Commission proposes prohibition of all exports of hazardous wastes by 1 January 1998
The European Commission has put forward a proposal to modify Council Regulation (EEC) 259/93 on waste shipments. It proposes to prohibit all exports of hazardous waste, which are destined for recycling or recovery operations, from EU Member States to non-OECD countries by 1 January 1998 at the latest. The proposal has to be considered in the context of the Basle Convention on cross-border shipments of hazardous waste. On 25 March 1994, the Second Conference of the Parties to the Basle Convention adopted a decision which requires the following: - Prohibition of exports of hazardous wastes which are destined for final disposal from OECD to non-OECD countries; - Prohibition of exports of hazardous wastes which are destined for recycling or recovery operations by 1 January 1998 at the latest.