CEPQ.2

1. Opening of the session.

2. Organizational matters:

Item 1. Opening of the meeting

Note by the secretariat

The secretariat has the honour to transmit to the Chemical Review Committee, in the annex to the present note, information for the second meeting of the Committee prepared by the Chair of the Committee, Ms. Bettina Hitzfeld (Switzerland).

Note by the secretariat

1. The purpose of the present note is to provide the Chemical Review Committee with an overview of the guidance, action items and decisions relevant to its work that resulted from the deliberations of the Conference of the Parties at its second meeting, in Rome, from 27 to 30 September 2005. The report of the second meeting of the Conference of the Parties (UNEP/FAO/RC/COP.2/19) was circulated in December 2005 and posted on the Rotterdam Convention web site (www.pic.int).

Note by the secretariat

1. At its second meeting, the Conference of the Parties considered the issue of procedures for risk evaluations under other multilateral agreements and requested the secretariat to prepare a paper for consideration by the Chemical Review Committee at its second meeting on how a substance whose trade was prohibited, severely restricted or managed in some way under other multilateral agreements should be treated under the Rotterdam Convention. The Chemical Review Committee would report back to the Conference of the Parties on that paper at the latter’s third meeting.

Note by the secretariat

1. At its second meeting, the Conference of the Parties considered the issue of procedures for risk evaluations under other multilateral agreements and requested the secretariat to prepare a paper for consideration by the Chemical Review Committee at its second meeting on how a substance whose trade was prohibited, severely restricted or managed in some way under other multilateral agreements should be treated under the Rotterdam Convention. The Chemical Review Committee was to report back to the Conference of the Parties on the issue at the latter’s third meeting.

Note by the secretariat

1. At is first meeting, the Chemical Review Committee requested the secretariat to prepare a paper setting out a possible procedure for dealing with notifications with the objective of improving the efficiency of the operation of the Committee at future meetings.

Note by the secretariat

1. At its first meeting, the Chemical Review Committee established two task groups to consider questions regarding how to determine whether notifications of candidate chemicals met criteria (b) (i), (ii) and (iii) in Annex II of the Convention.

Note by the secretariat

1. At its first meeting, the Chemical Review Committee considered a number of operational procedures relevant to its work and concluded, among other things, that there was a need for measures to promote the efficiency of its intersessional work, including the setting of priorities and deadlines. In that context, the Committee proposed that the secretariat, working with the Bureau, undertake a preliminary review of notifications of final regulatory action submitted in accordance with article 5 of the Convention.

Note by the secretariat

1. Under article 5 of the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade, when the Secretariat has received at least one notification from each of two prior informed consent (PIC) regions that contain the information required in Annex I to the Convention, it shall forward the notifications and accompanying documentation to the members of the Chemical Review Committee. The Committee shall review the documentation provided in such notifications and, in accordance with the criteria set out in Annex II, recommend to the Conference of the Parties whether the chemical in question should be included in Annex III and a decision guidance document drafted.

Note by the secretariat

The annex to the present note contains the supporting documentation provided by Canada in support of its final regulatory action on alachlor.

Note by the secretariat

The annex to the present note contains the supporting documentation provided by Netherlands in support of its final regulatory action on alachlor.

Note by the secretariat

The annex to the present note contains additional supporting documentation provided by Netherlands in support of its final regulatory action on alachlor.

Note by the secretariat

1. Under article 5 of the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade, when the Secretariat has received at least one notification from each of two prior informed consent (PIC) regions that contain the information required in Annex I to the Convention, it shall forward the notifications and accompanying documentation to the members of the Chemical Review Committee. The Committee shall review the documentation provided in such notifications and, in accordance with the criteria set out in Annex II, recommend to the Conference of the Parties whether the chemical in question should be included in Annex III and a decision guidance document drafted.

Note by the secretariat

The annex to the present note contains the supporting documentation provided by Canada in support of its final regulatory action on tributyl tin.

