THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 100a thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission ( 1 ),

Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee ( 2 ),

Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 189b of the Treaty ( 3 ),

Whereas Article 7a of the Treaty establishes an area without internal frontiers in which the free movement of goods, persons, services and capital is ensdured;

Whereas all Member States, with the exception of Austria, Finland, Greece, Italy and Luxembourg, are Contracting Parties to the Convention for the Prevention of Marine Pollution from Land-Based Sources (1974 Paris Convention); whereas the Paris Commission, the executive body of the Paris Convention, considers hexachloroethane and the substances that can be formed as a result of its use as substances which create pollution that should be eliminated in accordance with Article 4 (1) (a) of the Paris Convention; whereas the Council by a mandate adopted on 4 March 1996 authorized the Commission to negotiate a decision to phase out hexachloroethane with some exceptions for use in the non-ferrous metal industries and in particular in non-integrated foundries casting aluminium and for certain magnesium alloys; whereas as a result of the negotiations held at the meeting of the Oslo and Paris Commissions in Oslo in June 1996 Parcom Decision 96/1 on the phasing out of the use of hexachloroethane in the non-ferrous metal industry was adopted, replacing existing Parcom Decisions 92/4 and 93/1 on the same matter; whereas Parcom Decision 96/1 provides for a review of the need for the exceptions to the ban on the use of hexachloroethane in 1998;

Whereas the limits imposed on Member States as regards the placing on the market of hexachloroethane for use in the non-ferrous metal industries directly affect the functioning of the internal market; whereas it is therefore necessary to approximate the laws of the Member States in this field and consequently to amend Annex I to Directive 76/769/EEC ( 4 );

Whereas in view of the scope and effects of the proposed action, the Community measures envisaged by this Directive are not merely necessary, but vital for the attainment of the stated objectives; whereas these objectives cannot be achieved by Member States individually; whereas furthermore their attainment at Community level is already provided for by Directive 76/769/EEC,

HAVE ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE: