Report on the review and update of the second European Union Implementation Plan in accordance with Article 8(4) of Regulation No 850/2004 on persistent organic pollutants

Summary:

On 4 January 2019 the European Commission presented a report on the implementation of Regulation (EC) No 850/2004 on persistent organic pollutants (POPs).

Further information:

The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants was adopted in 2001 in the framework of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The European Union and its Member States are parties to the Convention and its provisions have been implemented in Union law by Regulation (EC) No 850/2004 (the POPs Regulation).

The first Community Implementation Plan was developed in 2007. This plan was later updated in 2014 with a Union Implementation Plan. The review and update of the second implementation plan has become necessary to further address 1) the inclusion of a number of new persistent organic pollutants into the Stockholm Convention, and 2) the technical and legislative progress made in the area.

Background:

POPs are chemical substances that persist in the environment, bio-accumulate, and pose a risk of causing significant adverse effects to human health or the environment. These pollutants are transported across international boundaries far from their sources and even accumulate in regions where they have never been used or produced. POPs pose a threat to the environment and to human health all over the globe, with the Arctic, Baltic and the Alpine regions being examples of EU sinks of POPs. International action has been deemed necessary to reduce and eliminate production, use and releases of these substances.

• Primary Source

Official

EUR-Lex: SWD(2018)495: Commission Staff Working Document accompanying COM(2018)848 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=SWD:2018:495:FIN

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