en
On-Line Guide to OECD Intergovernmental Activity
Advanced Search|  SearchorExact Match
View parent(s)   View subsidiary(ies)   Display for print      
Chemicals Committee
Chairs:   
Ms. Sara Broomhall   
(Australia)
Vice-Chairs:   
Dr. Mara Curaba   
(Belgium)
Mr. David MORIN   
(Canada)
Mr. Henrik Soren Larsen   
(Denmark)
Mr. Bjorn Hansen   
(EU)
Mr. Terunobu Yamauchi   
(Japan)
Dr. Jeffery MORRIS   
(United States)
Members:[1]   
Australia   
Latvia   
Austria   
Luxembourg   
Belgium   
Mexico   
Canada   
Netherlands   
Chile   
New Zealand   
Czech Republic   
Norway   
Denmark   
Poland   
Estonia   
Slovak Republic   
Finland   
Slovenia   
France   
Spain   
Germany   
Sweden   
Hungary   
Switzerland   
Ireland   
Turkey   
Israel   
United Kingdom   
Italy   
United States   
Japan   
EU   
Korea   
Associates:[2]   
Brazil   
Argentina   
India   
Malaysia   
South Africa   
Singapore   
Participants:   
Colombia   
South Africa   
Date of creation:
1st October 1978
Duration:
31st December 2020

Mandate:   -   Decision of the Council concerning a Special Programme on the Control of Chemicals [C(78)127(Final)]

   -    This mandate was extended by the Council at its 535th, 598th, 606th, 665th, 736th, 799th, 872nd, 948th,1027th, 1107th and 1172nd meetings [C(2008)48 & CORR1 and C/M(2008)8, item 102]

   -   The mandate was renewed by the Council at its 1267th meeting [C(2012)52/REV1 and C/M(2012)13, item 186]

   -    Name changed from "Management Committee of the Special Programme on the Control of Chemicals" 23 July 1998 [C/M(98)17, item 208 f) and C(98)145/ANN]

   -   Name of Programme changed from "The Special Programme on the Control of Chemicals" to "The Chemicals Management Programme" at its 1333rd meeting [C(2016)3 and C/M(2016)8, item

   -    The Chemicals Committee meets together with the Working Party on Chemicals, Pesticides and Biotechnology

 

 

 

Extract from the Decision of the Council [C(2016)3, and C/M(2016)8, item xx]

DRAFT RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL REVISING THE SPECIAL PROGRAMME

ON THE CONTROL OF CHEMICALS AND RENAMING IT

THE CHEMICALS MANAGEMENT PROGRAMME

THE COUNCIL,

   Having regard to the Convention on the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development of 14 December 1960;

   Having regard to the Rules of Procedure of the Organisation;

   Having regard to the Financial Regulations of the Organisation;

   Having regard to the Decision of the Council of 16 October 1978 concerning a Special Programme on the Control of Chemicals [C(78)127(Final) and C/M(78)14(Final), Item 182], its Decision of 23 July 1998 to change the name of the “Management Committee of the Special Programme on the Control of Chemicals” to the “Chemicals Committee” [C(98)145 and C/M(98)17, Item 208 f)] and its Resolution of 14 November 2012 revising the mandate of the Special Programme on the Control of Chemicals, including that of the Chemicals Committee [C(2012)52/REV1 and C/M(2012)13, Item 186];

   Having regard to the 1995 Memorandum of Understanding, concerning the Establishment of the Inter-Organization Programme for the Sound Management of Chemicals (IOMC) between the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), which was expanded to the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), the World Bank and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) [C(2008)81];

   Having regard to the Decision of the Council concerning the Adherence of non-Member Countries to the Council Acts related to the Mutual Acceptance of Data in the Assessment of Chemicals [C(97)114/FINAL], to the Revised Resolution of the Council on Partnerships in OECD Bodies [C(2012)100/REV1/FINAL] and to the Global Relations Strategy for the Joint Meeting of the Chemicals Committee and the Working Party on Chemicals, Pesticides and Biotechnology [ENV/JM(2011)8/FINAL];

   Having regard to the Resolution of the Council on Implementation of the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) [C(2008)32];

   Having regard to the recommendations of the In-depth Evaluation of the Chemicals Committee [C(2012)4];

   Having regard to the Resolution of the Council revising the Mandate of the Environment Policy Committee (EPOC) [C(2013)89 and C/M(2013)22, Item 227];

   Having regard to the proposed revision of the Special Programme on the Control of Chemicals, including that it be renamed the “Chemicals Management Programme” [C(2016)3];

DECIDES:

A.   The Chemicals Management Programme (hereinafter “the Programme”) has the following mandate:

I.    Mission

1.   Within the framework of the chemicals’ activities of the Organisation, the Programme provides a forum for co-operation between those countries wishing jointly to carry out work to develop and harmonise practices in order to improve the management of chemicals (including nanomaterials, pesticides and biocides). The mission of the Programme is to contribute to green growth and sustainable development by protecting human health and the environment from the risks of chemicals, preventing the creation of non-tariff barriers to trade, saving costs to countries participating in the Programme and industry, and promoting harmonisation among countries participating in the Programme of their chemicals management systems.

