Dangerous preparations: classification, packaging and labelling

The Commission supported the common position of the Council, as it retained the general substance of the initial proposal. It simplified the provisions on plant protection products, for example, and clarified the text. The Commission welcomed the prompt adoption of the common position and the special arrangements for Austria, Finland and Sweden. The Directive could be adopted before the end of 1998, which would make it possible to resolve the problems raised by the expiry of the derogations granted to the three new Member States by the accession treaty. The Commission could not accept the commitology procedure (type IIIb) proposed by the Council: it preferred type IIIa.