Note by the secretariat

The annex to the present note contains the supporting documentation provided by the European Community in support of its final regulatory action on tributyl tin. This supporting documentation was previously considered by the Chemical Review Committee at its first meeting in document UNEP/FAO/RC/CRC.1/27/Add.1.

Note by the secretariat

1. Under article 5 of the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade, when the Secretariat has received at least one notification from each of two prior informed consent (PIC) regions that contain the information required in Annex I to the Convention, it shall forward the notifications and accompanying documentation to the members of the Chemical Review Committee. The Committee shall review the documentation provided in such notifications and, in accordance with the criteria set out in Annex II, recommend to the Conference of the Parties whether the chemical in question should be included in Annex III and a decision guidance document drafted.

Note by the secretariat

1. The annex to this present note contains the supporting documentation provided by Canada in support of their final regulatory action on cyhexatin.

Note by the secretariat

The annex to the present note contains the supporting documentation provided by Japan in support of its final regulatory action on cyhexatin.

Note by the secretariat

The annex to the present note contains the fact sheet issued following the removal of cyhexatin from the voluntary prior informed consent procedure, along with the amended decision guidance document containing the new information.

Note by the secretariat

1. Under article 5 of the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade, when the Secretariat has received at least one notification from each of two prior informed consent (PIC) regions that contain the information required in Annex I to the Convention, it shall forward the notifications and accompanying documentation to the members of the Chemical Review Committee. The Committee shall review the documentation provided in such notifications and, in accordance with the criteria set out in Annex II, recommend to the Conference of the Parties whether the chemical in question should be included in Annex III and a decision guidance document drafted.

Note by the secretariat

The annex to the present note contains the supporting documentation provided by Canada in support of its final regulatory action on DBCP.

Note by the secretariat

The annex to the present note contains the supporting documentation provided by Thailand in support of its final regulatory action on DBCP.

Note by the secretariat

1. Under article 5 of the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade, when the secretariat has received at least one notification from each of two prior informed consent (PIC) regions that contain the information required in Annex I to the Convention, it shall forward the notifications and accompanying documentation to the members of the Chemical Review Committee. The Committee shall review the information provided in such notifications and, in accordance with the criteria set out in Annex II, recommend to the Conference of the Parties whether the chemical in question should be included in Annex III and a decision guidance document drafted.

Note by the secretariat

The annex to the present note contains the supporting documentation provided by the Netherlands in support of its final regulatory action on dicofol.

Note by the secretariat

The annex to the present note contains the supporting documentation provided by Romania in support of its final regulatory action on dicofol.

Note by the secretariat

The annex to the present note contains the supporting documentation provided by Japan in support of its final regulatory action on dicofol.

Note by the secretariat

The annex to the present note contains the supporting documentation provided by the Netherlands in support of its final regulatory action on dicofol.

Note by the secretariat

1. Under article 5 of the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade, when the Secretariat has received at least one notification from each of two prior informed consent (PIC) regions that contain the information required in Annex I to the Convention, it shall forward the notifications and accompanying documentation to the members of the Chemical Review Committee. The Committee shall review the documentation provided in such notifications and, in accordance with the criteria set out in Annex II, recommend to the Conference of the Parties whether the chemical in question should be included in Annex III and a decision guidance document drafted.

Note by the secretariat

The annex to the present note contains the supporting documentation provided by the Netherlands in support of its final regulatory action on endosulfan. This supporting documentation was previously considered by the Chemical Review Committee at its first meeting as document UNEP/FAO/RC/CRC.1/15/Add.2.

Note by the secretariat

The annex to the present note contain the supporting documentation provided by Thailand in support of its final regulatory action on endosulfan.

Note by the secretariat

The annex to the present note contains the supporting documentation provided by Côte d’Ivoire in support of its final regulatory action on endosulfan. When the notification by Côte d’Ivoire on endosulfan was considered by the Chemical Review Committee at its first meeting, the supporting documentation was not available for consideration.

Note by the secretariat

The annex to the present note contains additional supporting documentation provided by Thailand in support of its final regulatory action on endosulfan.

