Council Decision

Id-Deċiżjoni tal-Kunsill

of 19 February 2004

tad-19 ta' Frar 2004

concerning the conclusion, on behalf of the European Community, of the Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long Range Transboundary Air Pollution on Persistent Organic Pollutants

li għandha x'taqsam mal-konklużjoni, f'isem il-Komunità Ewropea, tal-Protokoll tal-Konvenzjoni tal-1979 dwar it-Tniġġiż Transkonfini ta' l-Arja Li Jwassal Ħafna dwar Pollutanti Organiċi Persistenti

(2004/259/EC)

(2004/259/KE)

IL-KUNSILL TA' L-UNJONI EWROPEA,

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Wara li kkunsidra t-Trattat li jistabilixxi l-Komunità Ewropea, u b'mod partikolari l-Artikolu 175(1) tiegħu, flimkien ma' l-Artikolu 300(2), l-ewwel sentenza ta' l-ewwel sottoparagrafu u ma' l-Artikolu 300(3), l-ewwel sottoparagrafu tiegħu,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 175(1) thereof, in conjunction with Article 300(2), first sentence of the first subparagraph and Article 300(3), first subparagraph thereof,

Wara li kkunsidra l-proposta tal-Kummissjoni,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

Wara li kkunsidra l-opinjoni tal-Parlament Ewropew [1],

Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament(1),

Wara li kkunsidra l-opinjoni tal-Kumitat Ekonomiku u Soċjali Ewropew [2],

Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee(2),

Wara li kkonsulta mal-Kumitat tar-Reġjuni,

After consulting the Committee of the Regions,

Billi:

Whereas:

(1) Il-promozzjoni tal-miżuri f'livell internazzjonali li għandhom x'jaqsmu mal-problemi ambjentali reġjonali jew ta' madwar id-dinja hi waħda mill-għanijiet tal-politika tal-Komunità dwar l-ambjent,bi qbil ma' l-Artikolu 174 tat-Trattat.

(1) The promotion of measures at international level to deal with regional or worldwide environmental problems is one of the objectives of the Community's policy on the environment, in accordance with Article 174 of the Treaty.

(2) Il-Komunità iffirmat f'Aarhus fl-24 ta' Ġunju 1998 il-Protokoll għall-Konvenzjoni ta' l-1979 dwar Tniġġiż Transkonfini ta' l-Arja Li Jwassal Ħafna dwar Pollutanti Organiċi Persistenti (hawnhekk iżjed ‘il quddiem msejjaħ il-Protokoll).

(2) The Community signed in Aarhus on 24 June 1998 the Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long Range Transboundary Air Pollution on Persistent Organic Pollutants (hereinafter referred to as the Protocol).

(3) L-għanjiet tal-Protokoll huma li jikkontrolla, inaqqas jew jelimina r-remi, l-emissjonijiet u t-telf ta' pollutanti organiċi persistenti li jikkawżaw effetti ta' ħsara sinjifikanti fuq is-saħħa umana jew fuq l-ambjent bħala riżultat tat-trasport atmosferiku transkonfini tagħhom li jwassal ħafna.

(3) The Protocol aims at controlling, reducing or eliminating discharges, emissions and losses of persistent organic pollutants that cause significant adverse effects on human health or the environment as a result of their long-range transboundary atmospheric transport.

(4) Il-Protokoll jistipula, bi prinċipju, l-eliminazzjoni jew it-tnaqqis tal-produzzjoni ul-użu ta' tlettax-il sustanza meqjusa bħala pollutanti organiċi persistenti. Barra minn hekk, il-Partijiet iridu jieħdu miżuri effettivi biex inaqqsu jew jistabilixxu l-emissjonijiet totali annwali ta' ċerti sustanzi.

(4) The Protocol stipulates, in principle, the elimination or reduction of production and use of thirteen substances regarded as persistent organic pollutants. In addition, Parties have to take effective measures to reduce or stabilise total annual emissions of certain substances.

(5) Il-Protokoll hu miftuħ għar-ratifika, għall-aċċettazzjoni, għall-approvazzjoni jew għall-adeżjoni mill-Istati u mill-Partijiet ta' l-organizzazzjonijiet dwar l-integrazzjoni ekonomika reġjonali għall-Konvenzjoni.

