Europe is more demanding than the international community with regard to the import/export of hazardous chemicals
| The European chemical industry is one of the world’s largest chemical producers. Certain chemicals manufactured for exports and use in other countries are banned or severely restricted within the European Union. It is important for the importing countries, and especially for the developing countries that do not have the required ability to manage chemicals safely, to know how to store, transport, use and dispose these hazardous products safely. |
The European regulation no 649/2012 of 17 June 2008 – commonly called "PIC regulation" - is the latest in a series of measures adopted over the years that seek to address this issue. This regulation is in force since 1st March 2014
A regulation more demanding than the international agreement
The PIC regulation implements within the European Community,
1° the international commitments made under the Rotterdam Convention("export notification procedure" and "PIC procedure"),
2° but also one of the requirements of the Stockholm Convention on POPs - (Persistent Organic Pollutants), prohibiting the export of chemical products that are listed as such.
This regulation goes much further in order to achieve a higher level of protection of human health and the environment:
• its scope of application is much broader: it encompasses all chemicalsthat are banned or severely restricted within the European Union (and not only the hazardous products listed in appendix III of the Rotterdam Convention);
• its requirementsespecially with regard to the export notification and explicit consent are extended to all countries, rather than applying only to those countries that are Party to the Convention.