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European Union's Seveso II Directive: Convention Implementation Workshop

Learn about the Seveso II Directive, the EU tool for industrial accident prevention and control. Explore its historical background and key components, including risk management, chemical plant safety, and nuclear safety. Understand the ratification process and the roles of EU institutions in implementing the UN/ECE Convention. Discover the scope, obligations, and emergency preparedness measures outlined in the Seveso II Directive. Get insights into cooperation mechanisms, risk assessment, and monitoring practices under both the UN/ECE Convention and Seveso II. Benefit from practical guidance documents available for implementation.

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European Union's Seveso II Directive: Convention Implementation Workshop

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  1. Sub-regional Workshop on the Implementation of the Convention on the Transboundary Effects of Industrial AccidentsErevan, Armenia, 13-15 March 2003 The “Seveso II” Directive – the European Union’s tool for implementing the Industrial Accidents Convention

  2. A long history of major accidents ... 1974: Flixborough, United Kingdom 1976: Seveso, Italy 1982: Original « Seveso Directive » adopted 1984: Bhopal, India 1986: Basel, Switzerland 9 Dec 1996: « Seveso II Directive » adopted 3 Feb 1999: « Seveso II » must be applied in the Member States of the European Union 30 Jan 2000: Baia Mare, Romania 15 May 2000: Enschede, Netherlands 21 Sep 2001: Toulouse, France

  3. Industrial Risk Management Control of products Control of processes Nuclear Safety Chemical Plant Safety Seveso Directives Overview

  4. UN/ECE Convention International law binding for the Parties, i.e. those UN/ECE member countries that ratify accept approve or accede to the Convention SEVESO II European law binding for the 15 Member States of the European Union binding for the EEA countries (Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein)EEA = Treaty on the European Economic Area General Comparison

  5. Ratification/Implementation of the UN/ECE Conventionin the EU requires... • within the sphere of competence of the Community according to the EC Treaty: Community legislation = Seveso II Directive (96/82/EC) • outside the sphere of competence of the Community: national legislation in each Member State

  6. Procedures for Ratification/Implementation • Approval on behalf of the Community decided by Council of Environment Ministers on 23 March 1998 • Deposited with the Secretary-General of the United Nations on 24 April 1998 • Ratification by each Member State (so far Luxembourg, Spain, Greece, Germany, Austria, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Italy and United Kingdom)

  7. Consistency of “Seveso II” with the UN/ECE Convention Both instruments aim at the • prevention of major industrial accidents involving dangerous substances • limitation of the consequences of such accidents on man and the environment In the case of transboundary effects: Co-operation between UN/ECE countries and/or EU Member States before, during and after an accident

  8. UN/ECE Convention applies mainly tofixed industrial installations also covers emergency response to land-based transport accidents industrial accident must be capable of causing transboundary effects SEVESO II applies exclusively to fixed industrial establishments an establishment can consist of one or more installations an installation is a technical unit within an establishment Scope

  9. UN/ECE Convention Adoption of legislative provisions or guidelines Identification of hazardous activities (licensing system) Risk Analysis / Risk Assessment Education and Training “Managerial structures and practices” Monitoring / Auditing / Inspections SEVESO II For all establishments: General obligations Notification Major-Accident Prevention Policy In addition, only for upper tier establishments: Safety Management System Safety Report Accident Prevention

  10. UN/ECE Convention Decision-making on siting Emergency Preparedness on-site contingency plans - Operator (joint) off-site contingency plans - Local Authorities Information to public SEVESO II Land-use planning Emergency Planning Internal - Operator External - LocalAuthorities Information on safetymeasures to the public Limitation of consequences

  11. Co-operation before, during and after an accident • “before” • notification of hazardous activities • exchange of technology / technical assistance • co-operation in research and development • “during” • mutual assistance / co-ordination of response • “after ” • industrial accident notification systems • exchange of information on ‘lessons learned’

  12. "Implementation" ? Transposition Practical application into national laws, and enforcement of regulations and laws, regulations and administrative provisions administrative provisions Government Operators Authorities What means ...

  13. Role of theEuropean Commission • is the “Guardian of the EC Treaty” • does not apply SEVESO II directly • supports and controls transposition of SEVESO II into national laws and their application • reports to Council and European Parliament on implementation • Committee of Competent Authorities (CCA) meets twice each year

  14. Major-Accident Hazards Bureau (MAHB) • MoU between the Commission and the Joint Research Centre (JRC) in 1994 • established within IPSC at JRC in Ispra, Italy • has four main tasks: • Major-Accident Reporting System (MARS) • Seveso Plant Information Retrieval System (SPIRS) • Community Documentation Centre on Industrial Risks (CDCIR) • scientific and administrative support for Technical Working Groups (TWG’s)

  15. Guidance documents availablefrom MAHB (http://mahbsrv.jrc.it) • Guidance on the preparation of a Safety Report to the requirements of the Seveso II Directive • Guidance concerning information to the public • Guidelines on a Major Accident Prevention Policy and Safety Management System • Guidance on Land-use Planning • Explanations and Guidelines for the application of Article 9 (6) of the Seveso II Directive on harmonised criteria for dispensations • Guidance on Inspections

  16. Instruments supporting implementation • Seveso Plants Information Retrieval System (SPIRS) • European map of Seveso plants • also contains a risk assessment tool • Mutual Joint Visits Programme (MJV) in the field of inspections • “experts visit experts” • 3-4 visits per year of different Member States in a rotation system

  17. Amendment of Seveso II • “Baia Mare” - inclusion of certain mining activities, including tailings management facilities • “Enschede” - better definition of explosive and pyrotechnic substances, decrease of qualifying quantities • “Toulouse” - replacement of the two current entries on ammonium nitrate by 4 new categories, with new qualifying quantities • Extension of list of carcinogens in Annex I, Part 1, along with new qualifying quantities • Lower qualifying quantities for substances dangerous to the aquatic environment (Annex I, Part 2)

  18. State of play • Proposal adopted by Commission on 10 December 2001 (COM(2001) 624 final) • European Parliament adopts opinion in1st reading on 3 July 2002 • Commission adopts Amended Proposal on 26 September 2002 (COM(2002) 540 final) • Council adopts Common Position on 20 February 2003 • To come: 2nd reading in European Parliament

  19. Summary (1) • Community legislation (Seveso II) has been adopted on 9 December 1996 • Transposed by all Member States • Applied as from 3 February 1999 • UN/ECE Convention approved on behalf of the Community • Instrument of approval depositedon 24 April 1998 • Ratification of UN/ECE Convention still underway in 5 Member States

  20. Summary (2) Adoption and implementation of Seveso II - type legislation is necessary in order to • fulfil obligations arising from the UN/ECE Convention • join the European Union (EU)

  21. Contact details: Jürgen Wettig European Commission Environment Directorate-General Unit ENV.B.4 (Civil Protection and Environmental Accidents B-1049 Brussels Tel/Fax: (+32-2) 296.91.49/299.03.14 E-mail: Juergen.Wettig@cec.eu.int http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/seveso/index.htm

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