Brussels, 21/09/2004 (Agence Europe) - After years of status quo, the Competitiveness Council is expected to reach a political agreement with a view to a common position on the proposal of directive aimed at restricting the use of certain phtalates (chemical products used for making plastic more flexible) in toys and baby products. Since 1999, the use of six phtalates has been under a temporary ban in the EU in accordance with Decision 1999/815/EC, which is regularly renewed. The decision concerns DEHP, DBP and BBP - the three phtalates recognised as comprising the greatest health risk - and DINP, DIDP and DNOP, considered less dangerous due to insufficient or contradictory scientific data. The Commission's proposal aimed at introducing a total ban in legislation, in respect of the precautionary principle and with a view to correct functioning of the internal market, had hitherto divided Member States. On the basis of a Presidency compromise, the Council is now thought to have reached a stage where it can settle the question in the following way: - the total ban would be maintained for the use of the three most dangerous phtalates in toys and baby products. For DINP, DIDP and DNOP, their restricted use would be authorised subject to extremely strict conditions: the three phtalates would be banned in articles for children of under three years of age, in articles that may be put in the mouth (for example, dummies), as well as in all cases where their concentration is above 0.1% of the plastic containing them.