Lutte contre les émissions de composés organiques volatils (COV) résultant du stockage de l'essence et de sa distribution des terminaux aux stations-service, Etape I

EP and Council could not at all agree on 6 out of 7 amendments. President-in-Office Dr. Clemens STROETMANN, State Secretary at the Ministry of Environment, announced that Council only accepted Am 7 and rejected Am 1-6. The Council repeated its objections to state aids for SMEs to help them comply with this Directive because it claims this may conflict with the competition rules of the Treaty and with the principle of the Internal Market. There was strong opposition on Council's side to Am 3. The EP had asked for including railway tankers in the Directive. Council argued that this would be far too expensive. The Am 4 and 5 on the technical requirements for measuring the contents of mobile fuel containers were also rejected by Council. They aim to introduce a new technology (level gauges) and to phase out an old system of manual gauges or 'dipsticks'. Council claimed that this would considerably increase the costs to industry. The EP and the Council could also not agree yet on the am 1 and 6, concerning the application of the Directive to tanker ships and loading terminals. The Council wants to wait for international rules on this matter, due to be agreed soon. EP, however, wants the Community to establish its own rules unilaterally by the end of 1996 if international rules are not agreed and wants the Commission to bring forward proposals to this effect. It was concluded that no agreement could be reached on these points. The delegations will have to meet again soon on this issue in order to seek texts, acceptable to both parties. �