24 October 2014: The tenth meeting of the Chemical Review Committee (CRC 10) to the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade adopted decisions on: methamidophos, fenthion (ultra low volume, at or below 640g active ingredient/L), polychlorinated naphthalenes, tributyltin, and short-chained chlorinated paraffins. CRC 10 took place from 22-24 October 2014, at the Headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) in Rome, Italy.

The Committee took decisions on technical work, coordination and collaboration with other scientific subsidiary bodies, effective participation, and date and venue of the next meeting (CRC 11).

At the conclusion of the meeting, Christine Fuell, FAO, expressed hope that the COP will follow the Committee’s recommendation and make the pesticides approved by the CRC subject to the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) procedure, providing more information to farmers and creating a positive effect on food security.

Chair Jürgen Helbig (Spain) encouraged all participants to explore options to encourage their countries to submit notifications of final regulatory action and severely hazardous pesticide formulations. He underlined that this is an additional way that members can contribute to the objectives of the Convention.

According to the Earth Negotiations Bulletin, the CRC “remains somewhat underworked,” with few notifications from parties and in turn, fewer chemicals listed under the Convention; the CRC relies on the capacity and willingness of parties to submit notifications or proposals for severely hazardous pesticide formulations (SHPFs).

CRC 10 is followed by the tenth meeting of the Persistent Organic Pollutant Review Committee (POPRC 10) to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), from 27-30 October 2014. [IISD RS Meeting Coverage]