Restrictions on the marketing of certain measuring devices containing mercury

The Commission can support the Council’s common position. The common position is in line with the compromise that was reached in informal discussions between the Council, the Rapporteur of the European Parliament and the Commission, which did, however, not find a majority in the European Parliament.

The common position includes all of the European Parliament’s amendments that could be accepted by the Commission. These are: amendments which were accepted by the Commission in full as they improve the clarity of the recitals, (ii) amendments which call on the Commission to review the availability of alternatives for mercury sphygmomanometers and other measuring devices in industrial and professional uses with a view to extending the restrictions and (iii) amendments which permit the continued trade in “antique” measuring devices that contain mercury because such trade is limited in extent and does not pose a risk to human health or to the environment.

The common position incorporates changes to the original proposal which can be supported by the Commission.