European Agreement on the Restriction of the Use of Certain Detergents in Washing and Cleaning Products

 

Article 1

The Contracting Parties undertake to adopt measures as effective
as possible in the light of the available techniques, including
legislation if it is necessary, to ensure that:

a) in their respective territories, washing or cleaning products
containing one or more synthetic detergents are not put on the
market unless the detergents in the product considered are as a
whole, at least 80% susceptible to biological degradation;

b) the appropriate measurement and control procedures are
implemented in their respective territories to guarantee
compliance with the provisions of sub-paragraph (a) of this
Article.

Article 2

Compliance with the provisions of paragraph (a) of Article 1 of
this Agreement must not result in the usage of detergents which,
under conditions of normal use, might affect adversely human or
animal health.

Article 3

The Contracting Parties shall, every five years, or more
frequently if one of the Parties should so request, hold
multilateral consultations within the Council of Europe to
examine the application of this Agreement, and the advisability
of revising it or extending any of its provisions. These
consultations shall take place at meetings convened by the
Secretary-General of the Council of Europe. The Contracting
Parties shall communicate the name of their representative to the
Secretary-General of the Council of Europe at least two months
before the meetings.

Article 4

1. This Agreement shall be open to signature by member States of
the Council of Europe which take part in the activities in the
field of public health referred to in Resolution (59) 23
mentioned in the Preamble hereto. They may become Parties to it
by either:

a) signature without reservation in respect of ratification or
acceptance, or

b) signature with reservation in respect of ratification or
acceptance, followed by ratification or acceptance.

2.Instruments of ratification or acceptance shall be deposited
with the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe.

Article 5

1. This Agreement shall enter into force one month after the date
on which three member States of the Council have become Parties
to the Agreement, in accordance with the provisions of Article 4.

2. As regards any member States who shall subsequently sign the
Agreement without reservation in respect of ratification or
acceptance or who shall ratify or accept it, the Agreement shall
enter into force one month after the date of such signature or
after the date of deposit of the instrument of ratification or
acceptance.

Article 6

1. After the entry into force of this Agreement,

a) any member State of the Council of Europe which does not take
part in the activities in the field of public health referred to
in Resolution (59) 23 mentioned in the Preamble to this
Agreement, may accede thereto;

b) the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe may invite
any State not a Member of the Council to accede to this Agreement
provided that the resolution containing such invitation receives
the unanimous agreement by member States of the Council of Europe
which take part in the activities in the field of public health
referred to in Resolution (59) 23 mentioned in the Preamble to
this Agreement.

2. Such accession shall be effected by depositing with the
Secretary General of the Council of Europe an instrument of
accession which shall take effect one month after the date of its
deposit.

Article 7

1. Any Contracting Party may at the time of signature or when
depositing its instrument of ratification, acceptance or
accession, specify the territory or territories to which this
Agreement shall apply.

2. Any Contracting Party may, when depositing its instrument of
ratification, acceptance or accession or at any later date, by
declaration addressed to the Secretary-General of the Council of
Europe, extend this Agreement to any other territory or
territories specified in the declaration and for whose
international relations it is responsible or on whose behalf it
is authorised to give undertakings.

3. Any declaration made in pursuance of the preceding paragraph
may, in respect of any territory mentioned in such declaration,
be withdrawn according to the procedure laid down in Article 8 of
this Agreement.

Article 8

1 This Agreement shall remain in force indefinitely.

2. Any Contracting Party may, in so far as it is concerned,
denounce this Agreement by means of a notification to the
Secretary-General of the Council of Europe.

3. Such denunciation shall take effect six months after the date
of receipt by the Secretary-General of such notification.

Article 9

The Secretary-General of the Council of Europe shall notify the
member States of the Council and any State which has acceded to
this Agreement, of:

a) any signature without reservation in respect of ratification
or acceptance;

b) any signature with reservation in respect of ratification or
acceptance;

c) the deposit of any instrument of ratification, acceptance or
accession;

d) any date of entry into force of this Agreement in accordance
with Article 5 thereof;

e) any declaration received in pursuance of the provisions of
paragraphs 2 and 3 of Article 7;

f) any notification received in pursuance of the provisions of
Article 8 and the date on which denunciation takes effect.

In Witness Whereof the undersigned, being duly authorized
thereto, have signed this Agreement.

Done at Strasbourg, this 16th day of September 1968, in the
English and French languages, both texts being equally
authoritative, in a single copy which shall remain deposited in
the archives of the Council of Europe. The Secretary-General of
the Council of Europe shall transmit certified copies to each of
the signatory and acceding States.

Author: international

Mentioned in these Entries

Conventions: Chronological Index 1951-1970, Other Environmental conventions.