The 11th Chemical Dialogue (CD11)

Kazan, Tatarstan, Russia

May 20-22, 2012

Representatives from government and/or industry from Australia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Russia, Singapore, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, and, the United States convened in Kazan, Russia at the 11th Chemical Dialogue to discuss achievements to date and plans for work going forward under the 2011-2013 Strategic Framework. The Dialoguetook place alongside a number of related events. These included: (1) the Workshop organized by Russia on the Concept of Data Exchange on Chemical Products and Chemical Substances Hazardous Properties on May 21; (2) the May 21-22 Sub Committee on Customs Procedures (SCCP); (3) the 9th Conference on Standards and Conformance(SCSC) on May 22-23; and, (4) the June 4-5 meeting of Ministers Responsible for Trade, where agreed outcomes from CD11 can be considered.

The Dialogue discussed the outcomes and next steps from the workshop hosted by the Russian Federation to examine challenges with data resources and chemicals hazard classification. There are a number of action items for work going forward from this conference, including enhanced collaboration with the OECD and other international organizations and resources, and a report to the UN SCE GHS in July.

The Dialogue received a summary of the presentation made at the Industry Pre-Meeting on the state of the petrochemical industry in Tatarstan by Dr. Albert A. Karimov, Chairman of the Board of Himgrad Industrial Park and Advisor to the First Deputy Prime Minister of Tartarstan. Members of the Dialogue also toured the Himgrad facility. In terms of Ministerial submissions, the CD endorsed the Regulators Forum Action Plan and the GHS implementation status report for submission to Ministers at the June 4-5 MRT and agreed that Russia would investigate the prospect of showing the ICCA video on the chemical industry’s contribution to climate change solutions in the margins of the MRT. The CD agreed to develop a short information paper for the APEC Energy Ministers Ministerial June 24-25, 2012 showing the contribution of chemistry to sustainable development, and to making a submission to ICCM-3 in September in Nairobi, pending approvals, led by Dr. Sergei Tsyb and Dr. Fumiaki Shono. Representatives from the Chemical Dialogue participated in the SCSC conference, focusing on nanotechnology and chemicals management, and briefed the SCCP on the work of the Dialogue and possible synergies relating to GHS implementation.

The Dialogue agreed on the following action items to support its work program under the 2011-2013 Strategic Framework:

  • Outcomes of the Hazard Classification Workshop: Information Exchange and Discussion of challenges with hazard classification and data alignment:
  • Review and comment by July 10, 2012 on ideas to address data and hazard classification challenges, which were circulated at CD11 by the Russian Federation to inform Phase II of the workshop, which will be held in Vladivostok September 1-3, 2012.
  • Individual delegations to consult with Russia on draft MRT language that reflects the work of the Chemical Dialogue
  • Chinese Taipei to investigate posting data resource links on the G.R.E.A.T. website
  • The Russian Federation to (a) establish a Virtual Working Group (VWG) and call for members, including participants from the National Library of Medicine and OECD, and (b) work with the API representative to develop a short report for review by June 15 on the CD’s work in this area for presentation to the July 4-6, 2012 meeting of the UN SCE GHS by Professor Kozlov. The CD would aim for intersessional approval of this report by the CTI and SOM by June 30.
  • Strategic Framework:
  • Revised the updated 2011-2013 Strategic Framework (SF) to include completed work streams as an Annex and delete work streams where there are no volunteers to lead the work, with the exception of behind the border work, which will be incorporated into the regulatory convergence work stream. By June 15, Australia will circulate the SF with an action plan revised to take into account the agreed amendments.
  • The CD directed that CDSG1, 2013 agenda should include a discussion that looks at developing a 5 year strategic review of the direction of the Chemical Dialogue.

