ESC opinion: Geneva Protocol on long-range transboundary nitrogen oxide emmissions Meeting on 27 November 1991, the Economic and Social Committee (ESC) adopted unanimously an opinion on the proposal for a Council Decision on accession by the European Economic Community to the Protocol to the Geneva Convention on long-range transboundary air pollution on the ... Meeting on 27 November 1991, the Economic and Social Committee (ESC) adopted unanimously an opinion on the proposal for a Council Decision on accession by the European Economic Community to the Protocol to the Geneva Convention on long-range transboundary air pollution on the reduction of emissions of nitrogen oxides or their transboundary fluxes (OJ No C 230 of 4.9.1991). The European Community is a contracting party to the 1979 Geneva Convention and to the subsequent Protocol on the reduction of sulphur emissions. A further Protocol on nitrogen oxides was established in 1988. Eleven EC Member States and several non-EC States have already adhered to it and it is now proposed that the Community as a whole should accede to the Protocol. This proposal is approved by the ESC. The Committee pointed out in an earlier opinion that emissions from non-EEC countries would have synergistic effects with emissions from EC States and vice-versa. For this reason the Committee proposes that the Commission keep a watching brief on the accession to the nitrogen oxides Protocol of additional non-Member States (particularly those of Eastern Europe) and, if necessary, take steps to bring about the Protocol's more wide spread adoption. The Commission should also supervise the Protocol's implementation within the Member States.
