About Prior Informed Consent Procedure (PIC)

In 1999, the United Kingdom signed the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure (PIC), which allows signatories to monitor and control the international trade of certain dangerous chemicals.

In the European Union, Regulation (EC) No. 689/2008 concerning the export and import of dangerous chemicals (as amended) implements the Rotterdam Convention and is the latest in a series of such regulations on international chemicals trade dating back to 1992.

It promotes shared responsibility and co-operation and allows countries that are importing certain dangerous chemicals to specify conditions that the imported chemicals must meet.

It aims to protect human health and the environment by providing developing countries with information on how to store, transport, use and dispose of dangerous chemicals safely.

This regulation also includes chemicals from the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPS) the export of which is banned.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and Health and Safety Executive Northern Ireland (HSENI) are the Designated National Authorities for the UK. HSE provides information on Regulation (EC) No. 689/2008 on behalf of the UK Designated National Authorities.