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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

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Highlights for Friday, 24 September 2004
 

In the morning, delegates voted on the location of the Convention's Secretariat and met in a high-level segment to hear statements from ministers and heads of delegation. In the afternoon, a budget group met to negotiate financial rules, and COP-1 finalized decisions and the meeting's report. Above photo: President Roch  gaveled the meeting to a close at 18:50.

 

HIGH-LEVEL SEGMENT
 
CLOSING PLENARY:


On his departure from UNEP, Jim Willis, Secretariat (UNEP), expressed his appreciation to his colleagues in the Secretariat for their spirit of camaraderie.

Above photo: President Roch thanked Jim Willis, Secretariat (UNEP) for his work and contribution to the chemicals management regime.


Noting that developing countries were being required to sacrifice implementation projects in order to pay assessed contributions to the trust fund, Maria Celina de Azevedo Rodrigues (Brazil) noted her strong disappointment with the choice of the UN Scale of Assessment.

Alistair McGlone (UK) presented the report of the budget during the closing plenary.


Henrik Eriksen (Norway) proposed compromise text on the African Group’s draft decision concerning the establishment of a financial mechanism for the implementation of the Rotterdam Convention.


Minister Modou Fada Diagne (Senegal) stressed the importance to developing countries of completing the study on the establishment of a financial mechanism, and, on behalf of the African Group, agreed to Norway’s proposal in the spirit of compromise.

STATEMENTS:


Minister Suwit Khunkitti (Thailand) highlighted its national policies in response to its positive and negative experiences with the uses of chemicals.


Minister Speranta Maria Ianculescu (Romania) emphasized the importance of technical assistance for the successful implementation of the Convention, highlighting its importance for countries with economies in transition.


Robert Ford
(US) said the US Congress is in the process of passing legislation that once adopted will enable its ratification of the Rotterdam Convention, hopefully by COP-2.


A
ssistant Minister Wangari Maathai (Kenya) drew attention to its measures to ban and severely restrict pesticides, and its programme to phase out lead in petrol, indicated that it will soon ratify the Convention, and expressed its desire to host COP-3 in Nairobi.


Sachiko Kuwabara Yamamoto
(
Basel Convention) noted its centers’ work in enhancing the capacity of developing countries and those with economies in transition.

Ambassador Viveka Bohn (Sweden) announced Sweden's decision to increase its official development assistance (ODA) to 1% of GDP by 2006.

Kerstin Leitner (WHO) noted the importance of ensuring that the poorest are not disproportionately exposed to chemical risks.


 Algeria said an efficient and coherent management of chemical risks must be achieved through a global framework which takes into account the synergies between the three chemicals-related MEAs, as well as the precautionary principle.
LOCATION OF THE SECRETARIAT:


Above photo: Maria Teriosina
(Lithunaia) (center), chair of the selecting
committee on the physical location of the Convention Secretariat announced Geneva-Rome as the seat of the Rotterdam Convention. 

Above photo: Ambassador Paolo Bruni (Italy) thanked the delegates for their support and confidence for making the Geneva-rome the seat of the Convention.

Above photos L-R: Ambassador Paolo Bruni (Italy) being congratulated by delegates and Italian delegates visibly happy with the decision.
Below photos L-R: Delegate from the Geneva-Rome team raising a toast and Ambassador Beat Nobs (Switzerland) thanked the delegates for their confidence in making Geneva-Rome the seat of the Convention.



ENB PIC Team:  






ENB Snapshots:




This service was prepared in cooperation with the Rotterdam Convention Secretariat


Links

INC-11 and COP-1 documents
UNEP Chemicals Unit
ENB coverage of INC-10
ENB coverage of meetings regarding chemicals management
ENB Brief Introduction to the Rotterdam PIC Convention 
Chrysotile Institute
The International Ban Asbestos Secretariat
Rotterdam Convention


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