B. Guidelines on the operation of prior informed consent (PIC)

B. Guidelines on the operation of prior informed consent (PIC)

EXECUTING AGENCY

The report of the Expert Consultation on the Introduction of "Prior Informed Consent" in Article 9 of the International Code of Conduct on the Distribution and Use of Pesticides stressed the importance of cooperation between UNEP and FAO in the operation of a prior informed consent scheme. Because of the expertise FAO has in the field of pesticide use, management and control and the comprehensive network of FAO contacts in UN Member Nations, FAO will operate the PIC scheme as far as pesticides are concerned. FAO will, in cooperation with UNEP, manage and implement the scheme, including the selection of pesticides to be covered by the PIC scheme, mechanisms for information sharing and compatibility of procedures.

OPERATION OF PRIOR INFORMED CONSENT

Step 1 - Participation in PIC

Member Nations will be invited, through official FAO channels, to participate in the operation of Prior Informed Consent as importing countries. If there is no reply to the initial contact, a follow up letter will be sent 60 days after the first one. In countries where there is an FAO representation, FAO Representatives will seek a decision from the country. Until a response is received, it will be assumed that the country does not wish to participate. It is expected that all pesticide exporting countries will participate in the PIC scheme.

Step 2 - Designation of National Authority

Member Nations will be invited to designate the appropriate authority which should supply FAO with the notices of control action taken by the government . This authority will be responsible for receiving and giving notices on decisions on whether the country wishes (to continue) to receive imports of pesticides included in the PIC procedure. For information purposes FAO will also be informed about the authority that has technical responsibility for pesticide use and/or control (registration authority or equivalent) .

Step 3 - Notification of Control Actions

The designated National Authority would advise FAO of control actions taken in the country to ban, to refuse registration, or severely restrict a pesticide for health or environmental reasons, as included In the definition, as well as any other actions to withdraw a pesticide for health or environmental reasons. This does not include actions to revoke or withdraw a pesticide registration for non-submission of data or for commercial reasons.

In deciding to notify, countries must abide by the definitions of banned and severely restricted in the Code of Conduct, namely:

Banned means a pesticide for which all registered uses have been prohibited by final government regulatory action, or for which all requests for registration or equivalent action for all uses have, for health or environmental reasons, not been granted.

Severely restricted - a limited ban - means a pesticide for which virtually all registered uses have been prohibited by final government regulatory action for health or environmental reasons, but specific registered use or uses remain authorized.

The information forwarded to FAO should be provided in the format shown in the Annex to this Appendix. It should be noted that the reasons for the control action for health or environmental reasons should be provided in each case. A separate form should be completed for each pesticide. Countries should be prepared to provide additional detailed information on request.

Step 4 - Selecting pesticides to be included in the PIC procedure

FAO will, in cooperation with UNEP/IRPTC and other relevant organizations, review all notifications to ensure conformity with the definitions. Pesticides will be included in the PIC procedure when FAO is advised by a government that it has taken final control action consistent with the definition of banned or severely restricted for health or environmental reasons in the Code of Conduct on the Distribution and Use of Pesticides.

Additionally, an FAO Expert Panel will consider the problem of acutely hazardous pesticide formulations, i.e. those that pose particular handling problems, to determine if there exists a need for a list of such products to supplement the pesticides already subject to the PIC procedure. This Panel should include national pesticide registrars and representatives from WHO and UNEP. They may call upon expertise as they deem necessary and will review formulations which are included in WHO Class IA. If the Panel concludes that there are acutely hazardous pesticide formulations of concern to developing countries that are not already included in the PIC procedure, a supplemental list of such formulations will be recommended for inclusion.

FAO will develop a "PIC decision guidance document" for each pesticide to be circulated with the notice of control action for response by participating importing countries and for information of other countries.

Pesticides that have already been subject to control action

For pesticides that have already been subject to control action, a different procedure will be followed. Close cooperation with UNEP (IRPTC) will be sought for such a procedure. All FAO Member Governments will be asked to submit notifications of past control actions for health and environmental reasons before 31 December 1989. These will then, in cooperation with relevant Organizations, together with information already available in IRPTC, be evaluated on their conformity with the definitions. PIC guidance documents will be developed, initially for pesticides banned or severely restricted in five or more countries, for those pesticides that conform to the definitions and these PIC guidance documents will be submitted to participating governments for decision. Superceded pesticides will not be submitted to this procedure as they will not appear in international trade.

