-no-1102-2008/

ESO: Background information: Regulation on Mercury Aligning EU legislation with the Minamata Convention: Initial Appraisal of a European Commission Impact Assessment http://www.europeansources.info/record/regulation-on-mercury-aligning-eu-legislation-with-the-minamata-convention-initial-appraisal-of-a-european-commission-impact-assessment/

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