Parliament loosens restrictions on EU chemicals exports[fr] 

In 2003, the EU became party to the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade, which stipulates that exporting countries must first receive the explicit consent of importing nations before being allowed to export certain chemical substances.

But problems with the PIC procedure emerged when EU companies encountered long delays – sometimes lasting several years – in receiving authorisation from importing countries. And in a February 2006 ruling, the EU Court of Justice annulled the EU's implementing regulation of the Rotterdam Convention because of a faulty legal basis.

The Commission proposed a new regulation later the same year, with an amended legal basis and recommendations for more lenient export approval procedures, including exemptions under certain cases to the requirements of the PIC procedure, arguing that in many cases chemicals were safe for export but trade opportunities were being lost due to administrative delays in importing countries.

Under the new regulation, endorsed in a 15 January plenary vote by an overwhelming majority of MEPs, if third countries do not reply to authorisation requests within two months, EU companies can receive 12-month export approvals as long as the substances in question have already been licensed in the importing country. 

In its initial proposal, the Commission argued that certain banned or restricted chemicals should also be subject to import approval exemptions if importing countries did not respond to requests within three months. But the "Greens succeeded in getting rid of this clause in the final first reading agreement", according to the group's press service.  

The Parliament's centre-right EPP-ED group said the "revised regulation thus guarantees environmental protection and health safety on the one hand and ensures a large export market for European producers on the other".

The rules are due to be rubber-stamped by the Council following an earlier compromise agreement with the Parliament.