The EU Parliament reached an agreement with the Council, at first reading, on the creation of an EU PRTR, in line with the provisions of the UN Protocol. The EU PRTR, which will be accessible via the internet as of 2009, will contain data on industrial pollution and provide the public with information on the quality of their environment at local level, and throughout Europe. The Register will take the form of an inventory of over 91 substances which are released into the air, water and soil by 65 industrial installations and will also contain information on the treatment of waste and waste water by these installations. Its register will allow the EU to ratify and implement the protocol on registers of the release and transfer of pollutants, which was negotiated under the aegis of the UN Economic Commission for Europe and signed May 2003.
