Proposal for a Council Decision establishing the position to be adopted with regard to amendments to Annex III to the Rotterdam Convention

Summary:

On 13 December 2012 the European Commission presented a proposal for a Council Decision on the position to be taken on behalf of the Union regarding proposed amendments to Annex III to the Rotterdam Convention. The Decision was adopted at the meeting of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council on 22 April 2013.

Further information:

The Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for certain hazardous chemicals and pesticides in international trade represents a major step forward in the international regulation of certain hazardous chemicals, including pesticides. Its objective is to promote shared responsibility and co-operative efforts among the Parties in the international trade of such chemicals in order to protect human health and the environment from potential harm and to contribute to their environmentally sound use.

The Convention entered into force on 24 February 2004. By Decision 2006/730/EC of 25 September 2006, the Council approved the Convention on behalf of the European Community.

At its sixth meeting in Geneva, 28 April - 11 May 2013, the Conference of the Parties (COP6) is expected to take a decision on the inclusion of further chemicals in Annex III to the Convention, making them subject to the PIC procedure.

Official

Council of the European Union: Press Release, 22/04/2013: Agriculture and Fisheries Council, Brussels, 22 April 2013 http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_PRES-13-145_en.htm

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