Course overview
This course serves as a ‘one-stop-shop’ that provides an overview of the breadth of available resources on the Rotterdam Convention. It covers the methodologies used for listing banned or severely restricted chemicals and severely hazardous pesticides formulations and it explains how these chemicals are traded. In doing so, the course looks at the Resource Kit, the Final Regulatory Action (FRA) Evaluation Toolkit, the Food and Agriculture Organisation’s (FAO) Pesticide Registration Toolkit, the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) procedure, among others, enabling the learner to better navigate and understand the scope and the purpose of these resources.
Welcome
The dramatic growth in chemical production and trade during the past decades has raised concerns about the potential risks posed by hazardous chemicals and pesticides. Countries lacking adequate infrastructure to monitor the import and use of these chemicals are particularly vulnerable.
In response to these concerns, the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade was adopted in 1998 and entered into force in 2004. It aims to promote shared responsibility and cooperative efforts among Parties in the international trade of certain hazardous chemicals in order to protect human health and the environment from potential harm and to contribute to their environmentally sound use.
This course provides an in-depth learning experience, systematically covering the mechanisms and provisions of the Convention. It explores in detail key concepts and processes – for example, step by step completion of an import response form – and covers topics such as Annex II criteria, provisions on custom codes and labelling, among others.
Who should take this course?
This self-paced online course on the Rotterdam Convention primarily targets the Rotterdam Convention designated national authorities (DNAs) and Official Contact Points (OCPs). It also offers valuable knowledge for other governmental and non-governmental actors with a role in the implementation of the Convention, from custom authorities to chemical importers.
The course also offers valuable knowledge and insights for the following audiences:
- Private sector entities with a role in the import and/or export of chemicals;
- Civil society organizations with an interest in the functioning of the Rotterdam Convention; and
- Individuals with an interest in the international trade of chemicals.
Course at a glance
The e-course is self-paced and adapted to the schedule of full-time working professionals. The e-course is structured in four module, with each module including several lessons.
- Module 1: What is the Rotterdam Convention and why was it created?
1.1. Objectives, scope and relationship to other agreements; 1.2. Key mechanisms and actors
- Module 2: How are chemicals listed under the Convention?
2.1. Overview of the listing procedure; 2.2. Notifications of final regulatory actions; 2.3. Proposals for severely hazardous pesticide formulations
- Module 3: How does the trade of chemicals listed in Annex III to the Convention work?
3.1. Overview of the prior informed consent procedure; 3.2. Imports of Annex III chemicals; 3.3. Exports of Annex III chemicals
- Module 4: Which mechanisms exist for the exchange of information under the Convention?
4.1. Exports of banned or severely restricted chemicals; 4.2. Classification and labelling; 4.2. Exchange of scientific, technical, economic and legal information
Completion requirements
The successful completion of the course rewards the learner with a certificate of completion. To earn this certificate, the learner must pass a quiz associated with each of the four modules with a minimum grade of 70% for each quiz.
Partners and Contributors
The course was developed by the Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm (BRS) Conventions in cooperation with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and generous financial contributions from the European Union (EU).
Disclaimer
The designations employed and the presentation of the materials in this course do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariats of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm (BRS) Conventions, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the United Nations (UN), concerning the geopolitical situations or the legal status of any country, territory, or city or area or their authorities, or concerning the delimitation of their frontiers or boundaries.
The views expressed in this course and its materials are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the BRS Secretariats, UNEP, the UN or contributory organizations. The BRS Secretariats, UNEP or the UN do not accept responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of the contents and shall not be liable for any loss or damage that may be occasioned, directly or indirectly, through the use of, or reliance on, the contents of this publication.
Mention or display of the names of companies and commercial products does not imply their endorsement by the UN, UNEP or the BRS Secretariats.
Videos in this course may be reproduced in whole or in part and in any form for educational or non-profit purposes without special permission from the copyright holder, i.e. the BRS Secretariats, provided acknowledgement of the source is made. The BRS Secretariats would appreciate receiving a copy of any materials that uses this video as a source. No use of this video may be made for resale or for any other commercial purpose whatsoever without prior permission in writing from the BRS Secretariats.
Copyright @ Secretariats of the Basel, Rotterdam, Stockholm Conventions, February 2025