28/01/2003 (Agence Europe) - The EU Council of Ministers adopted, on 21 January, a common position on the proposal aimed at amending, for the twenty-fifth time, the directive on the marketing of certain dangerous substances and preparations (substances classified as carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic for reproduction - CMR). The proposal aims to improve consumers' health protection and safety by banning the marketing, for use by the general public, of CMR substances and preparations. A conciliation committee met, moreover, on 28 January to seek an agreement with the European Parliament which, on 10 October 2002, had adopted an amendment, also on the subject of CMR substances and preparations, calling on the European Commission to propose a ban on the use of products containing CMR substances when it can be scientifically proven that such substances are released by these products, thus causing a risk of exposure for the general public.