NOTE: THE MAJORITY OF COAG SUPPORTED LEAVING THE "TRIGGER" LEVEL UNCHANGED, I.E. FIVE OR MORE ACTIONS

Step 5 - FAO Processing of Notification

FAO will inform Member Nations of control actions taken and will send a PIC decision guidance document on the pesticide to the designated national authority. This document will provide a summary of information including chemical and physical properties, uses, source of exposure, toxicity profile, countries that have taken control actions and the reasons for such actions and also, when available, suggested possible alternatives. it should be recognized that any suggestion of alternatives can only be general in nature, as specific alternatives could only be recommended following a careful study of the pest/crop complex in an individual country.

Step 6 - Response by Participating Countries

After each notification, each importing country that has decided to participate in the PIC procedure in Step 1, would advise FAO whether or not it will allow imports of the pesticide(s) in question. 1/ A response should be made within 90 days of advice being sent from FAO to the designated national authority. A country may make a final response or an interim response.

Final response

A final response will consist of a statement by the national authority as to whether or not the country will ban imports for health or environmental reasons. It is understood that the country will also discontinue production for the national market if importation is banned for health or environmental reasons, or whether importation will only be allowed under specified, stated conditions. It is also understood that the importing country may wish to permit the use of products that are in stock at the time the prohibition of imports is imposed.

Interim response

In an interim response the country would advise about each pesticide in the PIC procedure in one of the following ways:

1. A request for further information.
2. A statement that future importation is under review.
3. A request for assistance to evaluate the pesticide.

Any of the replies may be accompanied by an interim importation statement that the importation will or will not be allowed, or whether importation will only be allowed under specified, stated conditions, during the period until a final decision is reached. In the event that such statement is not made, the status quo will continue (see meaning of no response).

Meaning of no response

In some instances a participating importing country may not respond. Every effort will be made to avoid such a situation, but if It does occur, it will be considered as described in this paragraph. If a country does not make a final response or if it responds with less than a final response without providing an interim importation statement, the status quo with respect to importations will continue. This means that the pesticide should not be exported without the explicit consent of the importing country, unless the exporter has evidence that it is a pesticide that is registered in the importing country or if it is a pesticide the use of which has been allowed by the importing country.

National control on imports

At the time an interim or final decision to ban importation for health or environmental reasons is made, the national agency responsible for controlling imports will be instructed to take the relevant import control actions. Where such exists, local production will also be subjected to the control action. Importing countries would take all necessary measures to prohibit importation and local production.

Step 7 - Action to be taken by FAO

FAO will advise all designated national authorities of the responses of individual countries. FAO will maintain a database on country decisions and will also make information available to national authorities at regular intervals in an appropriate form. FAO will seek advice at regular intervals and review the criteria for inclusion of pesticides in the PIC procedure and the operation of the PIC scheme and will report to its Member Governments on its findings .

Step 8 - Actions to be taken by exporting countries

National authorities of exporting countries would inform the appropriate authorities and the pesticide export industry of decisions by importing countries. Governments would implement appropriate procedures, within their authorities, to help ensure that exports do not occur contrary to the decision of the participating importing country.

INFORMATION EXCHANGE

The successful operation of the process of Prior Informed Consent for pesticides is completely dependant on the free exchange and rapid processing of information provided by various countries. The PIC procedure is in addition to, and does not replace, any system of information exchange between countries nor does it influence the right of any country to seek additional information on the reasons for any control action which a country may take on a pesticide.

Annex to appendix E

BANNED OR SEVERELY RESTRICTED PESTICIDES REPORT TO FAO

1. COUNTRY .......

2. NAME, ADDRESS AND CONTACT OF ORGANIZATION SUPPLYING INFORMATION
...........................................................
...........................................................
Telex ........ Telephone ......... Fax ..........

3 IDENTITY OF PESTICIDE

Common name ...........................................................
Distinguishing name ...........................................................
Chemical name ...........................................................

4. SUMMARY OF REASONS FOR BANNING OR SEVERELY RESTRICTING
...........................................................
...........................................................
...........................................................
...........................................................

5. SUMMARY OF REMAINING USES OF SEVERELY RESTRICTED PESTICIDES
...........................................................
...........................................................
...........................................................
...........................................................

6. NAME, ADDRESS AND CONTACT FOR FURTHER INFORMATION (if different from 2)
...........................................................
...........................................................
...........................................................
...........................................................
Telex ..... Telephone ..... Fax ......

7. LIST ANY RELEVANT REFERENCES
...........................................................
...........................................................
...........................................................
...........................................................

