The CCA 2006 meeting of the Committee of the Competent Authorities of the European Union dealing with the implementation of the Seveso Directive will be held in Porvoo on 4—6 October 2006. The venue of the meeting is the Haikko Manor. Around 90 participants from the EU member states, the acceding countries, the candidate countries and the Commission are expected to the meeting.

The Seveso Directive applies to the prevention of major-accident hazards involved in dangerous chemicals. The Directive prescribes the industrial enterprises’ responsibilities in handling and storage of flammable and explosive chemicals, which include explosives, LPG, hydrogen and gasoline, and chemicals dangerous to health and the environment, such as ammonia, chlorine and sulphur dioxide.

The CCA (Committee of the Competent Authorities) is an EU body that promotes the implementation of the Directive and develops the prevention of major-accident hazards and research of this field. Comprised of the competent authorities of the member states, the Committee is chaired by a representative of the European Commission.

The purpose of the meeting is to examine the state-of-the-art of the implementation, to discuss the interpretations and the trouble-shooting solutions, and to exchange the surveillance experiences. In Finland, the main authority surveillance responsibility lies with the Safety Technology Authority (TUKES), while rescue planning is to a great extent attended to by the Ministry of the Interior and the regional rescue services departments. Finland is in the forefront in implementing the Seveso Directive; we have up-to-date national legislation and compliant surveillance practices. The Directive has called for new statutes and authority co-operation e.g. in the fields of land use and rescue services. 

The CCA 2006 is part of the meeting programme of Finland’s EU Presidency. The participants will also visit the town of Porvoo and the nearby oil refinery of Neste Oil Corporation. 

The meeting is hosted and organised by TUKES and the Ministry of Trade and Industry of Finland.

 

For more information:      

The Seveso Directive and related surveillance;
Director Päivi Rantakoski, TUKES

Meeting arrangements;
Chief Information Officer Willy Toiviainen, TUKES

TUKES tel. +358 10 6052 000

e-mail: givenname.surname@tukes.fi