(5) The Protocol is open to ratification, acceptance, approval or accession by States and by regional economic integration organisations Parties to the Convention.

(6) Billi l-maġġior parti tad-disposizzjonijiet tal-Protokoll għandhom x'jaqsmu mal-protezzjoni ta' l-ambjent u mal-protezzjoni tas-saħħa umana, huwa xieraq li jintgħażel l-Artikolu 175(1) bħala l-bażi legali, flimkiem ma' l-Artikolu 300.

(6) As most of the provisions of the Protocol concern environmental protection and the protection of human health, it is appropriate to choose Article 175(1) as the legal basis, in conjunction with Article 300.

(7) Il-Protokoll jikkontribwixxi biex jintlaħqu l-għanijiet tal-polza ambjentali tal-Komunità. Hu għalhekk xieraq li l-Komunità tapprova dan il-Protokoll malajr kemm jista' jkun.

(7) The Protocol contributes to the achievement of the objectives of the environmental policy of the Community. It is therefore appropriate that the Community approves this Protocol as soon as possible.

(8) Il-Komunità diġà addottat strumenti li jkopru materji irregolatibil-Protokoll, inkluż id-Direttivi tal-Kunsill 79/117/KEE tal-21ta' Diċembru 1978 li tipprojbixxi it-tqegħid fis-suq u l-użu ta' prodotti għall-protezzjoni tal-pjanti li jinkludu ċerti sustanzi attivi [3], u 96/59/KE tas-16 ta' Settembru 1996 dwar id-disposizzjoni ta' polychlorinated biphenyls u polychlorinated terphenyls (PCB/PCT) [4],

(8) The Community has already adopted instruments covering matters governed by the Protocol, including Council Directives 79/117/EEC of 21 December 1978 prohibiting the placing on the market and use of plant protection products containing certain active substances(3), and 96/59/EC of 16 September 1996 on the disposal of polychlorinated biphenyls and polychlorinated terphenyls (PCB/PCT)(4),

IDDEĊIEDA DAN LI ĠEJ:

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Artikolu 1

Il-Protokoll għall-Konvenzjoni ta' l-1979 dwar it-Tniġġiż Transkonfini ta' l-Arja Li Jwassal Ħafna dwar Pollutanti Organiċi Persistenti, hu hawnhekk approvat f'isem il-Komunità.

Article 1

It-test tal-Protokoll hu anness ma' din id-Deċiżjoni.

The Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long Range Transboundary Air Pollution on Persistent Organic Pollutants, is hereby approved on behalf of the Community.

Artikolu 2

The text of the Protocol is attached to this Decision.

Il-President tal-Kunsill hu hawnhekk awtorizzat sabiex jinnomina persuna(i)i bil-poter li jiddepożitaw l-istrument ta' l-approvazzjoni f'isem il-Komunità mas-Segretarju-Ġenerali tan-Nazzjonijiet Uniti b'mod konform ma' l-Artikolu 16 tal-Protokoll.

Article 2

Magħmula fi Brussel, fid-19 ta' Frar 2004.

The President of the Council is hereby authorised to designate the person(s) empowered to deposit the instrument of approval on behalf of the Community with the Secretary-General of the United Nations, in accordance with Article 16 of the Protocol.

F'isem il-Kunsill

Il-President

Done at Brussels, 19 February 2004.

M. McDowell

[1] Opinjoni mogħtija fl-20 ta' Novembru 2003 (għada m'hix ippubblikata fil-Ġurnal Uffiċċjali).

For the Council

[2] Opinjoni mogħtija fid-29 ta' Ottubru 2003 (għadha mhix pubblikata fil-Ġurnal Uffiċjali).

The President

[3] ĠU L 243, ta' l-24.9.1996, p. 31.

M. McDowell

[4] ĠU L 33, tat-8.2.1979, p. 36. Id-Direttiva kif l-aħħar emendata mir-Regolament (KE) Nru 807/2003 (ĠU L 122, tas-16.5.2003, p. 36).

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(1) Opinion delivered on 20 November 2003 (not yet published in the Official Journal).

(2) Opinion delivered on 29 October 2003 (not yet published in the Official Journal).

(3) OJ L 33, 8.2.1979, p. 36. Directive as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 807/2003 (OJ L 122, 16.5.2003, p. 36).

(4) OJ L 243, 24.9.1996, p. 31.