(1)

Paragraph 3 of entry 5 of Annex XVII to Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 prohibits the placing on the market or use of benzene as a substance or as a constituent of other substances, or in mixtures, in concentrations equal to or greater than 0,1 % by weight.

(2)

Due to geological particularities, natural gas from certain reservoirs contains more than 0,1 % of benzene by weight but less than 0,1 % by volume.

(3)

The techniques available to reduce the concentration of benzene in this natural gas to less than 0,1 % by weight would entail capital expenditure close to EUR 1 billion and operational expenditure of around EUR 60 million per year.

(4)

A risk assessment carried out in 2013 by the Dutch Rijksinstituut voor Volksgezondheid en Milieu (National Institute for Public Health and the Environment) concluded that natural gas that is placed on the market for use by consumers and has a limit for benzene above 0,1 % by weight, but below 0,1 % by volume, does not pose an unacceptable health risk.

(5)

The Committee for Risk Assessment (RAC) of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) confirmed in its opinion (2) of 28 November 2014 that consumer exposure to benzene concentrations in natural gas above 0,1 % by weight, but below 0,1 % by volume, does not pose a risk to the health of consumers that is not adequately controlled.

(6)

The high cost of reducing the concentration of benzene in natural gas to below 0,1 % by weight would be disproportionate and, in the light of the RAC opinion, unnecessary for the purposes of risk management. Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 should therefore be amended to allow for the placing on the market and the use of natural gas with a concentration of benzene below 0,1 % by volume.

(7)

The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee established by Article 133 of Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006,

(1)

Implementing Regulation (EU) No 543/2011 lays down, pursuant to the outcome of the Uruguay Round multilateral trade negotiations, the criteria whereby the Commission fixes the standard values for imports from third countries, in respect of the products and periods stipulated in Annex XVI, Part A thereto.

(2)

The standard import value is calculated each working day, in accordance with Article 136(1) of Implementing Regulation (EU) No 543/2011, taking into account variable daily data. Therefore this Regulation should enter into force on the day of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union,

(1)

Pursuant to Decision 2014/486/CFSP, the Political and Security Committee (PSC) is authorised, in accordance with Article 38 of the Treaty, to take the relevant decisions concerning the political control and strategic direction of the European Union Advisory Mission for Civilian Security Sector Reform Ukraine (EUAM Ukraine), including the decision to appoint a Head of Mission.

(2)

On 24 July 2014, the PSC adopted Decision 2014/644/CFSP (2) appointing Mr Kálmán MIZSEI as Head of Mission of EUAM Ukraine from 1 August 2014 to 31 July 2015.

(3)

The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy has proposed to extend the mandate of Mr Kálmán MIZSEI as Head of Mission of EUAM Ukraine from 1 August 2015 to 30 November 2015,