1. Opening of the session.

2. Organizational matters:

Item 1. Opening of the meeting

Note from the Secretariat

The Secretariat has the honour to transmit to the Chemical Review Committee, in the annex to the present note, information for the sixth meeting of the Committee prepared by the Chair of the Committee, Ms. Marit Randall (Norway).

Note from the Secretariat

1. At its second meeting, the Chemical Review Committee established a procedure for dealing with notifications of final regulatory action to ban or severely restrict a chemical. The procedure has been posted on the Convention website and will be available at the Committee’s sixth meeting in a compilation of policy guidance and working procedures (document UNEP/FAO/RC/CRC.6/INF/3).

Note from the Secretariat

1. The purpose of the present note is to provide the Chemical Review Committee with an overview of the outcome of the deliberations of the Conference of the Parties to the Rotterdam Convention at its fourth meeting, held in Rome from 27 to 31 October 2008. The report of the fourth meeting (UNEP/FAO/RC/COP.4/24) was circulated in December 2008 and posted on the Rotterdam Convention website (www.pic.int).

Note from the Secretariat

1. Under Article 5 of the Rotterdam Convention, when the Secretariat has received at least one notification from each of two prior informed consent (PIC) regions containing 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 to the Convention, recommend to the Conference of the Parties whether the chemical in question should be included in Annex III to the Convention and whether a decision guidance document should be drafted.

Note from the Secretariat

Addendum

Supporting documentation provided by the European Community

The Secretariat has the honour to provide, in the annex to the present note, documentation received from the European Community to support its notification of final regulatory action for amitraz as a pesticide. The documentation has been reproduced as received, without formal editing by the Secretariat.

Note from the Secretariat

Addendum

Supporting documentation provided by the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The Secretariat has the honour to provide, in the annex to the present note, documentation received from the Islamic Republic of Iran to support its notification of final regulatory action for amitraz as a pesticide. The documentation has been reproduced as received, without formal editing by the Secretariat.

Note from the Secretariat

Addendum

Supporting documentation provided by the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The Secretariat has the honour to provide, in the annex to the present note, documentation received from the Islamic Republic of Iran to support its notification of final regulatory action for amitraz as a pesticide. The documentation has been reproduced as received, without formal editing by the Secretariat.

Note from the Secretariat

1. Under Article 5 of the Rotterdam Convention, when the Secretariat has received at least one notification from each of two prior informed consent (PIC) regions containing 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 to the Convention, recommend to the Conference of the Parties whether the chemical in question should be included in Annex III to the Convention and whether a decision guidance document should be drafted.

Note from the Secretariat

Rationale for the Committee’s conclusion that Canada’s notification met the requirements of the Convention

Note from the Secretariat

Addendum

Supporting documentation provided by Norway

Note from the Secretariat

1. Under Article 5 of the Rotterdam Convention, when the Secretariat has received at least one notification from each of two prior informed consent (PIC) regions containing 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 to the Convention, recommend to the Conference of the Parties whether the chemical in question should be included in Annex III to the Convention and whether a decision guidance document should be drafted.

Note from the Secretariat

Addendum

Supporting documentation provided by New Zealand

Note from the Secretariat

Addendum

Supporting documentation provided by the Islamic Republic of Iran

Note from the Secretariat

Addendum

Supporting documentation provided by Malaysia

Note from the Secretariat

Addendum

Additional supporting documentation provided by the Islamic Republic of Iran

Note from the Secretariat

Addendum

Additional supporting documentation provided by New Zealand

Note from the Secretariat

1. Under Article 5 of the Rotterdam Convention, when the Secretariat has received at least one notification from each of two prior informed consent (PIC) regions containing 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 to the Convention, recommend to the Conference of the Parties whether the chemical in question should be included in Annex III to the Convention and whether a decision guidance document should be drafted.

Note from the Secretariat

Addendum

Rationale for the Committee’s conclusion that the notification of the Netherlands met the requirements of the Convention

Note from the Secretariat

Addendum

Supporting documentation provided by Malawi

Note from the Secretariat

1. Under Article 5 of the Rotterdam Convention, when the Secretariat has received at least one notification from each of two prior informed consent (PIC) regions containing 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 to the Convention, recommend to the Conference of the Parties whether the chemical in question should be included

Note from the Secretariat

Addendum

Supporting documentation provided by Sweden

Note from the Secretariat

Addendum

Supporting documentation provided by Sweden

Note from the Secretariat

Addendum

Supporting documentation provided by Sweden

Note from the Secretariat

Addendum

Letter from Sweden regarding its supporting documentation for paraquat

Note from the Secretariat

1. In considering a notification of final regulatory action from Thailand regarding the chemical endosulfan, the Chemical Review Committee at its second meeting discussed extensively the term “misuse” as used in criterion (d) of Annex II to the Rotterdam Convention. To capture the Committee’s discussion and to clarify the matter for future meetings, a working paper on misuse was prepared and forwarded to the Conference of the Parties. It was understood that future notifications relating to misuse should be considered on a case-by-case basis and the working paper should evolve as further experience was gained.

Note from the Secretariat

Corrigendum

Note by the Secretariat

1. At its third meeting, the Chemical Review Committee reviewed the notification of final regulatory action for endosulfan from the European Community, including the supporting documentation referenced therein. Taking into account each of the specific requirements set out in Annex II to the Rotterdam Convention, the Committee concluded that the requirements of that Annex had been met.

Note by the Secretariat

1. At its fifth meeting, the Chemical Review Committee reviewed notifications of final regulatory action for endosulfan from seven African countries (Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Gambia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Senegal), including the supporting documentation referenced therein.

Note by the Secretariat

1. The process for drafting decision guidance documents set out in decision RC-2/2 provides for the creation of task groups to work intersessionally. The Committee developed a paper to provide guidance to such groups in reviewing candidate chemicals with the understanding that it was a work in progress that could be amended in the light of experience gained.

Note by the Secretariat

1. The Chemical Review Committee developed a working paper on the application of criteria (b) (i), (b) (ii) and (b) (iii) of Annex II to the Rotterdam Convention to assist it in judging whether a notification of final regulatory action meets those criteria. The working paper was developed with the understanding that it could be amended in the light of experience gained.

Note by the Secretariat

1. At its second meeting, the Chemical Review Committee reviewed the notifications of final regulatory actions for endosulfan from the Netherlands and Thailand, including the supporting documentation referenced therein, and, taking into account each of the specific requirements set out in Annex II to the Rotterdam Convention, concluded that the requirements of that Annex had been met. Accordingly, the Committee agreed to recommend to the Conference of the Parties that endosulfan should be listed in Annex III to the Rotterdam Convention and proceeded to draft a decision guidance document.

Note by the Secretariat

Addendum

Supporting documentation provided by Thailand

I. Opening of the meeting

3. The Committee’s sixth meeting was held at the Varembé Conference Centre in Geneva from 15 to 19 March 2010. The meeting was opened at 10 a.m. on Monday, 15 March 2010, by Ms. Marit E. Randall (Norway), Chair of the Committee.