EU Conducts Impact Assessments on PIC Regulation

On May 8, 2023, the European Commission opened a call for evidence on its impact assessment on  Regulation (EU) No 649/2012 (PIC Regulation). The consultation closes on July 31.

The international trade in hazardous chemicals is regulated by the UN's Rotterdam Convention on Prior Informed Consent (PIC) and all 165 Member States are parties to the convention. Since 2012, it has been necessary to evaluate certain requirements in the PIC Regulation in a targeted way. In 2020, the volume of imported chemicals under the PIC Regulation was around 667,000 tons. EU takes necessary actions to manage chemicals, which not only protects human health and the environment around the world but also maintains EU policies and the single market.

The objective of the impact assessment is to identify and assess, both quantitatively and qualitatively, which effects (positive and negative) the various options are expected to have in terms of improved protection for human health and the environment, as well as the economic costs, the impact on the single market and social impacts-including, where feasible, effects in non-EU countries and the implications for customs. This evaluation and impact assessment will be carried out from March 2023 to October 2023.

Measures that will be examined include the following:

• Increasing the amount of information made available to non-EU countries under the PIC Regulation, to enable them to better act on the risks identified under EU law by restricting or banning chemicals concerned in the same way as in the EU;

• Revising the current requirements for export under the PIC Regulation; and

• Prohibition to produce hazardous chemicals that are not approved or prohibited for placing on the market and/or use in the EU.

Consultation strategy

1. This online public consultation is made in all 24 EU languages, and lasts for 12 weeks;

2. Existing Commission expert groups under the main EU chemicals laws concerned by the initiative (i.e. REACH, PIC, and biocides).

3. At least one workshop with stakeholders will be convened. The European Commission plans to adopt a proposal at the end of the fourth quarter 2023.

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Reference

https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/13750-Hazardous-chemicals-prohibiting-production-for-export-of-chemicals-banned-in-the-European-Union_en