Select Committee on Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Minutes of Evidence


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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