1 Rotterdam Convention and listing in Annex III

2 Objective of the Convention To promote shared responsibility and cooperative efforts among Parties in the international trade of certain hazardous chemicals in order to protect human health and the environment from potential harm and to contribute to their environmentally sound use

3 Scope of the Convention Chemicals banned or severely restricted by Parties to protect human health or the environment Severely hazardous pesticide formulations (SHPF) causing problems for human health or the environment under conditions of use in developing countries or countries with economies in transition

4 PIC procedure Prior Informed Consent (PIC) procedure Helps to control and monitor the import of hazardous chemicals by disseminating import decisions worldwide Currently applies to 43 pesticides and industrial chemicals Attempts to ensure compliance with these decisions from exporting Parties Shared responsibility between importing and exporting Parties

5 What happens when a chemical becomes subject to the PIC procedure? COP decides to list a chemical in Annex III to the Convention >> the chemical is made subject to the PIC procedure. The Decision Guidance Document will be circulated to provide information to countries to make an informed decision on whether they will consent to imports. Countries take a decision on their willingness to receive imports of the chemical and inform the Secretariat. The Secretariat informs the world of import decisions through the PIC Circular age/en-US/Default.aspx Exporting Parties are required to abide by those import decisions and not export chemicals to Parties against their wishes

6 Key provision: PIC procedure How does a chemical become subject to the PIC procedure?

7 Benefits 1. Early warning system PIC Circular provides information on: notifications of regulatory actions to ban or severely restrict chemicals incidents (human poisoning and environmental damage) associated with the use of severely hazardous pesticide formulations

8 Benefits 2. Informed decision-making PIC Procedure Decision Guidance Documents provide the basis for a decision-making process on future imports of PIC chemicals Information exchange Information available through the PIC Circular as well as directly from other Parties can be used to inform/strengthen national decisions on hazardous chemicals SHARED RESPONSIBILITY

9 Benefits 3. Export notification Reminds importing Parties of a national regulatory actions in the exporting Party Informs importing Parties that the chemical may be in use in their country Provides an opportunity to seek further information from the exporting Party

10 Benefits 4. Information accompanying export Improved labeling and provision of safety data sheets assist importing countries to understand and manage potential risks – consistent with obligations under the Globally Harmonized System (GHS) of classification and labelling of chemicals HS Codes facilitate tracking PIC chemicals

11 Benefits 5. Network of DNAs Access to DNAs in other countries with similar conditions Opportunities to exchange experience and information in the implementation of the Rotterdam Convention

12 Benefits 6. Technical Assistance Parties cooperate in promoting technical assistance to develop the infrastructure and capacity required to implement the Convention Parties with more advanced systems to regulate chemicals provide technical assistance to other Parties

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