Decision 2015/633 - Submission, on behalf of the EU, of a proposal for the listing of additional chemicals in Annex A to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants - Main contents

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 104/14

On 14 October 2004, the European Community approved the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (‘the Convention’) by Council Decision 2006/507/EC (1).

As a Party to the Convention, the Union may submit proposals for amendment of the Annexes to the Convention. Annex A to the Convention lists persistent organic pollutants to be eliminated.

According to available scientific information and review reports, and taking due account of the screening criteria set out in Annex D to the Convention, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), its salts and PFOA-related substances that can be degraded to PFOA under environmental conditions (‘PFOA and its compounds’) exhibit characteristics of persistent organic pollutants.

In accordance with Article 59(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council (2) and a dossier prepared in accordance with Annex XV of that Regulation, PFOA and its ammonium salt (APFO) have been included in the candidate list of substances of very high concern having been identified as meeting the criteria of point (c) of Article 57 of that Regulation as toxic for reproduction category 1B and, in particular, that they also meet the criteria of point (d) of Article 57 of that Regulation as substances which are persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic.

Pursuant to Article 69(4) of Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006, PFOA and its compounds are currently the subject of another dossier prepared in accordance with Annex XV of that Regulation, submitted to the European Chemical Agency, aiming to restrict the manufacture, placing on the market or use of PFOA and its compounds on their own, or as constituents of other substances, in a mixture or articles.

PFOA and its compounds are substances with worldwide dispersive uses and are ubiquitously detected in the environment. Due to the potential for long-range environmental transport of PFOA, the measures taken at Union level are not sufficient to safeguard the high level of protection of the environment and human health and wider international action is necessary.

The Union should therefore submit a proposal to the Secretariat of the Convention for the listing of PFOA and its compounds in Annex A to the Convention. That proposal and the Union's position regarding the conditions for listing PFOA and its compounds in Annex A to the Convention should take account of any relevant information obtained in the course of the on-going restriction procedure under Articles 68 to 73 of Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006,