Decision (EU) 2017/939 on the conclusion of the Minamata Convention on Mercury

Summary:

Council Decision of 11 May 2017 concluding, on behalf of the Union, a new International Convention on Mercury. The Convention addresses the whole life-cycle of mercury, from primary mercury mining to the management of mercury waste.

Further information:

The Minamata Convention addresses the whole life-cycle of mercury, from primary mercury mining to the management of mercury waste, with the objective to protect human health and the environment from anthropogenic emissions of mercury and mercury compounds to air, water and land. In particular, it sets restrictions on primary mining of mercury and on international trade of mercury, prohibits the manufacture, import and export of a wide range of mercury-added products, foresees prohibitions or operating conditions for several manufacturing processes using mercury, calls for discouraging new uses of mercury in products and industrial processes and measures to be taken to reduce mercury emissions from artisanal and small-scale gold mining and industrial activities, including through the use of best available techniques and requires interim storage of mercury and management of mercury waste to occur in an environmentally sound manner.

• Primary Source

EUR-Lex: Official Journal, L142, 02/06/2017: Decision (EU) 2017/938 on the signing of the Minamata Convention on Mercury https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv:OJ.L_.2017.142.01.0002.01.ENG

Council of the European Union: Press Release, 11/05/2017: EU is ready to ratify the Minamata Convention on Mercury https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2017/05/11/eu-to-ratify-minamata-convention-mercury/

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