Introductory text

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 192(1), in conjunction with Article 218(6)(a), thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

Having regard to the consent of the European Parliament,

Whereas:

The Union is a party to the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution (‘the Convention’), following its approval in 1981^f1.

The Union is a party to the 1998 Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution on Persistent Organic Pollutants (‘the Protocol’), following its approval on 19 February 2004^f2.

The parties to the Protocol opened negotiations in 2007 with a view to further improving the protection of human health and the environment, including through the updating of the list of substances concerned and the emission limit values applicable to certain waste incinerators.

In 2009, the parties present at the 27th session of the Executive Body of the Convention adopted by consensus Decisions 2009/1/EC, 2009/2/EC and 2009/3 amending the Protocol.

The amendments set out in Decision 2009/3/EC entered into force and became effective on the basis of the expedited procedure provided for in Article 14(4) of the Protocol.

The amendments set out in Decisions 2009/1/EC and 2009/2/EC require acceptance by the parties to the Protocol in accordance with Article 14(3) of the Protocol.

The Union has already adopted instruments on matters covered by the amendments to the Protocol, including Regulation (EC) No 850/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council^f3.

The amendments to the Protocol set out in Decisions 2009/1/EC and 2009/2/EC should therefore be accepted on behalf of the Union,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: