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Viewing cable 04MADRID4728, SPAIN ON EU BATTERY DIRECTIVE

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
04MADRID4728 2004-12-16 10:13 2011-08-24 16:30 UNCLASSIFIED Embassy Madrid 
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

161013Z Dec 04
 
UNCLAS MADRID 004728 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT PASS TO PENELOPE NAAS, DON WRIGHT, AND LEE 
ZACHOS (CABLE CODE 4211/MAC/OEURA) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EIND ETRD SENV SP
SUBJECT: SPAIN ON EU BATTERY DIRECTIVE 
 
REF: SECSTATE 259043 
 
1.  ESTHOFF discussed reftel December 15 with Environment 
Ministry Waste Prevention Deputy Director General Juan 
Martinez Sanchez, requesting answers to the five specified 
questions.  Martinez Sanchez provided the following responses 
(keyed to the five questions): 
 
--  Until December 8, 2004, Spain had placed a reservation on 
Article 4 of the draft EU Battery Directive.  The reservation 
was related to concerns about prohibiting the use of cadmium 
in batteries used in emergency light and alarm systems.  This 
reservation was lifted on December 8, 2004.  In Martinez 
Sanchez's words, "Spain now morally supports" the prohibition 
of lead/cadmium/mercury batteries.  However, Spain does not 
feel so strongly about the issue that it would block an EU 
consensus position in favor of a reinforced 
collection/recycling (vice prohibition) scheme. 
 
--  Spain does not have national legislation or regulations 
in place regarding the collection and disposition of used 
batteries and thus has no national collection system in 
place.  Spain plans to adopt a national collection system 
"shortly." 
 
--  Regarding eventual collection targets, Spain hopes to 
adopt a national collection system that, following a ten-year 
phase in period, would capture at least 60 percent of used 
batteries. 
 
--  As for the financing of eventual collection, Spain 
believes that battery producers/importers should assume all 
costs for the future national collection system.  Such 
financing would be consistent with Spanish Law 10/96 on waste 
management. 
 
--  The Spanish Environment Ministry has not/not assessed the 
impact the draft EU Battery Directive would have on domestic 
appliance and battery producers.  Spain has only one 
manufacturer of portable batteries and this company makes 
no/no nickel-cadmium batteries. 
 
2.  COMMENT:  Spanish law permits individual Spanish regions 
to adopt voluntary battery collection/recycling schemes. 
Such a scheme is in place in Madrid and several other regions. 
MANZANARES