2.   The objectives of the Programme shall be to:

i)protect human health and the environment by assisting countries participating in the Programme to anticipate, identify and prevent or manage the risks from the exposure to single or multiple chemicals, especially through the development and implementation of efficient, effective and innovative instruments for testing, assessment and management of chemicals;

ii)assist in avoiding unnecessary non-tariff distortions in the trade of chemicals;

iii)assist countries participating in the Programme in their efforts to implement the UN Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM), making implementation of the SAICM objectives, as set out in the Overarching Policy Strategy, an integral part of its Programme, including, as appropriate, those specific elements of the SAICM Global Plan of Action as well as those emerging issues and other issues of concern identified by the International Conference on Chemicals Management in which OECD has a major role;

iv)ensure efficiencies and optimal use of resources for governments and industry through harmonisation of policies and instruments and by creating mechanisms for sharing work in areas of mutual interest;

v)promote effective and efficient chemical safety policies throughout a globalising world by facilitating co-operation between the countries participating in the Programme, including those which have adhered to the Council Decisions related to the Mutual Acceptance of Data in the Assessment of Chemicals and selected non-Members;

vi)ensure coherence, consistency and efficiency in chemical safety policies by providing a forum for obtaining input from all stakeholders and working with selected non-Members;

vii)assist non-Members in establishing chemicals management systems, inter alia by making the outputs of the Programme as accessible, relevant, compatible and useful as possible to non-Members and other interested stakeholders, distributing them widely and free of charge, assisting governments in setting up their chemicals management systems and promoting the public’s right to know about the hazards, exposures and potential risks of chemicals and products containing them throughout their life-cycle;

viii)assist countries participating in the Programme in preparing the orientation of international co-operation on the sound management of chemicals and waste beyond 2020;

ix)assist countries participating in the Programme in their efforts to meet the targets of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, as they relate to sound management of chemicals and waste and the reduction of emissions of chemicals to the environment; and

x)assist in the fight against the illegal international trade of chemicals, focusing on pesticides.

II.    The Chemicals Committee

3.   The Chemicals Committee shall oversee the Programme and be, in particular, responsible for:

i)developing and approving its draft programme of work and budget (within its medium-term strategy as developed in its four-year work programmes);

ii)monitoring the quality and timeliness of output results, activities and projects, and the synergies among them and with those carried out in conjunction with the Environment Policy Committee related to the safety of chemicals, chemical products and products of modern biotechnology and to the release of chemicals to the environment;

iii)disseminating its policy advice and analysis, research and data to a wide range of stakeholders; and

iv)evaluating the outcomes of the Programme’s work.

4.   The Chemicals Committee meets jointly with the Environment Policy Committee’s Working Party on Chemicals, Pesticides and Biotechnology. This meeting is referred to as the Joint Meeting of the Chemicals Committee and Working Party on Chemicals, Pesticides and Biotechnology (the “Joint Meeting”).

III.   Participation

5.   Participation in the Programme is open to all OECD Members and the European Union.

6.   Participation of non-OECD Members in the Programme will be considered by the Chemicals Committee and may be recommended by the Committee to the Council. It will include their participation as Associates in the Joint Meeting.

7.   Non-OECD Members having adhered to the Council Decisions related to the Mutual Acceptance of Data in the Assessment of Chemicals (“MAD”) participate in the part of the Programme involving the mutual acceptance of data with the same rights and obligations as Members [C(97)114/FINAL]. It will include their participation as Associates in the Joint Meeting when it discusses MAD-related issues, in the Working Group of National Co-ordinators of the Test Guidelines Programme and in the Working Group on Good Laboratory Practices.

8.   Each country participating in the Programme shall appoint at least one representative to the Joint Meeting. Representatives should be senior officials with direct responsibility for advising their governments on chemicals management policy and the allocation of resources in this area.

IV.   Budget

9.   The expenditure of the Programme shall be charged against the appropriations authorised for it under Part II of the Budget of the Organisation.

10.   Appropriations for which no commitment has been entered into before the end of the Financial Year for which they were appropriated as well as any surplus income shall be automatically carried forward to the budget of the Programme for the ensuing year by decision of the Secretary-General, notwithstanding the provisions of Regulation 10 of the Financial Regulations of the Organisation.

V.    Co-ordination arrangements

11.   The Chemicals Committee shall maintain close working relationships with other bodies of the Organisation working on issues that affect the development and implementation of chemicals management policies and coordinate with them as appropriate, as well as with other relevant parties outside the Organisation. The Chemicals Committee shall in particular foster coherence with the overall programme of work of the Environment Policy Committee’s Working Party on Chemicals, Pesticides and Biotechnology and evaluate this work at the strategic level.

12.   For work delegated to its subsidiary bodies, the Chemicals Committee shall ensure clarity of mandates, provide guidance on priorities and establish integrated oversight and evaluation mechanisms. It shall receive regular reports from subsidiary bodies to ensure their co-ordination, policy integration, timeliness and evaluation.

13.   Intergovernmental organisations which are a party to the Memorandum of Understanding concerning the Establishment of the Inter-Organization Programme for the Sound Management of Chemicals (IOMC) attend the Joint Meeting as observers.

14.    BIAC, TUAC, environmental NGOs and animal welfare NGOs attend the Joint Meeting as experts.

B.    This Resolution shall remain in force until 31 December 2020."


[1]The following countries became Participants to the Programme subsequent to the adoption by the Council of decision [C(78)127(Final)]: Chile, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, New Zealand, Poland, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey.
[2]Associate for issues related to Mutual Acceptance of Data.
Version Published On :17th January 2017 and Archived on: 7th September 2017  
< March 2024 >
     
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
25 26 27 28 29 1 2
3 4 5 6 7 8 9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31 1 2 3 4 5 6
Today: 03/29/2024
   Select    Select Today       Cancel
Please wait
Default Title
Hide Message Box