What is Rotterdam Convention?

 

What is Rotterdam Convention?

An international treaty designed to facilitate informed decision-making by countries regarding trade in hazardous chemicals.

It establishes a list of covered chemicals and requires parties seeking to export a chemical on that list to first establish that the intended importing country has consented to the import.

Rotterdam Convention is a name for the Convention that was adopted by the Conference of Plenipotentiaries (COP) in 1998 in Rotterdam (Netherlands) that aims to promote shared responsibilities in relation to the international trade of hazardous chemicals.

Objectives of the Rotterdam Convention

• The parties of the Rotterdam Convention ensure shared responsibilities and cooperative efforts while trading certain hazardous chemicals internationally.

• To promote shared responsibility in the international trade of such hazardous chemicals which can harm humans and the environment.

• To exchange information about the characteristics of the chemicals that the parties to the convention trade to contribute to the environmentally sound use of such hazardous chemicals.

Members of Rotterdam Convention

There are 163 parties of the Rotterdam Convention. 72 signatories of countries

Key Players

1. Designated National Authorities (DNAs)

2. Conference of the Parties (COP)

3. Chemical Review Committee (CRC)

4. Secretariat

Benefits to its Parties

1. Prevents unwanted trade

2. Early warning system

3. Informed decision-making

4. Export notification

5. Information accompanying export

6. Network of DNAs

7. Technical Assistance

Written by

Ushan Kavindu, Suresh Madhuranga and Lahiru Wijerathne