Directive 2007/51 - Amendment of Council Directive 76/769/EEC relating to restrictions on the marketing of certain measuring devices containing mercury - Main contents

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 257/13

The Commission communication of 28 January 2005 on the Community strategy concerning mercury, which considered all uses of mercury, concluded that it would be appropriate to introduce Community-level marketing restrictions on certain non-electrical or non-electronic measuring and control equipment containing mercury, which is the main mercury product group not covered by Community action so far.

There would be benefits for the environment and, in the long term, for human health, through preventing mercury from entering the waste stream, if restrictions on the marketing of measuring devices containing mercury were introduced.

Taking into account technical and economic feasibility, the available evidence concerning measuring and control devices indicates that immediate restrictive measures should cover only those measuring devices that are intended for sale to the general public and, in particular, all fever thermometers.

The import of measuring devices containing mercury that are more than 50 years old concerns either antiques or cultural goods as defined in Council Regulation (EEC) No 3911/92 of 9 December 1992 on the export of cultural goods (3). Such trade is limited in extent and seems to pose no risk to human health or the environment, and should therefore not be restricted.

At present, mercury barometers are manufactured by only a few small specialist enterprises and are sold to the general public mainly as decorative items. An additional phasing-out period should be provided for the placing on the market of such barometers so as to allow the manufacturers to adapt their business in line with the restrictions and move over to the production of mercury-free barometers.

With the aim of minimising the release of mercury into the environment and in order to ensure the phasing-out of the remaining measuring devices containing mercury in professional and industrial use, especially sphygmomanometers in healthcare, the Commission should carry out a review of the availability of reliable safer alternatives that are technically and economically feasible. In the case of sphygmomanometers in healthcare, medical experts should be consulted to ensure that the needs, in terms of diagnosis and treatment, of specific medical conditions are adequately addressed.

In accordance with this Directive only the placing on the market of new measuring devices should be restricted. This restriction should therefore not apply to devices that are already in use or sold second hand.

The disparities between the laws or administrative measures adopted by Member States as regards restriction on mercury in various measuring and control devices could create barriers to trade, distort competition in the Community and may thereby have a direct impact on the establishment and functioning of the internal market. It therefore appears necessary to approximate the laws of Member States in the field of measuring and control devices by introducing harmonised provisions with regard to those products containing...