EUR-Lex - 31977D0651 - EN

ARTICLE 1

THE COMMUNITY SHALL IMPLEMENT OVER A PERIOD OF THREE YEARS A CONCERTED PROJECT IN THE FIELD OF TREATMENT AND USE OF SEWAGE SLUDGE ( HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AS THE " PROJECT " ) , WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF ITS ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH PROGRAMME .

THE PROJECT SHALL CONSIST IN COORDINATION AT COMMUNITY LEVEL OF THE RESEARCH DESCRIBED IN ANNEX I AND FORMING PART OF THE NATIONAL RESEARCH PROGRAMMES OF THE MEMBER STATES .

ARTICLE 2

THE COMMISSION SHALL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COORDINATION .

ARTICLE 3

THE MAXIMUM FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION BY THE COMMUNITY TO SUCH COORDINATION WILL BE 140 000 UNITS OF ACCOUNT , THE UNIT OF ACCOUNT BEING DEFINED BY THE RELEVANT FINANCIAL REGULATIONS .

ARTICLE 4

TO FACILITATE THE EXECUTION OF THE PROJECT , A CONCERTED ACTION COMMITTEE ON THE TREATMENT AND USE OF SEWAGE SLUDGE , HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AS " THE COMMITTEE " , SHALL BE ESTABLISHED .

A PROJECT LEADER SHALL BE APPOINTED BY THE COMMISSION IN AGREEMENT WITH THE COMMITTEE . THE COMMITTEE SHALL , IN PARTICULAR , ASSIST THE COMMISSION IN ITS COORDINATION .

THE TERMS OF REFERENCE AND THE COMPOSITION OF THE COMMITTEE ARE DEFINED IN ANNEX II .

THE COMMITTEE SHALL DRAW UP ITS RULES OF PROCEDURE . ITS SECRETARIAT WILL BE PROVIDED BY THE COMMISSION .

ARTICLE 5

( A ) IN ACCORDANCE WITH A PROCEDURE TO BE ADOPTED BY THE COMMISSION IN AGREEMENT WITH THE COMMITTEE , THE MEMBER STATES PARTICIPATING IN THE PROJECT SHALL EXCHANGE REGULARLY ALL USEFUL INFORMATION CONCERNING THE EXECUTION OF THE RESEARCH COVERED BY THE CONCERTED PROJECT AND SHALL PROVIDE THE COMMISSION WITH ALL INFORMATION RELEVANT FOR COORDINATION PURPOSES . THEY SHALL ALSO ENDEAVOUR TO PROVIDE THE COMMISSION WITH INFORMATION ON SIMILAR RESEARCH PLANNED OR CARRIED OUT BY BODIES FOR WHICH THEY ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE . ANY INFORMATION SHALL BE TREATED AS CONFIDENTIAL IF SO REQUESTED BY THE MEMBER STATE WHICH PROVIDES IT .

( B ) THE COMMISSION SHALL PREPARE YEARLY PROGRESS REPORTS ON THE BASIS OF THE INFORMATION SUPPLIED , AND SHALL FORWARD THEM TO THE MEMBER STATES AND THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT .

( C ) AT THE END OF THE COORDINATION PERIOD , THE COMMISSION , IN AGREEMENT WITH THE COMMITTEE , SHALL FORWARD TO THE MEMBER STATES AND THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT A GENERAL REPORT ON THE EXECUTION AND RESULTS OF THE COORDINATION ACTION . THE COMMISSION SHALL PUBLISH THIS REPORT SIX MONTHS AFTER IT HAS BEEN FORWARDED TO THE MEMBER STATES , UNLESS A MEMBER STATE OBJECTS . IN THIS CASE THE REPORT SHALL BE DISTRIBUTED , AT THEIR REQUEST , SOLELY TO THE INSTITUTIONS AND UNDERTAKINGS WHOSE RESEARCH OR PRODUCTION ACTIVITIES JUSTIFY ACCESS TO THE KNOWLEDGE RESULTING FROM THE PERFORMANCE OF THE RESEARCH COVERED BY THE PROJECT . THE COMMISSION MAY MAKE ARRANGEMENTS TO ENSURE THAT THE REPORT REMAINS CONFIDENTIAL AND IS NOT PASSED ON TO THIRD PARTIES .

ARTICLE 6

1 . IN ACCORDANCE WITH ARTICLE 228 OF THE TREATY , THE COMMUNITY MAY CONCLUDE AGREEMENTS WITH OTHER STATES INVOLVED IN EUROPEAN COOPERATION IN THE FIELD OF SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL RESEARCH ( COST ) WITH A VIEW TO EXTENDING THE COORDINATION WHICH IS THE SUBJECT OF THIS DECISION TO RESEARCH UNDERTAKEN IN THOSE STATES .

2 . THE COMMISSION IS HEREBY AUTHORIZED TO NEGOTIATE THE AGREEMENTS REFERRED TO IN PARAGRAPH 1 .

