Brussels, 11/12/2001 (Agence Europe) - Following the cyanide spill into the Tisza river that occurred in Baia Mare (Romania) following a damburst of a tailings pond; and the fireworks explosion in Enschede (the Netherlands), the European Commission published a draft directive on Tuesday to tighten the rules of the "Seveso II" Directive. The proposed amendment aims to extend the scope of the 1996 directive to certain extractive industries activities, including tailings disposal facilities. The Commission also proposes a better definition of explosive and pyrotechnic substances along with a decrease in the qualifying quantities for these substances in order for them to be covered by the directive's measures. It also proposes including more carcinogens and lowering the qualifying quantities for aquatoxic substances. The accident at the AZF plant in Toulouse (France) in September 2001 was not considered when the proposal was drafted but the Commission signals that it will be examining the necessity of amending its proposal or proposing a new amendment next year in the light of the results of the investigations and work undertaken with the Member States.