The Basle Convention of 1989 calls for a prohibition on the export of waste from industrialised to developing countries. The signatory states thought it necessary because more and more toxic waste was being exported to third world countries under the guise of "raw material" or "for recycling".
The Committee agreed on March 16 to approve the amendment of Annexes I, VIII and IX of the Convention to clarify differences between hazardous and non-hazardous waste.
However, rapporteur Marilies FLEMMING (EPP,A) referred to inconsistencies between the classification in the Basle Convention and that used in the European inventory of hazardous wastes. She also pointed out that the prohibition on the export of waste had not yet come into force because not enough signatories had ratified the Basle Convention. She asked the Commission to enable countries to ratify by making information and technical assistance available. �