3.4. 85 Official Journal of the European Communities No L 96/25 (Acts whose publication is not obligatory) COUNCIL COUNCIL DIRECTIVE of 20 March 1985 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States concerning the lead content of petrol (85/210/EEC) ’ THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, and in particular Article 100 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commis- sion (%), . Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament (%), Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (%), Whereas the protection and improvement of public health and of the environment are at present, and will in the future be, one of the items of major concern for all industrialized countries; whereas the effects on public health and the environment of pollution caused by substances emitted in the exhaust gas of vehicles must be regarded as serious owing to the continuous increase .in the volume of motor vehicle traffic; Whereas Council Directive 78/611/EEC of 29 June 1978 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States concerning the lead content of petrol (%) fixed a maximum value for the permitted lead-compound content of petrol of between 0,40 and 0,15 g/l; Whereas the third action programme on the environ- ment, the general approach of which was approved in () OJ No C 178, 6. 7. 1984, p. 5. () O] No C 12, 14. 1. 1985, p. S6. () O] No C 25, 28. 1. 1985, p. 46. () OJ No L 197, 20. 7. 1978, p. 19. the resolution of 7 February 1983 (%) by the Council and the representatives of the governments of the Member States meeting within the Council, provides for further efforts to reduce considerably the present levels of exhaust pollution ; | Whereas existing or future disparities in the national laws of the Member States concerning the composition of petrol and in particular the rules governing the limitations on the lead content and on the benzene content of motor vehicle petrol may directly affect the functioning of the common market ; . Whereas refining technology allows for a lowering of the lead content of leaded petrol to 0,15 g Pb/l without adverse effects on the quality of petrol ; Whereas the reduction and, ultimately, the elimination of lead in petrol will improve the health protection of the population, particularly in areas with dense traffic ; whereas the early introduction of unleaded petrol is also desirable to permit, where appropriate, the appli- cation of certain anti-pollution technologies for drasti- cally reducing polluting emissions from motor vehicles, in particular nitrogen oxides and unburned hydrocarbons ; *Whereas for a certain time leaded petrol must continue to be available on Member States’ markets alongside unleaded petrol, in order to satisfy, given the prevailing economic and technical conditions, the requirements of a large proportion of the existing vehicle fleet; () OJ No C 46, 17. 2. 1983, p. 1.