Mr. Gareth R. ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the European Commission proposal for a new regulation (EC Draft 10902/98) on ozone-depleting substances. [57956]
§ Mr. MealeThe European Commission adopted a proposal on 1 July 1998 for a new Regulation on ozone-depleting substances to replace the existing Council Regulation (3093/94). The new Regulation is needed to implement recent revisions to the Montreal Protocol, and is therefore broadly welcome. However, the Commission's proposal goes beyond the requirements of the Protocol in a number of respects. In particular, there are proposals for an earlier phase out of methyl bromide, to introduce controls on the production of hydrochlorofluorocarbons and to ban the sale and use of chlorofluorocarbons. My Department has consulted interested parties on these proposals, and we will take their views into account as we formulate our detailed negotiating position.