B3-0400/94

Resolution on the proposal for a Council directive establishing Annex VI of Directive 91/414/EEC concerning the placing of plant protection products on the market (COM(93)0117)

The European Parliament,

-having regard to its opinion of 23 November 1990 on the amended proposal for a Council directive concerning the placing of EEC-accepted plant protection products on the market,

-having regard to its resolution of 17 May 1991 on plant protection products,

-having regard to the proposal for a Council directive (COM(93)0117) establishing Annex VI of Directive 91/414/EEC concerning the placing of plant protection products on the market,

-having regard to its resolution of 15 December 1993 on plant protection products,

-having regard to Rule 61 of its Rules of Procedure,

A.whereas some Member States are attempting to exploit this proposal for a directive to lower criteria regarding the quality of water and, in particular, drinking water,

B.whereas the Commission has not yet submitted its proposal for revising Directive 80/778/EEC on water intended for human consumption,

C.whereas the protection of human and animal health and the environment must be the priority of all Community legislation and take precedence over any other objective,

1.Calls on the Commission firmly to maintain its position, namely that the current criteria in Community legislation concerning the quality of drinking water, and only these criteria, must be taken into account in establishing uniform principles for assessing plant protection products;

2.Calls on the Commission to withdraw its proposal should the Council attempt unilaterally to impose lower quality criteria, thereby jeopardizing the health of European citizens and the environment;

3.Demands to be systematically informed by the Commission when the latter intends, on the basis of Article 18 of Directive 91/414/EEC, to submit to the Council a proposal containing uniform principles of assessment and authorization for plant protection products containing micro-organisms or viruses;

4.Demands, more generally, that Parliament should be kept informed of any amendment to Annex VI of Directive 91/414/EEC;

5.Wishes to be consulted on any proposal made by the Commission to the Council under the second subparagraph of Article 1(3) of Directive 91/414/EEC aimed at including in this Directive a specific procedure for evaluating the risk to the environment, analogous to that provided for in Directive 90/220/EEC, posed by plant protection products consisting in genetically modified organisms or containing such organisms;

6.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and the Commission.