M. Carlo RIPA di MEANA, Commissaire responsable de l'environnement et initiateur de la proposition de directive de la Commission a déclaré: "Cette directive contribue à la protection de la santé et de l'environnement au sein de la Communauté, mais son aspect le plus important est qu'elle régularise la situation de la Communauté vis-à-vis des pays tiers, en particulier des pays en développement.
Mr Carlo RIPA di MEANA, Commissioner responsible for Environment, who was at the origin of the Commission's proposal for this directive stated that "the directive contributes to the protection of our health and of our environment within the Community, however, its importance lays in the fact that it puts the Community in order towards third States, especially the developing ones.