DIRECTIVE 2002/95/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCILof 27 January 2003on the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipmentTHE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THEEUROPEAN UNION,Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,and in particular Article 95 thereof,Having regard to the proposal from the Commission (1),Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and SocialCommittee (2),Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of Regions (3),Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article251 of the Treaty in the light of the joint text approved by theConciliation Committee on 8 November 2002 (4),Whereas:(1) The disparities between the laws or administrative measures adopted by the Member States as regards the restriction of the use of hazardous substances in electricaland electronic equipment could create barriers totrade and distort competition in the Community andmay thereby have a direct impact on the establishmentand functioning of the internal market. It therefore appears necessary to approximate the laws of the Member States in this field and to contribute to the protection of human health and the environmentally sound recovery and disposal of waste electrical and electronic equipment.