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14. Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade

Rotterdam, 10 September 1998

 

Entry into force: 24 February 2004 in accordance with article 26 which reads as follows: "1. The Convention shall enter into force on the ninetieth day after the date of deposit of the fiftieth instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession. 2. For each State or regional economic integration organization that ratifies, accepts or approves this Convention or accedes thereto after the deposit of the fiftieth instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession, the Convention shall enter into force on the ninetieth day after the date of deposit by such State or regional economic integration organization of its instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession. 3. For the purpose of paragraphs 1 and 2, any instrument deposited by a regional economic integration organization shall not be counted as additional to those deposited by member States of that organization.".
Registration: 24 February 2004, No. 39973.
Status: Signatories: 73 ,Parties: 1161.
Texte: United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 2244, p. 337; C.N.846.2002.TREATIES-8 of 20 August 2002 (proposal of corrections to the original English text of the Convention); C.N.1029.2002.TREATIES-18 of 23 September 2002 (correction to the original English text of the Convention); C.N.10.2005.TREATIES-1 of 11 January 2005 (Adoption of Annex VI); C.N.11.2005.TREATIES-2 of 11 January 2005 (Amendments to Annex III).2,3 

Note: The Convention was adopted on 10 September 1998 by the Conference of Plenipotentiaries on the Convention in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. In accordance with its article 24, the Convention will be open for signature at Rotterdam by all States and regional economic integration organizations on 11 September 1998, and subsequently at United Nations Headquarters in New York from 12 September 1998 to 10 September 1999.

 

 