Shared Goal 1: Expand and support cooperation and mutual recognition among chemical regulators in the region and facilitate trade

  • GHS Implementation:
  • Submitted the 2012 GHS implementation status report to the June 4-5 MRT for consideration.
  • Endorsed the format for case studies on the application of GHS principles to consumer products. The Program Director (PD) will circulate a blank copy and those interested can submit a case study. Case studies submitted would be compiled and analyzed for discussion at CDSG1, 2013 in Jakarta.
  • Encouraged additional contributions to the G.R.E.A.T. website, including the posting of updated GHS implementation status reports and case studies.
  • Encouraged closer cooperation with the SCCP on GHS implementation, including discussion in 2013 of possible areas of collaboration as they relate to the single window system. A representative of the SCCP will be invited to brief the CDSG1 in 2013. On the basis of that briefing the CDSG will develop a document for cooperation with the SCCP for discussion at CDSG12 in 2013
  • New Proposals and Potential Requirements
  • Industry will draw up a list of REACH implementation challenges and questions, including individual member state’s proposals as examples. The list could be used to inform member economies as they were in the process of reviewing their own chemicals management schemes, serve as a basis for bilateral discussions, and for interventions in the WTO TBT as appropriate.
  • Japan will circulate comments received on the Danish proposal.
  • Member economies should be encouraged to raise challenges and questionscollectively at the next WTO TBT meeting in June.
  • Emerging Regulatory Issues:
  • Chemicals in Articles: Agreed to review outcomes from ICCM-3 on chemicals in articles to inform potential APEC CD activity to address challenges posed by differing regulatory approaches.
  • Transparency and the Protection of Confidential Business Information: the Virtual Working Group will finalize the survey of how economies address these issues by July 10 and circulate to the CD intersessionally for endorsement by July 31. Once endorsed the PD will circulate the survey to economies for completion by October 30. The VWG will analyze the results of the survey and prepare a document for discussion at CDSG1, 2013 in Jakarta.
  • Regulatory Cooperation:
  • Agreed to seek endorsement by the CTI, SOM and June 4-5 MRT of the Regulators Forum Action Plan (2012/SOM2/CD/013).
  • Updated the CD Strategic Framework to reflect the Regulators Forum Action Plan under Shared Goal 1.
  • Opened for review and comment by June 30 the industry proposal (2012/SOM2/CD/016)for work to support APEC’s regulatory cooperation agenda; and, establish a Virtual Working Group (Australia, Mexico, United States) to define the scope of work and report back to the CDSG at SOM 1, 2013
  • Building on the back-to-back model of prior meetings, the CD supports a joint meeting of the CD Regulators Forum and OECD Clearing House on New Chemicals (OECD CHNC) in 2013.
  • Organize and conduct a training workshop in Bangkok on tools for risk assessment and risk management

Shared Goal 2: Enhance understanding of the chemical industry’s role as an innovative solutions industry

  • Voluntary Industry Programs:
  • Russia to work with the APCIC to develop a survey for circulation to APEC member economies on best practices in the implementation of Responsible Care®
  • Industry (U.S. and Singapore) to develop a short information paper by June 1 for submission to the June 24-25, 2012 APEC Energy Ministers as an information document showing the contribution of the chemical industry to energy efficiency and emissions reductions. The paper will need CTI and SOM intersessional approval.
  • Innovative Technologies, Programs, Business Models:
  • The Russian Federation undertook to explore the possible of screening the video showing industry’s role in GHG reductions and contribution to the economy in the margins of the June 4-5 MRT meeting. The video is available at the following link:
  • Industry Participation in the 9th APEC SCSC Conference on Standards and Conformance in the Field of Innovations and Related Good Practices:
  • CD industry presenters at the 9th SCSC conference on standards and conformance and innovation undertook to provide a brief report to the CD intersessionally.

