Brussels 14/3/2006 - Environment and health groups have applauded the Plenary of the European Parliament today for its bold resolution on the Community Strategy concerning mercury.

“The European Parliament has sent a clear message to Europe - and the world - about further steps needed to reduce the use of mercury. The Parliament is clearly pushing the Commission to strengthen the strategy, asking the EU to come forward with an export ban by 2010, one year earlier than proposed, and to improve several key actions of the Strategy”, said Elena Lymberidi, Zero Mercury Campaign Project Coordinator at the European Environmental Bureau. “We are also pleased that the Parliament clarified that mercury compounds should be included in the export ban”.

The Parliament has also told the chlor-alkali industry in no uncertain terms that they need to phase out the use of mercury-cell process as soon as practicable - and at the latest by 2010. "We praise the Parliament for its strong message - it is about time that existing agreements and directives are followed strictly !" added Elena Lymberidi, EEB.

The NGOs also welcomed the request to restrict mercury in dental amalgams and in all measuring equipment used by consumers and professionals, such as at healthcare facilities. This request goes further than the Commission’s recent proposal. “For medical devices, there are plenty of good alternatives out there. This is an easy way to reduce the mercury from the healthcare sector that ends up contaminating the environment”, said Lisette van Vliet, Toxics Policy Advisor for Health Care Without Harm.

“We are delighted that the Parliament recognises just how urgent it is to eliminate mercury use in order to protect people’s health today and in the future, particularly those that are most vulnerable to even very low levels of exposure”, said Genon Jensen, Executive Director of European Public Health Alliance Environment Network. “The issue is a Europe-wide public health concern, and the Parliament has taken this seriously by requesting more information on people’s actual exposure and recommending greater financial support for best practice in risk communication aimed at vulnerable groups”.

The Parliament has reiterated the EU’s role in supporting and promoting international action, in line with the mercury export ban. It has confirmed the importance of cooperating with mercury mining countries across the world with a view to reaching an agreement on a global legislative instrument on mercury. “During negotiations at the UNEP Governing Council in February 2007 the possibility of a legally binding instrument and other global mercury strategies will be discussed," said Michael Bender of the Ban Mercury Working Group. “So this is the right time to put forward key requests for the upcoming EU mercury meeting this October in Brussels, where other governments from around the globe will be invited into these discussions”.

As a further step, the environment and health NGOs now call upon the Commission to follow the European Parliament’s opinion on the EU Strategy Concerning Mercury. We also appeal to the Parliament to stand firm by their opinion when related legislation is put on the table.