PARTICIPANTS

Participant  Signature  Ratification, Acceptance (A), Approval (AA), Accession (a) 
Angola  11 Sep 1998   
Argentina  11 Sep 1998  11 Jun 2004 
Armenia  11 Sep 1998  26 Nov 2003 
Australia  6 Jul 1999  20 May 2004 
Austria  11 Sep 1998  27 Aug 2002 
Barbados  11 Sep 1998   
Belgium  11 Sep 1998  23 Oct 2002 
Belize    20 Apr 2005 a 
Benin  11 Sep 1998  5 Jan 2004 
Bolivia    18 Dec 2003 a 
Bosnia and Herzegovina    19 Mar 2007 a 
Brazil  11 Sep 1998  16 Jun 2004 
Bulgaria    25 Jul 2000 a 
Burkina Faso  11 Sep 1998  11 Nov 2002 
Burundi    23 Sep 2004 a 
Cameroon  11 Sep 1998  20 May 2002 
Canada    26 Aug 2002 a 
Cape Verde    1 Mar 2006 a 
Chad  11 Sep 1998  10 Mar 2004 
Chile  11 Sep 1998  20 Jan 2005 
China4  24 Aug 1999  22 Mar 2005 
Colombia  11 Sep 1998   
Congo  11 Sep 1998  13 Jul 2006 
Cook Islands    29 Jun 2004 a 
Costa Rica  17 Aug 1999   
Côte d'Ivoire  11 Sep 1998  20 Jan 2004 
Cuba  11 Sep 1998   
Cyprus  11 Sep 1998  17 Dec 2004 
Czech Republic  22 Jun 1999  12 Jun 2000 
Democratic People's Republic of Korea    6 Feb 2004 a 
Democratic Republic of the Congo  11 Sep 1998  23 Mar 2005 
Denmark5  11 Sep 1998  15 Jan 2004 
Djibouti    10 Nov 2004 a 
Dominica    30 Dec 2005 a 
Dominican Republic    24 Mar 2006 a 
Ecuador  11 Sep 1998  4 May 2004 
El Salvador  16 Feb 1999  8 Sep 1999 
Equatorial Guinea    7 Feb 2003 a 
Eritrea    10 Mar 2005 a 
Estonia    13 Jun 2006 a 
Ethiopia    9 Jan 2003 a 
European Community  11 Sep 1998  20 Dec 2002 AA 
Finland  11 Sep 1998  4 Jun 2004 A 
France  11 Sep 1998  17 Feb 2004 AA 
Gabon    18 Dec 2003 a 
Gambia    26 Feb 2002 a 
Georgia    27 Feb 2007 a 
Germany  11 Sep 1998  11 Jan 2001 
Ghana  11 Sep 1998  30 May 2003 
Greece  11 Sep 1998  23 Dec 2003 
Guinea    7 Sep 2000 a 
Guinea-Bissau  10 Sep 1999   
Hungary  10 Sep 1999  31 Oct 2000 
India    24 May 2005 a 
Indonesia  11 Sep 1998   
Iran (Islamic Republic of)  17 Feb 1999  26 Aug 2004 
Ireland    10 Jun 2005 a 
Israel  20 May 1999   
Italy  11 Sep 1998  27 Aug 2002 
Jamaica    20 Aug 2002 a 
Japan  31 Aug 1999  15 Jun 2004 A 
Jordan    22 Jul 2002 a 
Kenya  11 Sep 1998  3 Feb 2005 
Kuwait  11 Sep 1998  12 May 2006 
Kyrgyzstan  11 Aug 1999  25 May 2000 
Latvia    23 Apr 2003 a 
Lebanon    13 Nov 2006 a 
Liberia    22 Sep 2004 a 
Libyan Arab Jamahiriya    9 Jul 2002 a 
Liechtenstein    18 Jun 2004 a 
Lithuania    17 Mar 2004 a 
Luxembourg  11 Sep 1998  28 Aug 2002 
Madagascar  8 Dec 1998  22 Sep 2004 
Malaysia    4 Sep 2002 a 
Maldives    17 Oct 2006 a 
Mali  11 Sep 1998  5 Jun 2003 
Marshall Islands    27 Jan 2003 a 
Mauritania  1 Sep 1999  22 Jul 2005 A 
Mauritius    5 Aug 2005 a 
Mexico    4 May 2005 a 
Moldova    27 Jan 2005 a 
Mongolia  11 Sep 1998  8 Mar 2001 
Namibia  11 Sep 1998  24 Jun 2005 
Nepal    9 Feb 2007 a 
Netherlands6  11 Sep 1998  20 Apr 2000 A 
New Zealand7  11 Sep 1998  23 Sep 2003 
Niger    16 Feb 2006 a 
Nigeria    28 Jun 2001 a 
Norway  11 Sep 1998  25 Oct 2001 A 
Oman    31 Jan 2000 a 
Pakistan  9 Sep 1999  14 Jul 2005 
Panama  11 Sep 1998  18 Aug 2000 
Paraguay  11 Sep 1998  18 Aug 2003 
Peru  11 Sep 1998  14 Sep 2005 
Philippines  11 Sep 1998  31 Jul 2006 
Poland    14 Sep 2005 a 
Portugal  11 Sep 1998  16 Feb 2005 AA 
Qatar    10 Dec 2004 a 
Republic of Korea  7 Sep 1999  11 Aug 2003 
Romania    2 Sep 2003 a 
Rwanda    7 Jan 2004 a 
Saint Lucia  25 Jan 1999   
Samoa    30 May 2002 a 
Saudi Arabia    7 Sep 2000 a 
Senegal  11 Sep 1998  20 Jul 2001 
Seychelles  11 Sep 1998   
Singapore    24 May 2005 a 
Slovakia    26 Jan 2007 a 
Slovenia  11 Sep 1998  17 Nov 1999 
South Africa    4 Sep 2002 a 
Spain  11 Sep 1998  2 Mar 2004 
Sri Lanka    19 Jan 2006 a 
Sudan    17 Feb 2005 a 
Suriname    30 May 2000 a 
Sweden  11 Sep 1998  10 Oct 2003 
Switzerland  11 Sep 1998  10 Jan 2002 
Syrian Arab Republic  11 Sep 1998  24 Sep 2003 
Tajikistan  28 Sep 1998   
Thailand    19 Feb 2002 a 
Togo  9 Sep 1999  23 Jun 2004 
Tunisia  11 Sep 1998   
Turkey  11 Sep 1998   
Ukraine    6 Dec 2002 a 
United Arab Emirates    10 Sep 2002 a 
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland  11 Sep 1998  17 Jun 2004 
United Republic of Tanzania  11 Sep 1998  26 Aug 2002 
United States of America  11 Sep 1998   
Uruguay  11 Sep 1998  4 Mar 2003 
Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)    19 Apr 2005 a 
Yemen    4 Feb 2006 a 
 

 

DECLARATIONS

Declarations

(Unless otherwise indicated, the texte of the declarations were made upon ratification, acceptance, approval or accession.)

Austria

Declaration:

"The Republic of Austria declares in accordance with Article 20 (2) of the Convention that it accepts both of the means of dispute settlement mentioned in Paragraph 2 as compulsory in relation to any party accepting an obligation concerning one or both of these means of dispute."

Estonia

Declaration:

"With respect to any dispute concerning the interpretation or application of this Convention, the Republic of Estonia recognizes both of the means of dispute settlement stated in Article 20, paragraph 2 as compulsory in relation to any Party accepting the same obligation."

