EEC snubs UK view on plastic tank proposals
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• Having been consulted as a candidate Common Market country, the UK has told the European Commission that it regards as premature the preparation of a directive aimed at establishing common standards for plastic petro-chemical road vehicle tanks. The British delegation's view is said to be that work is already in progress on the subject in the context of the UNO Economic Commission for Europe.
But the Community says it is perfectly aware of the work in Geneva, and took it into account in preparing the draft of the directive, adding that "the experts in Geneva are very much in favour of a Community initiative for this would have the effect of speeding their work." In the circumstances, the European Commission considered it advisable not to take the British objections into account and to send its proposals to the Council.
A meeting will soon be called with the British experts to bring the respective viewpoints closer together.
The directive specifies substances which may be carried; materials and methods of construction for tanks; a system of "EEC acceptance"; testing methods and checks.
It is stated that to take technological progress into account, which involves the need to adapt technical standards quickly, a procedure for co-operation between the Member States and the Commission is to be provided in the form of a technical corn mittee.
Member States will have a time limit of 18 months after the adoption of the directive to apply its technical provisions.