Prior Informed Consent Regulation
The Prior Informed Consent Regulation (PIC, Regulation (EU) 649/2012) administers the import and export of certain hazardous chemicals and places obligations on companies who wish to export these chemicals to non-EU countries. It implements, within the European Union, the Rotterdam Convention on prior informed consent procedure for certain hazardous chemicals and pesticides in international trade.
Scope and processes
PIC applies to the chemicals listed in Annex I. This list is updated regularly as result of regulatory actions under EU legislation, and developments under the Rotterdam Convention.
Exporters in a EU Member State have to notify their intentions to export certain chemicals to a country outside the EU.
In addition to the notification requirement, the export of chemicals included in parts 2 and 3 of Annex I to the PIC Regulation are also subject to the existence of a valid explicit consent given by the designated national authority of the importing country outside the EU.