Note by the secretariat

1. Annexed to this note is the additional supporting documentation provided by Thailand in support of their final regulatory action on endosulfan.

Note by the secretariat

1. Annexed to this note is a translation of the additional supporting documentation provided by Thailand in support of their final regulatory action on endosulfan.

Note by the secretariat

1. Under article 5 of the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade, when the secretariat has received at least one notification from each of two prior informed consent (PIC) regions that contain the information required in Annex I to the Convention, it shall forward the notifications and accompanying documentation to the members of the Chemical Review Committee. The Committee shall review the information provided in such notifications and, in accordance with the criteria set out in Annex II, recommend to the Conference of the Parties whether the chemical in question should be included in Annex III and a decision guidance document drafted.

Note by the secretariat

The annex to the present note contains the supporting documentation provided by Canada in support of its final regulatory action on mirex.

Note by the secretariat

The annex to the present note contains the supporting documentation provided by Japan in support of its final regulatory action on mirex.

Note by the secretariat

The annex to the present note contains the supporting documentation provided by Bulgaria in support of its final regulatory action on mirex.

Note by the secretariat

1. Under article 5 of the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade, when the Secretariat has received at least one notification from each of two prior informed consent (PIC) regions that contain the information required in Annex I to the Convention, it shall forward the notifications and accompanying documentation to the members of the Chemical Review Committee. The Committee shall review the documentation provided in such notifications and, in accordance with the criteria set out in Annex II, recommend to the Conference of the Parties whether the chemical in question should be included in Annex III and a decision guidance document drafted.

Note by the secretariat

1. The supporting documentation provided by the European Community in support of its final regulatory action on methyl parathion was circulated for consideration at the first meeting of the Chemical Review Committee in document UNEP/FAO/RC/CRC.1/19/Add.4.

Note by the secretariat

The annex to the present note contains the supporting documentation provided by Thailand in support of its final regulatory action on methyl parathion.

Note by the secretariat

The annex to the present note contains the supporting documentation provided by Bulgaria in support of its final regulatory action on methyl parathion.

Note by the secretariat

The annex to the present note contains the supporting documentation provided by Côte d’Ivoire in support of its final regulatory action on methyl parathion. When the notification by Côte d’Ivoire on methyl parathion was considered by the Chemical Review Committee at its first meeting, the supporting documentation was not available for consideration.

Note by the secretariat

The annex to the present note contains additional supporting documentation provided by Thailand in support of its final regulatory action on methyl parathion.

Note by the secretariat

1. Under article 5 of the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade, when the secretariat has received at least one notification from each of two prior informed consent (PIC) regions that contain the information required in Annex I to the Convention, it shall forward the notifications and accompanying documentation to the members of the Chemical Review Committee. The Committee shall review the information provided in such notifications and, in accordance with the criteria set out in Annex II, recommend to the Conference of the Parties whether the chemical in question should be included in Annex III and a decision guidance document drafted.

Note by the secretariat

The annex to the present note contains the supporting documentation provided by Latvia in support of its final regulatory action on 4-nitrobiphenyl.

Note by the secretariat

The annex to the present note contains the supporting documentation provided by Japan in support of its final regulatory action on 4-nitrobiphenyl.

Note by the Secretariat

1. At its first meeting, the Chemical Review Committee reviewed the notifications of final regulatory actions for chrysotile asbestos from the European Community, Chile and Australia, including the supporting documentation referenced therein, and, taking into account each of the specific requirements set out in Annex II of the Rotterdam Convention, concluded that the requirements of that Annex had been met (see the report of the meeting, document UNEP/FAO/RC/CRC.1/28, paragraphs 91 and 92).

I. Opening of the meeting

4. The second meeting of the Committee was held at the Varembé Conference Centre in Geneva from 13 to 17 February 2006. The meeting was opened at 10.10 a.m. on Monday, 13 February 2006, by Ms. Bettina Hitzfeld (Switzerland), Chair of the Committee, who welcomed the participants to Geneva.