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Eighth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) for an international legally binding instrument for the application of the Prior Informed Consent procedure for certain hazardous chemicals and pesticides in international trade

Rome, Italy 8-12 October 2001

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Update for Monday, 8 October 2001  


On the first day of INC-8, delegates met in morning and afternoon Plenary sessions. Delegates discussed activities of the Secretariat and the situation regarding extrabudgetary funds, as well as aspects related to implementation of the interim prior informed consent (PIC) procedure, including: status of implementation; confirmation of experts designated for the Interim Chemical Review Committee (ICRC); report of the second session of the ICRC (ICRC-2); and adoption of decision guidance documents for already identified chemicals. Delegates also heard presentations from the governments of Germany and Italy/Switzerland regarding the location of the permanent Secretariat of the Rotterdam Convention. The dias during opening plenary from L-R: Niek van de Graaf, David Harcharik, Maria Celina de Azevedo Rodrigues, Shafqat Kakakhel, Jim Willis

 

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OPENING SESSION:

INC-8 Chair Maria Celina de Azevedo Rodrigues (Brazil) (left) welcomed delegates and introduced David Harcharik, FAO Deputy Director-General (below). 











He said that as crop production intensifies, new
demands are being placed on the agriculture sector to contribute to,inter alia, protection of biodiversity and the environment, and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

Opening address of David Harcharik, FAO Deputy-Director General



Shafqat Kakakhel, UNEP Deputy Executive Director (left), stated that as part of consultations regarding international environmental governance, UNEP has been called upon to investigate possible approaches to clustering chemicals-related conventions with a view to enhancing cooperation, effectiveness and efficiency.

Opening address of Shafqat Kakakhel, UNEP Deputy Executive Secretary

ACTIVITIES OF THE SECRETARIAT:


Jim Willis, Director, UNEP Chemicals (left), outlined activities of the Secretariat and the situation regarding extrabudgetary funds (UNEP/FAO/PIC/INC.8/2 and INF/8), and welcomed comments and guidance to improve openness, transparency and accountability regarding budgetary matters.



Mohamed el Zarka (EGYPT) (left) requested a workshop for Arabic-speaking countries. 



 The EU said prioritizing would reduce work in other areas, and said another Euros 100,000 would be made available next year. Right photo: Klaus Berend of the EU during this morning's opening session.


Lucienne Tsilavirany (MADAGASCAR) (right) and MALI emphasized the workshops' importance in strengthening skills and addressing specific problems.
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE INTERIM PIC PROCEDURE:
STATUS OF IMPLEMENTATION: Gerold Wyrwal, FAO, discussed the status of implementation of the interim PIC procedure (UNEP/FAO/PIC/INC.8/3 and INF/9), advising that: 195 Parties had nominated 265 designated national authorities, while 27 had not yet done so; there are three new chemicals for which notifications of final regulatory actions have been received by two PIC regions (DNOC, Dinoterb and Asbestos), and which are scheduled for consideration by the next session of the ICRC; and two proposals for severely hazardous pesticide formulations have been received by the Secretariat from Senegal (Granox TBC and Spinox T).


CONFIRMATION OF EXPERTS DESIGNATED FOR THE ICRC:
Niek van der Graaff, FAO (left), announced that one of the ICRC experts had resigned after INC-7, and that a new expert from Australia, representing the Southwest Pacific region, has been acting as an interim member of the ICRC. The INC confirmed his nomination.


PRESENTATION OF ICRC-2 REPORT:
ICRC Chair Reiner Arndt (Germany) (left) then presented the report of ICRC-2 (UNEP/FAO/PIC/INC.8/5). He said the ICRC recommended that the pesticide monocrotophos be subject to the interim PIC procedure, and advised that the ICRC would develop decision guidance document and a recommendation would be made to the INC to include it in the PIC procedure.

PRESENTIONS TO HOST THE PERMANENT SECRETARIAT

German Presentation:


The German Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, and Nuclear Safety presented its offer to host the permanent Secretariat of the Rotterdam Convention in Bonn. The German government stated they would provide long-term rent-free office space, and DM 1,000,000 annually for PIC events held in Germany and an additional DM  1,000,000 for a relocation allowance. Photo clockwise: Members of the German PIC Secretariat Bid Committee, Gila Altmann, State Secretary and Barbel Dieckmann, Mayor of Bonn

Summary of the German offer to host the PIC Secretariat in Bonn

 

Swiss and Italian Presentation:
Switzerland and Italy then made a joint offer to host the permanent Secretariat, reiterating that this would build on existing successful structures, and ensure synergies, efficiency, cost effectiveness and convenience. Switzerland then drew attention to the presence of the Basel Convention Secretariat's presence in Geneva, and said that locating the Secretariat in Rome and Geneva was based on necessity, not on political considerations. Left photo L-R: Beat Nobs (Switzerland) and Paolo Ducci (Italy)

Summary of the joint Swiss and Italian offer to host the PIC Secreatariat in Geneva and Rome. 




ENB Summary of PIC-7
ENB Daily website coverage, photos, Real Audio files and daily reports from PIC-7
Report of the second session of the Interim Chemical Review Committee
PIC (Rotterdam Convention) web site with Meetings and documents
ENB's Introduction to Chemical Management
Joint UNEP Chemicals/WHO GEENET Project

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