In December 1985, the EC Council authorised the EC Commission to conduct negotiations to enable the Community to become a contracting party to the European Agreement limiting the use of certain detergents in washing and cleaning products and the Protocol amending that Agreement. Shortly afterwards, the Commission examined with the Secretariat of the Council of Europe what procedures would allow the Community to accede to these instruments.
As a result of these consultations, the Commission reached the conclusion that it was not advisable to continue these negotiations inasmuch as the member states of the Council of Europe which are not Community member states had not, with the exception of Switzerland, shown any interest in the Agreement or the Protocol.
Subsequently, the EC Council, on receipt of a recommendation from the Commission, agreed that (a) the negotiations should not be continued; (b) those member states which had not already signed the Council of Europe instruments would refrain from doing so; and (c) those member states which had signed the instruments would not deposit the ratification or approval instruments.
The Convention would appear to have been opened for signature around 1966. In view of the EC Council's aforementioned conclusions, there would appear to be little compelling reason to proceed to ratification at this stage.