Brussels, 19/05/2003 (Agence Europe) - On Monday after obtaining the adoption (previously announced) by simple majority, of the sixth amendment of the 1976 directive on hazardous substances, of which the objective was to limit the ales and use of nonyphenol, nonyphenol ethoxylate and cement (see EUROPE 17 May pp 8-9), the Competitiveness Council reached political agreements on two of the three other industry points on its agenda: : updating Community regulations on measuring instruments and drug precursors. At the beginning of the evening, Ministers continued debates in an effort to reach an agreement on the tensio-active detergents dossier.
The draft directive on harmonisation of measuring instruments. The political agreement of the Council at unanimity took up most of the amendments adopted by the EP in the first reading. The future directive should replace eleven existing directives and numerous national laws that focus on instruments such as taximeters, petrol pump meters, breathalyser kits, water and electricity meters and automatic weighing machines used in production lines for pre-packed products. This makeover of existing directives on instruments submitted to legal meteorological inspections aims to both introduce standards in assessment of instruments conformity an - while maintaining the high level of consumer protection and ensuring mutual recognition between Member States on conformity assessments.
Drug precursors. As we were expecting, the Council also reached a political agreement on the draft regulation on drug precursors presented on 10 September by the Commission. this proposal aims to change the European directive of 1992 on the manufacture and sales of substances used in the illicit production of drugs and psychotropic. Objective: to simplify the legislation and make it easier to use. The text establishes harmonised measures for inspections and monitoring of certain substances that are frequently used in the manufacture of illegal drugs. It enhances current provisions on several substances used in the manufacture of certain drugs such as heroin and cocaine. It also included provisions on granting authorisations, declarations that buyers have to make and establishes a follow-up procedure.