Energy, EU – Baltic States, Legislation, Lithuania, Markets and Companies

Valentinas Mazuronis signs Agreement in Japan. Photo: am.lt

The Lithuanian minister, in turn, signed the Convention on behalf of Lithuania as well. An important international event is attended by more than 100 high level officials from all over the world. Convention aims to reduce mercury emissions and its negative effects on human health and the environment, the official Lithuanian Presidency website eu2013.lt said.

"I am very delighted that the signing ceremony of the Convention on Mercury happens during Lithuanian Presidency of the EU Council and marks an end of international negotiations on a new legally binding instrument that lasted four years and were finished successfully only in the first half of this year," said the Minister of Environment Valentinas Mazuronis. According to the minister, now starts another important stage – implementation of the Convention which will benefit both European citizens and the whole world community. The new Treaty which aims to ensure future generations to live in a sustainable environment without mercury embraces the whole life cycle of mercury – from the mining, processing, use and release into the air up to mercury waste control and contaminated sites management.

United Nations Environment Programme already in 2003 has decided to take steps to regulate mercury globally, and it was recognized as a worldwide concern substance. Mercury, when it is released to environment, by air and water reaches long distances and poses a significant risk to humans and the environment. Four years ago an International Committee for the negotiation of international legally binding agreement was established. The EU has been one of the leaders in negotiating and drafting the text of the Convention. The text of the new Treaty is largely inspired by EU legislation and will make a significant contribution to the application of EU environmental standards at the global level. The Minamata Convention is the first international multilateral environmental agreements signed over the past ten years.

Approaching Conference Lithuanian Minister as the President of the EU Environment Council called on all EU environment ministers to sign the Convention on behalf of their countries. Besides Lithuania, the Treaty today in Japan was signed by 21 more EU countries. Lithuania invites all the EU Member States both to sign and ratify this international agreement at the earliest convenience.

Lithuania due its Presidency of the Council was responsible for ensuring the readiness of the EU for the Conference and active participation in it. Lithuania coordinated the preparation of the EU's position in the preparatory meeting, which took place on Monday and Tuesday. During the Preparatory meeting it was finally agreed on all documents including the final act of the decisions necessary to ensure the effective implementation of the Convention. Lithuania, alongside with the other EU Member States during the implementation of the Convention and the transitional period will strive more efficiently use the already existing administrative structure, enhanced cooperation and coordination with other chemicals and waste conventions and governing specific programs, developed chemical and waste sector financing.

Title of the Convention and the Diplomatic Conference venue were chosen not coincidentally. In 4 –7 decades of the last century in Minamata due to intensive production of chemicals huge amounts of mercury and its compounds were released to the environment and has caused serious illness and deaths. Pollution effects are felt to this day. Since then mercury caused disease is known under the name of Minamata. To commemorate the victims of the tragedy caused by an irresponsible handling of mercury in the past, participants of the Conference attended the Minamata Day events.