Shared Goal 3: Encourage chemical product stewardship, safe use and sustainability

  • CD / SAICM Alignment:
  • Comments from the CD members are due on the draft CD submission to ICCM3 (2012/SOM2/CD/014) by June 15, so that approvals can be obtained from APEC by June 30 (CD, CTI and SOM) with a view to sending the CD submission to the SAICM Secretariatby July 15 – in time for the 6 week deadline for submission of information documents to ICCM-3.
  • Pending CTI and SOM approval, Dr.r Sergei Tsyb would represent APEC from the government side at ICCM-3 in Nairobi, and deliver a short intervention on the contribution of the CD to SAICM implementation and Industry Co-Chair Dr. Fumiaki Shono would represent industry. APCIC undertook to inform the SAICM Secretariat that a document would be submitted.
  • CD and UNCSD/June 20-22, 2012 Rio+20 Conference:
  • Industry undertook to provide a short report of outcomes following the conference
  • Emergency Response:
  • Economies are invited to provide comments on and verify information on the newly launched chemical emergency responders website to Chemtrec, via email by July 1. The website is being developed as a free resource for first responders.
  • Other Regional Efforts:
  • The ERIA Working Group on the proposed ASEAN Chemical Safety Database will report on progress at CDSG1 in Jakarta in 2013.
  • Recommendations to Trade Ministers:
  • CD delegations to inform their CTI representatives of the importance of including the CD’s work in the Trade Ministers Statement and to consult with Russia bilaterally on proposed language.
  • Chemical Dialogue in 2013:
  • Indonesia to inform the Program Director as soon as dates are confirmed for the senior officials and related meetings, including CDSG1 and the CD12.

Meeting Summary

  1. Co-Chairs’ Overview

In opening the Dialogue, the Government Co-Chair noted that industry had met at the Industry Pre-Meeting to discuss challenges facing the industry. She indicated that outcomes from the Dialogue should be set in context of the June 4-5 Meeting of Ministers Responsible for Trade (MRT) and noted that it will be important for the good work of the Dialogue to be welcomed and recognized as part of MRT statement. It also is helpful to keep work aligned with APEC priorities and those of the host economy. This year APEC priorities are trade and investment liberalization/regional economic integration (REI), regulatory convergence, innovative growth, sustainable growth and supply chain reliability. She noted that the CD has taken up the regulatory cooperation priority as its first shared goal in the Strategic Framework. The Regulators’ Forum had established a network of chemical regulators in the region, and an important workshop would take place in November in Bangkok focusing on risk management in chemicals. The CD is looking at a contribution to ICCM-3 and is making progress on GHS implementation.The CD’s work program can inform the work of international forums.

The Industry Co-Chair reported on the May 20 Industry Pre-Meeting (IPM) noting that there was a very good turn out and that the meeting had been addressed by Dr. Albert A. Karimov, Chairman of the Board of Himgrad Industrial Park and Advisor to the First Deputy Prime Minister of Tartarstan. Dr. Karimov had observed that Tatarstan accounted for 60% of regional production of chemicals and 90% of exports. Small and Medium Enterprises with assistance from Himgrad Industrial Park had made quick and dynamic breakthroughs. The IPM had a very good exchange of information on challenges facing the industry and on ways the industry could contribute through the Chemical Dialogue to the APEC regulatory cooperation agenda and the international chemicals agenda.

  1. MRT Priorities

The Dialogue was briefed on MRT priorities by Mr. Sergei Tsyb. He noted that these priorities reflect the overall priorities of the Russian Federation and APEC: trade and investment liberalization and enhanced regional economic integration; supply chain; energy efficiency; and innovation. It would be helpful to align the CD’s outcomes with those priorities. He commented briefly on the role of Tartarstan in the chemicals sector.

