Fertilizers containing cadmium: marketing in Austria, Finland and Sweden (amend. Direct. 76/116/EC)

In its opinion on the common position of the Council concerning the ban on the marketing in Austria, Finland and Sweden of fertilizers containing cadmium, the Commission expressed itself in favour of the Council's text. Unlike Parliament, the Commission considered that it would be inappropriate for the Directive to indicate the type of measures to be adopted in the period to the end of 2001. In the Commission's view, this would prejudge the outcome of the study currently being conducted in the Member States to ascertain the ecological and human health impact of cadmium in the Community. The Commission stated in its opinion that although a legislative measure might possibly be adopted at Community level, this was by no means the only option available. Other measures could be considered, particularly a voluntary limit on the inclusion of cadmium in fertilizers by industry or importers, the application of a code of practice for farmers, or a levy based on the cadmium content of fertilizers (the option currently favoured by the Commission). Consistently with its principles, therefore, the Commission rejected Parliament's amendment. However, it took account of the concerns expressed by Parliament by stating in the minutes accompanying the common position that it would do everything in its power to resolve the problem of cadmium within the time limit laid down in the proposal for a Directive.