Preparing for ICCM2 in Rome

Meeting of the Open-ended Legal and Technical Working Group (OELTWG) of the Strategic
Approach to International Chemical Management (SAICM) and Informal Discussions.

Adopted by the International Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM) on 6 February
2006 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) is a policy framework to foster the sound management of chemicals whose overarching objective is “to achieve a sound management of chemicals throughout their life-cycle so that, by 2020, chemicals are used and produced in ways that lead to minimization of significant adverse effects on human health and the environment”.
The second ICCM2 takes place in Geneva, from 11 to 15 May 2009. In the meantime it was agreed to have an “open-ended legal and technical working group”, which would meet a few months prior to the second session to advance on the rules of procedure.
This meeting took place in Rome in October 21 to 24 October 2008. Sustainlabour participated as part of the Trade Union Delegation. At the OELTWG, two working groups were established for two agenda issues (i) the decision making, and (ii) the composition of the bureau and the subsidiary bodies.
The results of the meeting were unfortunately less ambitious than needed. Decision making and the composition of the bureau became two unresolved pitfalls, which might compromise the outcomes of the ICCM2.