8 DATE ABOVE DECISIONS CAME INTO FORCE
(date) ........
(month in words) ........
(year) ........

9 SIGNATURE ............................ (Person)
..................... (Designation)
............................ (Date as day/month/year)

F. statement of the computation of contributions for 1990 and 1991

MEMBER NATIONS	ASSESSMENTS PER ANNUM	LESS: CREDITS FROM TAX EQUALIZATION FUND PER ANNUM	CONTRIBUTIONS PAYABLE PER ANNUM
Afghanistan	31 300	3 460	27 840
Albania	31 300	3 460	27 840
Algeria	563 400	62 280	501 120
Angola	31 300	3 460	27 840
Antigua and Barbuda	31 300	3 460	27 840
Argentina	2 472 700	273 340	2 199 360
Australia	5 884 400	650 480	5 233 920
Austria	2 754 400	304 480	2 449 920
Bahamas	62 600	6 920	55 680
Bahrain	62 600	6 920	55 680
Bangladesh	31 300	3 460	27 840
Barbados	31 300	3 460	27 840
Belgium	4 382 000	484 400	3 897 600
Belize	31 300	3 460	27 840
Benin	31 300	3 460	27 840
Bhutan	31 300	3 460	27 840
Bolivia	31 300	3 460	27 840
Botswana	31 300	3 460	27 840
Brazil	5 414 900	598 580	4 816 320
Bulgaria	563 400	62 280	501 120
Burkina Faso	31 300	3 460	27 840
Burundi	31 300	3 460	27 840
Cameroon	31 300	3 460	27 840
Canada	11 549 700	1 276 740	10 272 960
Cape Verde	31 300	3 460	27 840
Central African Republic	31 300	3 460	27 840
Chad	31 300	3 460	27 840
Chile	313 000	34 600	278 400
China	2 942 200	325 240	2 616 960
Colombia	532 100	58 820	473 280
Comoros	31 300	3 460	27 840
Congo	31 300	3 460	27 840
Cook Islands	31 300	3 460	27 840
Costa Rica	62 600	6 920	55 680
Cote d'Ivoire	62 600	6 920	55 680
Cuba	344 300	38 060	306 240
Cyprus	62 600	6 920	55 680
Czechoslovakia	2 472 700	273 340	2 199 360
Democratic Kampuchea	31 300	3 460	27 840
Democratic People's Republic of Korea	187 800	20 760	167 040
Denmark	2 566 600	283 720	2 282 880
Djibouti	31 300	3 460	27 840
Dominica	31 300	3 460	27 840
Dominican Republic	125 200	13 840	111 360
Ecuador	125 200	13 840	111 360
Egypt	250 400	27 680	222 720
El Salvador	31 300	3 460	27 840
Equatorial Guinea	31 300	3 460	27 840
Ethiopia	31 300	3 460	27 840
Fiji	31 300	3 460	27 840
Finland	1 909 300	211 060	1 698 240
France	23 381 100	2 584 620	20 796 480
Gabon	125 200	13 840	111 360
Gambia	31 300	3 460	27 840
Germany, Federal Republic of	30 204 500	3 338 900	26 865 600
Ghana	31 300	3 460	27 840
Greece	1 502 400	166 080	1 336 320
Grenada	31 300	3 460	27 840
Guatemala	62 600	6 920	55 680
Guinea	31 300	3 460	27 840
Guinea-Bissau	31 300		27 840
Guyana	31 300	3 460	27 840
Haiti	31 300	3 460	27 840
Honduras	31 300	3 460	27 840
Hungary	782 500	86 500	696 000
Iceland	125 200	13 840	111 360
India	1 377 200	152 240	1 224 960
Indonesia	563 400	62 280	501 120
Iran, Islamic Republic of	2 566 600	283 720	2 282 880
Iraq	438 200	48 440	389 760
Ireland	657 300	72 660	584 640
Israel	782 500	86 500	696 000
Italy	14 930 100	1 650 420	13 279 680
Jamaica	31 300	3 460	27 840
Japan	42 536 700	4 702 140	37 834 560
Jordan	31 300	3 460	27 840
Kenya	31 300	3 460	27 840
Korea, Republic of	813 800	89 960	723 840
Kuwait	1 095 500	121 100	974 400
Laos	31 300	3 460	27 840
Lebanon	31 300	3 460	27 840
Lesotho	31 300	3 460	27 840
Liberia	31 300	3 460	27 840
Libya	1 032 900	114 180	918 720
Luxembourg	219 100	24 220	194 880
Madagascar	31 300	3 460	27 840
Malawi	31 300	3 460	27 840
Malaysia	406 900	44 980	361 920
Maldives	31 300	3 460	27 840
Mali	31 300	3 460	27 840
Malta	31 300	3 460	27 840
Mauritania	31 300	3 460	27 840
Mauritius	31 300	3 460	27 840
Mexico	3 505 600	387 520	3 118 080
Mongolia	31 300	3 460	27 840
Morocco	156 500	173 00	139 200
Mozambique	31 300	3 460	27 840
Myanmar	31 300	3 460	27 840
Namibia	31 300	3 460	27 840
Nepal	1 300	3 460	27 840
Netherlands	6 166 100	681 620	5 484 480
New Zealand	907 700	100 340	807 360
Nicaragua	31 300	3 460	27 840
Niger	31 300	3 460	27 840
Nigeria	751 200	83 040	668 160
Norway	2 065 800	228 360	1 837 440
Oman	62 600	6 920	55 680
Pakistan	219 100	24 220	194 880
Panama	62 600	6 920	55 680
Papua New Guinea	31 300	3 460	27 840
Paraguay	125 200	13 840	111 360
Peru	219 100	24 220	194 880
Philippines	344 300	38 060	306 240
Poland	2 097 100	231 820	1 865 280
Portugal	657 300	72 660	584 640
Qatar	187 800	20 760	167 040
Romania	719 900	79 580	640 320
Rwanda	31 300	3 460	27 840
Saint Christopher and Nevis	31 300	3 460	27 840
Saint Lucia	31 300	3 460	27 840
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	31 300	3 460	27 840
Samoa	31 300	3 460	27 840
Sao Tome and Principe	31 300	3 460	27 840
Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of	3 818 500	422 120	3 396 480
Senegal	31 300	3 460	27 840
Seychelles	31 300	3 460	27 840
Sierra Leone	31 300	3 460	27 840
Solomon Islands	31 300	3 460	27 840
Somalia	31 300	3 460	27 840
Spain	7 292 900	806 180	6 486 720
Sri Lanka	31 300	3 460	27 840
Sudan	31 300	3 460	27 840
Suriname	31 300	3 460	27 840
Swaziland	31 300	3 460	27 840
Sweden	4 538 500	501 700	4 036 800
Switzerland	4 037 700	446 340	3 591 360
Syria	156 500	17 300	139 200
Tanzania	31 300	3 460	27 840
Thailand	375 600	41 520	334 080
Togo	31 300	3 460	27 840
Tonga	31 300	3 460	27 840
Trinidad and Tobago	187 800	20 760	167 040
Tunisia	125 200	13 840	111 360
Turkey	1 189 400	131 840	1 057 920
Uganda	31 300	3 460	27 840
United Arab Emirates	719 900	79 580	640 320
United Kingdom	18 154 000	2 006 800	16 147 200
United States of America	78 250 000	8 300 000	69 950 000
Uruguay	156 500	17 300	139 200
Vanuatu	31 300	3 460	27 840
Venezuela	2 128 400	235 280	1 893 120
Viet Nam	31 300	3 460	27 840
Yemen Arab Republic	31 300	3 460	27 840
Yemen, People's Democratic
Republic of	31 300	3 460	27 840
Yugoslavia	1 721 500	190 300	1 531 200
Zaire	31 300	3 460	27 840
Zambia	31 300	3 460	27 840
Zimbabwe	62 600 6 920	55 680
	313 000 000 a/	34 250 000 b/	278 750 000 c/

