Commission presents mercury strategy[fr][de] 

The main elements of the new EU mercury strategy are:

• European exports of mercury to be banned by 2011
• further global action in international platforms and with other countries
• reduction of EU demand by restricting marketing of certain products (e.g. thermometers)
• safe storage measures for the EU's surpluses
• reduction of other EU emissions of mercury
• more research and information programmes on the relationship between mercury and health (as part of the 7th research framework programme)

The European chlor-alkali industry has already reduced its manufacturing emissions markedly over the last decade through voluntary actions. In a first reaction to the Commission's new strategy, Euro Chlor expressed its intention to continue reducing mercury, but warned that a "unilateral EU export ban on its own is unlikely to solve the global mercury problem". It urges more international action. "If this is not achieved, mercury mines elsewhere could legitimately increase production to meet market demand that would otherwise be met by recycled mercury from the European chlor-alkali industry," said the EU's chlor industry lobby.

Environmental groups on the other hand showed their satisfaction with the EU's proposed strategy. Greenpeace said in a press statement that the EU "asserts leadership in addressing global mercury pollution". But the environmentalists also cautioned that more specific measures are required to "implement the phase-out of mercury production at the world's largest mine in Almaden, Spain" and demanded stricter measures regarding emissions from larger coal-fired combustion plants.