Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2007-06-19-Speech-2-431"
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"en.20070619.47.2-431"2
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"It is high time that we took this important decision concerning a ban on exports of metallic mercury. There are probably not many people who are aware of this, but the EU is in actual fact the world’s largest exporter of the substance. More than 1 000 metric tons are exported each year from the EU to other countries. That is almost a third of the entire world trade in metallic mercury. Mercury, which is dangerous, ends up almost exclusively in developing countries, where it causes a very great deal of harm.
All that worries me is the demand by the Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe for a split vote. A split vote would threaten to undermine important parts of this otherwise excellent report. Stick, therefore, to the rapporteur’s approach designed to safeguard the environment and public health and do not adopt the ALDE Group’s market-based approach.
Tomorrow the EU shall, then, assume its responsibilities and stop dumping lethal mercury in developing countries. It is really high time it did so. With our changes and improvements, the EU will also assume its historic responsibility to support countries in the South as they change over from using mercury to using cleaner technologies. This will safeguard the health of thousands of people and of our common environment. That would be no bad thing.
I am pleased to adopt a position on a well thought-out report by my colleague, Mr Papadimoulis. This report is not only about banning exports of metallic mercury. It is also about obtaining safe storage of this dangerous substance, something that I think is very positive. I am particularly pleased that Mr Papadimoulis has contributed a number of considerable improvements to the Commission’s proposal.
These improvements include the following:
extension of this regulation to include products and mercury compounds
extension of the ban to include imports
entry into force of the ban on a date earlier than that desired by the Commission, that is to say 2010 instead of 2011
setting up of a tracking system for the mercury trade in order to obtain increased monitoring of mercury
support for developing countries as they convert to modern, mercury-free technology.
These changes are precisely in line with what I proposed as draftsman of the Committee on International Trade, and I am very grateful for them."@en1
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