  1. The May 21, 2012 Workshop organized by Russia on the Concept of Data Exchange on Chemical Products and Chemical Substances Hazardous Properties

The Government Co-Chair observed that there had been a very interesting discussion at the May 21 workshop, with an excellent slate of speakers. She observed that the workshop had provided much food for thought on a very complex subject. Russia noted that there were reports at the workshop from a variety of economies, including Russia, the United States, Japan, Australia, Chinese Taipei, and China. A lot of information was received and it was clear there are many information resources on chemical safety. Interest was high. Russia considers that there now is a need to focus on analyzing what is available in the APEC region in terms of data on the properties of substances, including assessing the quality of information on which to base classification and labeling. Russia plans to analyze the information, get feedback from industry and professional associations and share the results with interested parties in the CD. Phase II of the workshop will be held in the margins of the CIS conference in September, in Vladivostok. Russia will analyze and share outcomes with all interested parties in the CD. Russia hopes that this information sharing activity will continue. Russia noted that GHS implementation was very important for Russia and all APEC economies. GHS implementation supports the CD’s Shared Goal 1 and thus the APEC 2012 priority of expanding trade and investment liberalization and regional economic integration. The CD’s work also is connected closely with the priority of facilitating reliable supply chains.

Russia considers that developing a global list of classifications for chemicals addresses a strategic objective of the CD and suggested close cooperation between the CD and the UNSCE GHS and the OECD among others. Russia supports the formation of a Virtual Working Group (VWG) and would like the topic referenced in the MRT statement. Russia circulated hard copies of possible MRT language that included a reference to closer cooperation between the APEC CD and the UN Sub Committee on GHS taking into account the creation of an Integrated Information Resource. The CD considered that more work needed to be done on the data resource issue and suggested that the language be re-worded to reflect closer cooperation between the APEC CD and other relevant international fora on data resources that serve as a basis for hazard classification. The Government Co-Chair welcomed the fact that Russia intends to emphasize the work of the CD in the MRT statement and requested that individual delegations meet with Russia to discuss comments on the draft language.

The Government Co-Chair noted that since the May 21 work shop, feedback had been received from the OECD, which welcomedthe willingness of APEC to cooperate with the OECD/ UN SC GHS and would be happy to participate in a VWG as proposed. The OECD noted that there were many databases and resources available, but it was challenging to see where APEC could add value. However, the OECD welcomed the concept and the goal to promote more consistent classification of chemicals. The OECD would like APEC to join in the eChem portal project subject to agreement by OECD member countries and to focus on data not already accessible through existing portals and determining how portals could be made more complementary. The National Library of Medicine also wished to join the VWG and participate in virtual meetings.

Russia indicated that it would share additional feedback on the workshop with the CD and would like ideas for work going forward. The Government Co-Chair called for comments on the Russian proposal to be sent to the PD by the end of June.

There was a suggestion that a short report on the CD’s progress with this matter, reporting on the workshop and possible next steps be made to the UN SCE GHS at its next meeting in July 4-6. The CD welcomed this suggestion and agreed that Professor Kozlov would present the report on behalf of the CD. A representative from the American Petroleum Institute (API) offered to work with the Russian Federation on a draft report for circulation for comment to the CD by June 15. Endorsement also would be sought from the CTI and SOM by end June.

Chinese Taipei, Australia, Indonesia, China, Japan, Singapore, and the United States all commended the Russian Federation for the excellent workshop. Chinese Taipei noted that G.R.E.A.T. could serve as a data base or portal of portals. There was a suggestion that links could be put on the G.R.E.A.T. website to introduce the many data resources identified at the workshop. Australia supported that suggestion. China noted the importance of establishing chemicals classification in harmonized ways, noting that it had asked about differing data systems during a UNITAR GHS training session in China. UNITAR had responded that it did not have the resources to develop classification criteria. API noted that it had provided some ideas on this issue at the workshop. Indonesia wondered whether the emerging ASEAN database project could be linked to this work at some future date. Japan noted that the ERIA/ASEAN data base project was at a very early stage. Indonesia noted that it was in the process of amending its chemical regulations and drafting a new law based on LCA risk assessment and risk management so being able to access data bases would be very useful.Singapore proposed that sharing information on classifications would be an important first step.