Dimas defends Commission action over decaBDE waiver

摘要

European Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas has staunchly defended the EU executive's decision to clear a waiver for the brominated flame retardant decabromodiphenylether (decaBDE) from a dangerous substance ban through a regulatory committee procedure - 'comitology.' In an exclusive interview with EW(see article below), Dimas rejected criticism from the European Parliament, some member states and green groups that the European Commission had exceeded its powers in using comitology for the decaBDE, and other, exemptions from the 1 July 2006 ban in the restriction of hazardous substances (RoHS) in electrical and electronic equipment directive. Dimas said it was the Council and Parliament themselves in adopting the RoHS directive in 2003 that had decided that the Commission should use comitology to change exemptions listed in annexes. The Commission now was simply exercising its mandate, he said.