ARTICLE 7

THIS DECISION SHALL BE PUBLISHED IN THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES . IT SHALL TAKE EFFECT ON THE DAY OF ITS PUBLICATION .

DONE AT BRUSSELS , 27 SEPTEMBER 1977 .

FOR THE COUNCIL

THE PRESIDENT

A . HUMBLET

( 1 ) OJ NO C 163 , 11 . 7 . 1977 , P . 70 .

( 2 ) OJ NO C 126 , 28 . 5 . 1977 , P . 21 .

( 3 ) OJ NO C 112 , 20 . 12 . 1973 , P . 1 .

( 4 ) OJ NO C 139 , 13 . 6 . 1977 , P . 1 .

( 5 ) OJ NO L 74 , 20 . 3 . 1976 , P . 36 .

( 6 ) OJ NO C 7 , 29 . 1 . 1974 , P . 6 .

( 7 ) OJ NO L 129 , 18 . 5 . 1976 , P . 23 .

( 8 ) OJ NO C 7 , 29 . 1 . 1974 , P . 2 .

ANNEX I

RESEARCH PROGRAMME IN THE FIELD OF TREATMENT AND USE OF SEWAGE SLUDGE

( CONCERTED PROJECT )

THE MAIN PURPOSE OF THE WORK IS TO ACQUIRE SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE REQUIRED FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROGRAMME OF ACTION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES ON THE ENVIRONMENT . THE RESEARCH COVERS THE FOLLOWING TOPICS :

RESEARCH TOPICSDIVISION OF RESEARCH WORK AMONG MEMBER STATES

B LUX.DDKFIIRLNLUK

1 . SLUDGE STABILIZATION AND ODOUR PROBLEMS :

• DEFINITION AND DETERMINATION OF " DEGREE OF STABILITY " AND RELATION TO ODOUR NUISANCEXXX

• COMPARATIVE EVALUATION OF STABILIZATION PROCEDURESXXX

2 . PROBLEMS RELATED TO SLUDGE DEWATERING :

• RESEARCH ON WATER BINDING FORCESX

• DEVELOPMENT AND STANDARDIZATION OF METHODS FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF DEWATERING PROPERTIESXXXXX

• PROBLEMS RELATED TO THE USE OF FLOCCULANTSXXX

• COMPARATIVE EVALUATION OF THICKENING AND DEWATERING EQUIPMENTXX

3 . ANALYTICAL PROBLEMS RELATED TO SLUDGE TREATMENT AND USE :

• CHARACTERIZATION OF PATHOGENS AND EVALUATION OF DISINFECTION PROCEDURESXXX

• CHARACTERIZATION AND DETERMINATION OF POLLUTANTS ( HEAVY METALS , PERSISTENT ORGANIC COMPOUNDS ) IN SLUDGE AND DEVELOPMENT OF STANDARDIZED ANALYTICAL METHODSXXX

4 . ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS RELATED TO SLUDGE USE :

• SPECIAL PROCESSING OF SLUDGE FOR AGRICULTURAL USE ( E.G . COMPOSTING ) INCLUDING THE IMPROVEMENT OF DISINFECTION PROCEDURES AND POLLUTANT REMOVALXXXX

• TRANSFER OF POLLUTANTS TO PLANTS AND HARMFUL EFFECTS ON VEGETATIONXXXX

• EFFECTS OF LONG RANGE SLUDGE APPLICATION ON SOIL QUALITY AND GROUND WATERXXXXX

• OPTIMUM LAND USE OF SLUDGE , INCLUDING SLUDGE FROM DEPHOSPHATATION PLANTSXXXX

ANNEX II

TERMS OF REFERENCE AND COMPOSITION OF THE CONCERTED ACTION COMMITTEE ON THE TREATMENT AND USE OF SEWAGE SLUDGE

1 . THE COMMITTEE SHALL :

1.1 . CONTRIBUTE TO THE OPTIMUM EXECUTION OF THE PROGRAMME BY GIVING ITS OPINION ON ALL OF ITS ASPECTS ;

1.2 . EVALUATE THE RESULTS OF THE PROJECT AND DRAW CONCLUSIONS AS TO THEIR APPLICATION ;

1.3 . BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION REFERRED TO IN ARTICLE 5 ( A ) ;

1.4 . KEEP ABREAST OF NATIONAL RESEARCH BEING DONE IN THE FIELDS COVERED BY THE PROJECT , AND MORE ESPECIALLY OF SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL DEVELOPMENTS LIKELY TO AFFECT THE EXECUTION OF THE PROJECT ;

1.5 . SUGGEST GUIDELINES TO THE PROJECT LEADER .

2 . THE COMMITTEE'S REPORTS AND OPINIONS SHALL BE FORWARDED TO THE COMMISSION AND THE MEMBER STATES PARTICIPATING IN THE PROJECT . THE COMMISSION SHALL FORWARD THESE OPINIONS TO THE CREST .