Article 1
1. Every discharge of mercury by industrial sectors other than the chlor-alkali electrolysis industry into the maritime area as defined in Article 3a of the Convention, or into watercourses that affect the maritime area, shall require prior authorization by the competent authority of the Contracting Party concerned. Such authorizations shall lay down emission standards for the discharge and shall be reviewed periodically. 2. The emission standards must not exceed the limit values as set out in paragraph 3 below, except where a Contracting Party applies quality objectives in conformity with Annexes II and IV. 3. The limit values, the time limits by which they must be complied with and the monitoring procedure for discharges are laid down in Annex I. The limit values shall normally apply at the point where waste waters containing mercury leave the industrial plant. When waste waters containing mercury are treated outside the industrial plant at a treatment plant intended for the removal of mercury, the Contracting Party concerned may permit the limit values to be applied at the point where the waste waters leave the treatment plant. 4. Without prejudice to their obligations arising from paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 and to the provisions of the Convention, the Contracting Parties may grant authorizations for new plants only if those plants apply the standards corresponding to the best technical means available when that is necessary for the prevention and elimination of pollution. Whatever method it adopts, where for technical reasons the intended measures do not correspond to the best technical means available, the Contracting Party shall provide the Commission with evidence in support of these reasons before any authorization. The Commission shall, at its next meeting, examine the information provided. 5. For the purposes of these programmes and measures, 'new plant' means: -an industrial plant which has become operational after the date of adoption of these programmes and measures, -an existing industrial plant whose mercury-handling capacity has been substantially increased since the date of adoption of these programmes and measures. 6. The reference method of analysis to be used in determining the presence of mercury is given in Annex III, paragraph 1. Other methods may be used provided that the limits of detection, precision and accuracy of such methods are at least as good as those laid down in Annex III, paragraph 1. The accuracy required in the measurement of effluent flow is given in Annex III, paragraph 2.