The position the EU will be arguing for during the eighth meeting of the Conference of Parties to the Convention of Rotterdam (COP 8) in Geneva on 24 April-5 May was formally decided on Monday 3 April by Council of the EU.
This COP 8 is expected to discuss the opportunity for submitting new chemical products to the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) procedure applicable to certain hazardous chemicals and pesticides in international trade (amendment of Annex 3 of the Convention).
The EU will support the addition to Annex III of this international treaty of: carbofuran, carbosulfane, chrysotile asbestos, short chain chlorinated paraffins, all the components in tributyltin, trichlorfon, fenthion [ultra low volume preparations (ULV) in which the concentration of active ingredient is equal to or above 640 g/l] and liquid preparations (emulsifier and soluble concentrates) containing paraquat dichloride in doses equal or above 276 g/l, or concentrations of paraquat ions equal to or greater than 200 g / l.
The Council decision explains that, “These substances are already strictly banned or regulated in the EU and subject to export requirements that go beyond those included in the Convention”.
The EU approved the Convention of Rotterdam by way of Council decision 2006/730/EC and transposes its provisions as part of EU regulation 649/2013. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)