Correspondence from Lord Whitty, Parliamentary
Under-Secretary of State, Department of the Environment, Transport
and the Regions, to Dixons Group Plc 21 December 2000
EC REGULATION 2037/2000
ON SUBSTANCES
THAT DEPLETE
THE OZONE
LAYER
Thank you for your letter of 24 November to
Michael Meacher concerning EC Regulation 2037/2000 on Substances
that Deplete the Ozone Layer and the export of products containing
CFCs.
As you are aware, EC Regulation 2037/2000 implements
within the European Union our commitments under the Montreal Protocol.
Article 11 of EC Regulation 2037/2000 prohibits the export of
products containing CFCs. This action was taken in response to
a number of requests from developing countries at Meetings of
the Parties to the Montreal Protocol as early as 1995 requesting
developed countries end the dumping old technologies that use
CFCs on them. Prior to this Regulation entering into force Government
consulted widely on the draft Regulation, including the refrigeration
industry and the Association of Manufacturers and Distributors
of Electrical Appliances. Despite extensive consultations, we
recognise that there have been problems in the implementation
of this Regulation. If would appear other Member States are also
experiencing similar difficulties.
I appreciate that this situation creates uncertainties
for traders, shipping agents, large retailers, and export licensing
agents alike. Something that the Government takes very seriously.
A number of questions have arisen during the implementation of
Article 11 and we are addressing these problems as a matter of
urgency.
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