ENB @ Rotterdam Convention INC-11 and COP-1, Geneva, Switzerland 18-24 September 2004

	Eleventh session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee for an International Legally Binding Instrument for the Application of the Prior Informed Consent Procedure (PIC) for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade (INC-11) Geneva, Switzerland; 18 September 2004 First meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade Geneva, Switzerland; 20 - 24 September 2004

Earth Negotiations Bulletin - ENB

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Curtain Raiser
Sat 18
Mon 20
Tue 21
Wed 22
Thu 23
Fri 24 & SUMMARY

Highlights for Thursday, 23 September 2004

Delegates met in a high-level segment in the morning and afternoon to hear statements from ministers and heads of delegation. In the afternoon, the Committee of the Whole (COW) met to finalize its work and adopt its report.
Above photo: Traditional Swiss horns while President Philippe Roch listens at the background.

HIGH-LEVEL SEGMENT :



Above photos L-R: Swiss traditional folk singers and cowbell handlers during the start of the high level segment.

Above photo: The dais during the opening plenary of the high-level segment


Moritz Leuenberger, Swiss Federal Councillor in charge of the Federal Department of Environment, Transport, Communications and Energy, recalled the commitment of the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) to ensure the Rotterdam Convention’s entry into force.	Above photo: President Roch (center) opened the plenary of the high-level segment.


Louise Fresco, FAO Assistant Director-General, called for improved coordination among ministries at the national level.	Klaus Töpfer, UNEP Executive Director, noted that the Rotterdam Convention’s entry into force was not only an important step forward for the chemicals agenda, but also for the overall agenda of sustainable development.

LOCATION OF THE SECRETARIAT: German Presentation



The offer by Germany to host the Secretariat in Bonn was presented by: Jürgen Trittin , Federal Minister of Environment, Nature, Conservation and Nuclear Safety, Germany; and Bärbel Dieckmann, Mayor of Bonn.

Swiss-Italian Presentation

The offer by Switzerland and Italy to host the Secretariat in Geneva and Rome was presented by: Leuenberger; Ambassador Paolo Bruni, Permanent Representative of Italy to the UN in Geneva; Mariapia Garavaglia, Deputy Mayor of Rome; and Ambassador Beat Nobs, Swiss Agency for Environment, Forests and Landscape.

COUNTRY STATEMENTS:

Minister Cheick Abdel Kader Sangare (Guinea) (above left) and Minister Luc-Marie Gnacaddja (Benin) recalled that the Rotterdam Convention was the product of Chapter 19 of Agenda 21 adopted in 1992 at the UN Conference on Environment and Development

Deputy Minister Tomas Novotny (Czech Republic) stressed the importance of including all substances that meet the criteria under Annex III.

Deputy Minister Rejoice Mabudafhasi (South Africa) stated the Convention was the first line of defense for chemicals management, and highlighted its potential contribution to reducing poverty, death and disease caused by chemicals mismanagement.

COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE :

REPORT OF THE COW:

The COW agreed to forward the revised draft from the legal working group (UNEP/FAO/RC/COP.1/5/rev.1)

Delegates approved the report of the COW (UNEP/FAO/RC/COP.1/CW/L.1) with amendments to reflect the decisions on Annex III, non-compliance, and activities of the Secretariat, as well as minor editorial changes. Above photo: view of the plenary.

ENB Snapshots:

German Reception: Hosted by Jürgen Trittin (below left) , Federal Minister of Environment, Nature, Conservation and Nuclear Safety, Germany; and Bärbel Dieckmann, Mayor of Bonn.