EU legislation had already implemented all provisions of the Stockholm Convention on pollutants, said a press statement.

"But by becoming a party to the Convention, the European Union can push for its efficient implementation all over the world and for inclusion of additional additional substances to be banned globally," it added.

"The Commission has already prepared a list of such substances that should be the next generation of phase-outs," said outgoing environment commissioner Margot Wallstroem:

"I am urgently waiting for the go-ahead from the (European Council of Ministers) to submit this list to the Convention."

POPs are chemicals remaining intact in the environment for long periods that become widely distributed geographically, accumulate in the fatty tissue of living organisms and are toxic to humans and wildlife. They circulate globally and can cause damage wherever they travel.

For example, the Convention limits use of the insecticide DDT in fighting tropical diseases, and bans production of nine other POPs, two insecticides and seven substances or groups of substances.

The Convention, which went into force last May, has been ratified to date by 83 countries, including 13 of the 25 EU member-states.

All rights reserved. � 2005 Agence France-Presse. Sections of the information displayed on this page (dispatches, photographs, logos) are protected by intellectual property rights owned by Agence France-Presse. As a consequence, you may not copy, reproduce, modify, transmit, publish, display or in any way commercially exploit any of the content of this section without the prior written consent of Agence France-Presse.