Substances that deplete the ozone layer

The committee adopted the recommendation for second reading (codecision procedure) by Anneli HULTHÉN (PES, S) amending the Council's common position. The amendments focused in particular on HCFCs and methyl bromide. On the question of HCFCs, the committee called for a faster phasing out plan. The Council had proposed that, in 2008, production should not exceed 35% of 1997 production levels. Using the same yardstick, the committee proposed that, by 2001, HCFC production should not exceed 75% of 1997 levels, by 2004 it should not exceed 55% of 1997 levels and by 2008 it should not exceed 30% of 1997 levels. By 2014, the committee proposed that production should be less than 15%, whereas the Council had proposed less than 20%. Moreover, while the Council proposed to ban the use of virgin HCFCs in existing refrigerating and air conditioning by 2010, the committee wanted the ban to apply in 2005 and for a total ban to be in place by 2007. The committee also proposed to abolish the exceptions the Council wanted to admit after 2001 concerning small air conditioning equipment with a cooling capacity of less than 100 kW. It considered that exports of HCFCs to countries not party to the Montreal Protocol should be prohibited immediately, whereas the Council wanted to delay this until 2004. As far as methyl bromide was concerned, the committee proposed that specific exemptions should not be granted for more than two years and that, after 2006, exemptions should only be granted for emergencies. The Council had proposed no time limit for dealing with such exceptional cases. The production of methyl bromide should also be phased out faster. Using 1991 production levels as the bench mark, the committee proposed that production levels in 2000 should not exceed 40% and by 2001 they should not exceed 25%. The Council had proposed that these levels be achieved by 2001 and 2003 respectively.