ABSTRACT
This chapter considers chemicals and outlines the development of a multilateral export-import system for banned and severely restricted toxic chemicals which has National Authorities in 148 countries administering a voluntary export-import system which is currently at an advanced stage of being negotiated as a legally binding instrument. In the European Union, a legally binding Council Regulation No 2455/92 was adopted in 1992 which requires exporters of chemicals which are banned or severely restricted in the European Union to provide information to importing countries about these chemicals. UN Environment Programme Governing Council decision 18/12 also required the convening of a Government-designated group of experts to consider what further measures are needed to reduce the risks from a limited number of hazardous chemicals. The Chemical Weapons Convention in Article I requires States Parties to undertake never under any circumstances to ‘transfer, directly or indirectly, chemical weapons to anyone’.
