The Asia-Pacific Financial Cooperation (APEC) Chemical Dialogue hosted a dialogue on the 2020-2023 strategic framework for the area. The Chemical Dialogue is the principle discussion board for the chemical trade in Asia and the Pacific, which represents greater than 45% of worldwide chemical manufacturing – roughly 7% of worldwide gross home product (GDP) – and over 69% of worldwide jobs within the chemical trade.
In accordance with the Chemical Dialogue secretariat, the trade performs a vital function in producing provides to battle COVID-19, together with masks, different private protecting gear (PPE), and hand sanitizer.
The plenary assembly convened on-line from 5-6 November 2020 to debate updating the APEC Chemical Dialogue Strategic Framework 2020-2023. The framework: integrates well being, environmental, and sustainable growth issues associated to sound chemical substances administration; displays the chemical trade’s dedication to well being and security and to mitigating the influence of COVID-19 within the Asia-Pacific area by offering important supplies required to battle the pandemic; and articulates the Chemical Dialogue’s major targets. These targets are:
- facilitating commerce and elevating the usual of sound chemical substances administration by increasing and supporting regulatory cooperation and alignment within the area;
- selling understanding of the chemical trade’s function as a supplier of revolutionary options for sustainable financial, environmental and social growth; and
- enabling efficient cooperation between trade and governments to enhance chemical product stewardship and secure use.
The Framework will information the Dialogue’s priorities and actions by way of 4 working teams on: Regulatory Cooperation and Convergence; the Globally Harmonised System of Classification and Labelling of Chemical substances (GHS); Marine Particles, a cross-cutting initiative to advertise growth of and funding in revolutionary options to land-based waste administration; and Knowledge Trade, which permits the sharing of knowledge and knowledge on chemical substances administration.
In 2000, APEC ministers welcomed an initiative to determine the Chemical Dialogue. It focuses on challenges imposed by completely different approaches to regulation, together with the issue of balancing the safety of commerce secrets and techniques and confidential info with the necessity for transparency, facilitating information trade, and the various regulatory approaches to the remedy of chemical substances. The APEC Chemical Dialogue additionally emphasizes the combination of its work with the worldwide chemical substances agenda. [APEC press release] [Overview of the Chemical Dialogue and Strategic Framework]
