Basel Convention

FRANCE

Status of Ratification/Accession/Acceptance/Approval:	07.01.1991 (AA)
Ratification/Acceptance of the Amendment to the Basel Convention:	Not yet as of 20.11.2002

Competent Authority	Focal Point
Competent Authority for Transit: Ministère Chargé de l’Environnement DPPR / SDPD 20 Avenue de Ségur, 75307 Paris 07 SP tel: [phone] fax: [phone] e-mail: [e-mail] web site: www.environnement.gouv.fr There are 104 Competent Authorities for Export and Import. A complete list can be obtained from the Competent Authority for Transit or at www.environnement.gouv.fr	Same as the Competent Authority for Transit

National Definition

“Waste” shall mean any substance or object in the categories set out in annex I of the Directive CEE 75/442 from 15 July 1975, as modified, which the holder discards or intends or is required to discard. The national definition of hazardous waste used for the purpose of transboundary movements is in accordance with EC Regulation 259/93. France regulates/controls additional wastes as hazardous that are not included in Art. 1 (1)a of the Basel Convention and would be controlled for the purpose of transboundary movements pursuant to Art. 1 (1)b. These wastes are the ones included in lists amber and red, and unlisted waste of the EC regulation 259/93. In France there are no wastes other than those pursuant to Art. 1 (1)a and/or Art. 1 (1)b that require special consideration when subjected to transboundary movement.

Data* on the Generation and Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes** and Other Wastes*** in 2000 (as reported)

		Quantities (in metric tonnes)
Generation	Total amount of hazardous wastesgenerated	9 150 000 ^1)
	Total amount of other wastesgenerated	47 000 000^2)
Transboundary Movement	Total amount of hazardous wastesand other wastesexported	189 073 ^3)
	Total amount of hazardous wastesand other wastesimported	769 458 ^4)

* Figures are rounded to the nearest integer.

** Covers wastes under Art. 1 (1)a (Annex I: Y1-Y45) and Art. 1 (1)b.

*** Covers wastes under (Annex II: Y46-Y47).

1) ADEME (2000). Excluding production of waste from overseas French territories. Estimated amount. In accordance with French national definition of hazardous waste, includes hazardous industrial waste and healthcare risk waste.

2) ADEME (2000). Amount refers to municipal waste.

3) Consists of total amount of hazardous wastes under Art. 1 (1)a (Annex I: Y1-Y45) exported: 111 732 mt + total amount of hazardous wastes under Art. 1 (1)b exported: 70 158 mt + Y46 (Annex II): exported: 7 183 mt.

4) Consists of total amount of hazardous wastes under Art. 1 (1)a (Annex I: Y1-Y45) imported: 180 291 mt + total amount of hazardous wastes under Art. 1 (1)b imported: 589 125 mt + Y46 (Annex II) imported: 41 mt.

Restrictions on Transboundary Movement	Amendment to the Basel Convention The amendment to the Basel Convention (Decision III/1) has been implemented in France through the EC regulation 259/93 On October 10^th of 2002, the Senate approved the Basel Convention Ban Amendment. Before its ratification, it still has to be voted by the National Assembly.
	Restrictions on export for final disposal France allows the export of hazardous wastes and other wastes for final disposal to some countries only (EU and EFTA), in accordance with EU Regulation 259/93.
	Restriction on export for recovery France has no restrictions on the export of hazardous wastes and other wastes for recovery other than the amendment to the Basel Convention (Decision III/1).
	Restrictions on transit and import for final disposal and for recovery France has no restrictions on the transit and import of hazardous wastes and other wastes for final disposal and for recovery.

Reduction and/or Elimination of Hazardous Waste Generation	National strategies/policies Policies on PCB/PCT, packaging waste, batteries, vehicles, tires and electronic waste.
	Legislation, regulations and guidelines Decree n° 2001-63 from January 18^th on sale, use and disposal of polychlorinated biphenyls and polychlorinated terphenyls (PCB/PCT); Decree No. 98-638 from July 20^th 1998 about how to take into account the environment requirements in the design and the manufacturing of packaging; and Decree No. 99-374 from May 12^th 1999 about introducing batteries in the market and their disposal.
	Economic instruments/ initiatives Taxes (General tax on polluting activities) on the disposal of hazardous wastes and other wastes.
	Measures taken by industries/waste generators Agreement on the treatment of end-of-life vehicles, from March 10^th 1993.

Transboundary Movement Reduction Measures	National strategies/policies Every region must have a waste management plan for hazardous wastes; and every department must have a waste management plan for household waste.
	Legislation, regulations and guidelines Environment code (book 5, title 4).

Disposal/ Recovery Facilities

Information can be obtained from: ADEME (Agence de l’Environnement et de la Maitrise de l’Energie); 2 square Lafayette, BP 406, 49004, Angers Cedex.

Bilateral, Multilateral or Regional Agreements

OECD Council Decision C(2001)107/Final, multilateral agreement concerning the control of transboundary movements of wastes destined for recovery operations.

Technical Assistance and Training Available

The available sources are: ADEME (Agence de l’Environnement et de la Maitrise de l’Energie), 2 Square Lafayette, BP 406, 49004 Angers Cedex, www.ademe.fr/anglais/vadefault.htm; INERIS, Parc Technologique Alata, BP 2, 60550 Verneuil-en-Halattewww.ineris.fr/en/; INSA-POLDEN, BP 2132, 69603 Villeurbanne Cedex www.insa-lyon.fr/Laboratoires/polden.gb.html; and BRGM, BP 6009, 45060 Orleans Cedex 2. www.brgm.fr/ANGLAIS/anglais.htm The most important companies treating waste have research laboratories and also provide assistance in these fields.

Basel Convention

Country Fact Sheet