Chapter 5 Minor treaty action:  Amendment to Annex III of the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade.

Introduction

5.1                   Minor treaty actions are generally technical amendments to existing treaties which do not impact significantly on the national interest.

5.2                   Minor treaty actions are presented to the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties with a one-page explanatory statement.  The Committee has the discretion to formally inquire into these treaty actions or indicate its acceptance of them without a formal inquiry and report.  Minor treaty actions are listed on the Committee’s website.

Minor treaty action

5.3                   The minor treaty action under consideration here is the Category Three treaty: an amendment to the Amendment to Annex III of the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade.

5.4                   The Convention contains an internationally applicable procedure for the transportation of hazardous substances between countries, referred to as the Prior Informed Consent Procedure.  Annex III of the Convention lists the substances that are subject to the Prior Informed Consent Procedure.

5.5                   The proposed Convention Amendment would expand the list of substances in Annex III to include alachlor, aldicarb and endosulfan, chemicals that meet the requirements for listing in Annex III.  In relation to the treatment of these chemicals in Australia, the Explanatory Statement indicates that Australia will maintain its current arrangements for all three chemicals.

5.6                   On 19 March 2012, the Committee determined not to hold a formal inquiry into this treaty action and agreed that binding treaty action may be taken.

Kelvin Thomson MP

Chair