The ILO participates in the 2023 Meetings of the Conferences of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions
5 May 2023
This week, several staff from the International Labour Organization attended the 2023 Conferences of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions held in Geneva, Switzerland. The ILO, which is acts as an observer to these processes, delivered a statement on Rotterdam Convention COP-11 Item 5 on Enhancing the effectiveness of the Rotterdam Convention, through a proposal for new Annex.
The Rotterdam Convention is a multi-lateral environmental agreement which promotes shared responsibility and open exchange of information concerning the trade of certain hazardous chemicals, including facilitating the exchange of information about their characteristics and risks between importing and exporting parties.
The proposal to add a new Annex aims to increase the effectiveness of this instrument, by allowing the listing of additional chemicals which are currently not included, which would support access to important information about their identification, risk assessment and appropriate preventive measures.
Manal Azzi, Occupational Safety and Health Team lead at the ILO, delivered the statement on behalf of the ILO, highlighting the importance of the workers’ right to know as an important foundation for a safe and healthy working environment, as this amendment would encourage further information sharing being exporting and importing parties of hazardous substances.
The Rotterdam Convention is a multi-lateral environmental agreement which promotes shared responsibility and open exchange of information concerning the trade of certain hazardous chemicals, including facilitating the exchange of information about their characteristics and risks between importing and exporting parties.
The proposal to add a new Annex aims to increase the effectiveness of this instrument, by allowing the listing of additional chemicals which are currently not included, which would support access to important information about their identification, risk assessment and appropriate preventive measures.
Manal Azzi, Occupational Safety and Health Team lead at the ILO, delivered the statement on behalf of the ILO, highlighting the importance of the workers’ right to know as an important foundation for a safe and healthy working environment, as this amendment would encourage further information sharing being exporting and importing parties of hazardous substances.