With the Portuguese delegation voting against and the
Italian delegation abstaining, the Council, in public session, adopted by
qualified majority the Directive relating to restrictions on the marketing
and use of nonylphenol, nonylphenol ethoxylates and cement, as amended by
the European Parliament at first reading. Poland, Latvia and Lithuania,
participating together with the other accession countries as observers in
the meeting, expressed concerns about the implementation of the provisions
for cement. The Directive, amending Directive 76/769/EEC for the 26th
time, introduced harmonised provisions on the marketing and use of NP, NPE
and cement. (NP is used as an intermediate in the production of NPE (e.g.
for use in detergents and paints), in the production of resins, plastics
and stabilisers in the polymer industry, in the manufacture of phenolic
oximes, and in some speciality paints.) The proposal was intended to
preserve the Internal Market and at the same time ensure a high level of
protection of health and the environment.