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STATUS AS AT : 18-05-2013 05:07:00 EDT
CHAPTER XXVII
ENVIRONMENT
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 : 72. Parties : 152. 1
Text :
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); C.N.83.2009.TREATIES-1 of 5 February 2009 (Amendment to Annex III); C.N.139.2012.TREATIES-XXVII-14 of 8 March 2012 (Adoption of Amendment to Annex III).2, 3, 4, 5
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.
Participant
 Signature
 Ratification, Acceptance(A), Approval(AA), Accession(a)
Afghanistan
    6 Mar 2013 a
Albania
    9 Aug 2010 a
Angola
 11 Sep 1998
 
Antigua and Barbuda
   23 Aug 2010 a
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
Bahrain
   16 Apr 2012 a
Barbados
 11 Sep 1998
 
Belgium
 11 Sep 1998
23 Oct 2002
Belize
   20 Apr 2005 a
Benin
 11 Sep 1998
 5 Jan 2004
Bolivia (Plurinational State of)
   18 Dec 2003 a
Bosnia and Herzegovina
   19 Mar 2007 a
Botswana
    5 Feb 2008 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
Cambodia
    1 Mar 2013 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
China 6, 7
24 Aug 1999
22 Mar 2005
Colombia
 11 Sep 1998
 3 Dec 2008
Congo
 11 Sep 1998
13 Jul 2006
Cook Islands
   29 Jun 2004 a
Costa Rica
 17 Aug 1999
13 Aug 2009
Côte d'Ivoire
 11 Sep 1998
20 Jan 2004
Croatia
   16 Nov 2007 a
Cuba
 11 Sep 1998
22 Feb 2008
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
   23 Mar 2005
Denmark 8
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 Union
 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
Guatemala
   19 Apr 2010 a
Guinea
    7 Sep 2000 a
Guinea-Bissau
 10 Sep 1999
12 Jun 2008
Guyana
   25 Jun 2007 a
Honduras
   26 Sep 2011 a
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
 3 Oct 2011
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
Kazakhstan
    1 Nov 2007 a
Kenya
 11 Sep 1998
 3 Feb 2005
Kuwait
 11 Sep 1998
12 May 2006
Kyrgyzstan
 11 Aug 1999
25 May 2000
Lao People's Democratic Republic
   21 Sep 2010 a
Latvia
   23 Apr 2003 a
Lebanon
   13 Nov 2006 a
Lesotho
   30 May 2008 a
Liberia
   22 Sep 2004 a
Libya
    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
Malawi
   27 Feb 2009 a
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
Mongolia
 11 Sep 1998
 8 Mar 2001
Montenegro
   30 Dec 2011 a
Morocco
   25 Apr 2011 a
Mozambique
   15 Apr 2010 a
Namibia
 11 Sep 1998
24 Jun 2005
Nepal
    9 Feb 2007 a
Netherlands 9
11 Sep 1998
20 Apr 2000 A
New Zealand 10
11 Sep 1998
23 Sep 2003
Nicaragua
   19 Sep 2008 a
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
Republic of Moldova
   27 Jan 2005 a
Romania
    2 Sep 2003 a
Russian Federation
   28 Apr 2011 a
Rwanda
    7 Jan 2004 a
Samoa
   30 May 2002 a
Saudi Arabia
    7 Sep 2000 a
Senegal
 11 Sep 1998
20 Jul 2001
Serbia
   31 Jul 2009 a
Seychelles
 11 Sep 1998
 
Singapore
   24 May 2005 a
Slovakia
   26 Jan 2007 a
Slovenia
 11 Sep 1998
17 Nov 1999
Somalia
   26 Jul 2010 a
South Africa
    4 Sep 2002 a
Spain
 11 Sep 1998
 2 Mar 2004
Sri Lanka
   19 Jan 2006 a
St. Kitts and Nevis
   14 Aug 2012 a
St. Lucia
 25 Jan 1999
 
St. Vincent and the Grenadines
   29 Oct 2010 a
Sudan
   17 Feb 2005 a
Suriname
   30 May 2000 a
Swaziland
   24 Sep 2012 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
The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
   12 Aug 2010 a
Togo
  9 Sep 1999
23 Jun 2004
Tonga
   31 Mar 2010 a
Trinidad and Tobago
   16 Dec 2009 a
Tunisia
 11 Sep 1998
 
Turkey
 11 Sep 1998
 
Uganda
   18 Aug 2008 a
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
Viet Nam
    7 May 2007 a
Yemen
    4 Feb 2006 a
Zambia
   28 Jan 2011 a
Zimbabwe
    1 Mar 2012 a
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."
Botswana

Declaration:

       "[Pursuant to] paragraph 2 of Article 20, the Government of the Republic of Botswana declares that, with respect to any dispute concerning the interpretation or application of the Convention, it recognises both means of dispute settlement set out in this
       provision, as compulsory in relation to any Party accepting the same obligation under the Convention. This Declaration shall remain valid for the period that the Government of the Republic of Botswana is a party to the Convention.”
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 Union

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."
Israel

Declaration:

       “Pursuant to article 20, paragraph 2 of the Convention, the Government of the State of Israel declares that with respect to any dispute concerning the interpretation or application of the convention, it recognizes only (a) Arbitration in accordance with procedures to be adopted by the Conference of the Parties in an annex as soon as practicable.”

Declaration:

       “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 a 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.”
Netherlands

17 February 2010


Declaration:

       “The Kingdom of the Netherlands declares, in accordance with paragraph 2 of Article 20 of the Rotterdam Convention on the prior informed consent procedure for certain hazardous chemicals and pesticides in international trade, that it accepts both means of dispute settlement referred to in that paragraph as compulsory in relation to any Party accepting one or both means of dispute settlement.”
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.”
Republic of 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.
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 or accession.)
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."
End Note
1.For the purpose of entry into force of the [Convention/Protocol] , 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-1/3 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".
3.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).
4.By decision RC-4/5 of 31 October 2008, adopted at its fourth meeting, held in Rome, Italy, from 27 to 31 October 2008, the Conference of the Parties to the above Convention adopted, in accordance with the procedure laid down in paragraph 5 of article 22 of the Convention, an 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 "this amendment shall enter into force for all Parties on 1 February 2009".
5.By decisions RC-5/3, RC-5/4 and RC-5/5, adopted at its fifth meeting, held in Geneva from 20-24 June 2011, the Conference of the Parties to the above Convention adopted, in accordance with the procedure laid down in paragraph 5 of article 22 of the Convention, amendments to Annex III.

In accordance with paragraph 5 (c) article 22 of the Convention, the Conference of the Parties, in the same decision decided that these amendments entered into force for all Parties on 24 October 2011.
6.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.
7.On 26 August 2008, the Government of the People's Republic of China communicated to the Secretary-General the following declaration:

In accordance with 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 Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
8.With a territorial exclusion in respect of the Faroe Islands and Greenland.
9.For the Kingdom in Europe.
10.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."