§ Mr. Peter Lloydasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make a statement about the outcome of the Council of Environment Ministers' meeting on 28 June.
§ Mr. Waldegrave[pursuant to his reply, 29 July 1984, c. 550]: I led the United Kingdom delegation at this meeting at which a wide range of environmental issues was discussed.
I am pleased to report that agreement was finally reached on a directive, acceptable to the United Kingdom, introducing a Community-wide system of supervision and control of the transfrontier shipment of hazardous wastes. The directive will enter into force on 1 October 1985.
The Council, following a very constructive discussion on the Commission's proposals, agreed that unleaded petrol should be introduced throughout the Community not later than 1989; and that it would seek to reach decisions by the end of 1984 on a number of related questions, such as the octane rating or ratings of unleaded petrol.
The Council also held a preliminary discussion on the Commission's proposals for tighter controls on other vehicle emissions and agreed that they formed a useful basis for further work.
Further discussion on the proposals for a directive on air quality standards for nitrogen dioxide brought the text 54W near to agreement. Examination of outstanding points will continue pending receipt of the European Parliament's opinion.
A short debate about the Commission's proposal for a directive on control of emissions from large combustion plants enabled Ministers to make statements of their preliminary views on this subject.
The Council agreed to a directive dealing with discharges of hexacholorocyclohexane, in particular lindane, to the aquatic environment. The text agreed preserves the United Kingdom's position on quality objectives by use and follows previously agreed precedents on other points to which we attach importance.
The Council adopted two resolutions proposed by the French presidency concerning co-operation with developing countries on environmental matters.
The Council discussed, but did not reach agreement on, Commission proposals for an information system on environmental and natural resources data in the Community. Outstanding issues were referred to the Committee of Permanent Representatives for further examination.
The Council formally adopted the directive on the combating of air pollution from industrial plants, the regulation on action by the Community relating to the environment — ACE — both previously agreed, and a decision on Community participation in the Bonn agreement for co-operation in dealing with pollution of the North sea by oil and other harmful substances.