a/ Financing of Budgetary Appropriations 1990-91 in accordance with Conference Resolution 8/89 (See para. 184 in the Conference Report):

Total Appropriations (Gross)	638 000 000
Less: Miscellaneous Income (see para. 2(b) of Conference Resolution 8/89)	12 000 000
Assessments for 1990-91 biennium	626 000 000
Apportioned to Member Nations in accordance with the Scale of Contributions 1990-91 adopted by Conference Resolution 13/89 and divided into two equal annual instalments, resulting in assessments per annum of	313 000 000

b/ See para. 2(c) of Conference Resolution 8/89
c/ $ 557 500 000 for 1990-91 biennium

G. Resolution 11/87

PROCEDURE FOR THE ELECTION OF THE CHAIRMEN AND MEMBERS OF THE PROGRAMME AND FINANCE COMMITTEES

THE CONFERENCE,

Noting that the question of the interpretation of Rule XXVII.3(c)(ii) of the General Rules of the Organization had arisen in the course of the election of the Chairman and members of the Finance Committee at the Eighty-ninth Session of the Council (November 1985) and that the Council had referred this matter to the Committee on Constitutional and Legal Matters (CCLM) which considered it at its Forty-eighth Session (September-October 1986),

Noting further that the matter had been considered by the Council at its Ninetieth Session (November 1986), Ninety-first Session (June 1987) and Ninety-second Session (November 1987),

Concurring with the recommendation of the Committee on Constitutional and Legal Matters endorsed by the Council at its Ninety-second Session,

Decides:

1. to affirm the need for just and equitable representation of the various regions on the Programme Committee and the Finance Committee;

2. to underline that an essential element of such representation is that all regions that so wish are in fact represented on the Committees; and

3. that members of the Council should bear the above in mind, as well as the importance of securing equitable rotation among the Countries constituting each region, when electing the Chairmen and members of the two Committees in accordance with Rules XXVI.3 and XXVII.3, respectively.

(Adopted 26 November 1987)

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