European Community

Declaration:

"The European Community declares that, in accordance with the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 175(l) thereof, it is competent to enter into international agreements, and to implement the obligations resulting therefrom, which contribute to the pursuit of the following objectives:

Preserving, Protecting and improving the quality of the environment;

protecting human health;

prudent and rational utilisation of natural resources;

promoting measures at international level to deal with regional or worldwide environmental problems.

Moreover, the European Community declares that it has already adopted legal instruments, including a Regulation of the European Parliament and the Council concerning the export and import of dangerous chemicals, binding on its Member States, covering matters governed by this Convention, and will submit and update, as appropriate, a list of those legal instruments to the Secretariat of the Convention.

The European Community is responsible for the performance of those obligations resulting from the Convention which are covered by Community law in force.

The exercise of Community competence is, by its nature, subject to continuous development."

Moldova

Declaration:

According to article 20 of the Convention, the Republic of Moldova declares that [it] accepts both means of dispute settlement, mentioned in paragraph 2 of the article, as compulsory in relation to any Party accepting the same obligation.

Norway

Declaration:

"In accordance with article 20 (2), [Norway declares that], with respect to any dispute concerning the interpretation or application of the Convention, it recognizes (b) Submission of the dispute to the International Court of Justice."

Syrian Arab Republic

Declaration:

The Government of the Syrian Arab Republic has reviewed the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade, which was signed in 1998. Having given it thorough consideration:

It declares that it has already ratified the above-mentioned Convention by virtue of legislative decree No. 35 of 13 July 2003, and that it will fully comply with and respect all its provisions, while confirming that the ratification of this Convention by the Syrian Arab Republic does not in any way constitute a recognition of Israel, and that the provisions of the Convention do not imply that the Syrian Arab Republic has to deal with that State.

Objections

(Unless otherwise indicated, the objections were received upon ratification, acceptance,

approval, accession or succession.)

Israel

13 January 2004

With regard to the declaration made by the Syrian Arab Republic upon ratification :

"The Government of the State of Israel has noted that the instrument of ratification of the Syrian Arab Republic to the abovementioned Convention contains a declaration with respect to the State of Israel. The Government of the State of Israel considers that such declaration, which is explicitly of a political nature, is incompatible with the purposes and objectives of the Convention.

The Government of the State of Israel therefore objects to the aforesaid declaration made by the Syrian Arab Republic."

 

 

NOTES

1. In accordance with article 26 (3) of the Convention, any instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession deposited by a regional economic integration organization shall not be counted as additional to those deposited by member States of that organization.

2. By decision RC-1/11 of 24 September 2004, adopted at its first meeting, held in Geneva from 20 to 24 September 2004, the Conference of the Parties to the above Convention adopted Annex VI, setting out the arbitration procedure for purposes of paragraph 2 (a) of article 20 of the Convention and the conciliation procedure for purposes of paragraph 6 of article 20 of the Convention.

In accordance with paragraph 3 (b) of article 22 of the Convention, any Party that is unable to accept an additional annex shall so notify the Depositary, in writing, within one year from the date of communication of the adoption of the additional annex by the Depositary. The Depositary shall without delay notify all Parties of any such notification received. A Party may at any time withdraw a previous notification of non-acceptance in respect of an additional annex and the annex shall thereupon enter into force for that Party subject to paragraph 3 (c) of the same article. In accordance with paragraph 3 (c), on the expiry of one year from the date of the communication by the Depositary of its adoption, Annex VI shall enter into force for all Parties that have not submitted a notification in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 3 (b).

3. By decision RC-1/3 of 24 September 2004, adopted at its first meeting, held in Geneva from 20 to 24 September 2004, the Conference of the Parties to the above Convention adopted, in accordance with the procedure laid down in article 8 and paragraph 5 of article 22 of the Convention, the amendments to Annex III.

In accordance with paragraph 5 (c) of article 22 of the Convention, the Conference of the Parties, in the same decision, decided that "all the amendments shall enter into force on 1 February 2005, except for the amendments made by subparagraph 1 (a) and (b) of the annex to the ... decision, which shall enter into force on 1 January 2006".

4. With the following declaration:

In accordance with the provision of article 138 of the Basic Law of the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China and article 153 of the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, the Government of the People's Republic of China decides that the Convention shall apply to the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China; it shall not apply to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China until the Government of China notifies otherwise.

5. With a territorial exclusion in respect of the Faroe Islands and Greenland.

6. For the Kingdom in Europe.

7. With the following territorial exclusion: ".....consistent with the constitutional status of Tokelau and taking into account the commitment of the Government of New Zealand to the development of self-government for Tokelau through an act of self-determination under the Charter of the United Nations, this ratification shall not extend to Tokelau unless and until a Declaration to this effect is lodged by the Government of New Zealand with the Depositary on the basis of appropriate consultation with that territory."