The POPs Review Committee of the Stockholm Convention and the Chemical Review Committee of the Rotterdam Convention play a central role in the process of listing new chemicals and advancing the technical work under the conventions. Both committees follow several processes and policies in reviewing chemicals for listing under the conventions.

In decisions RC-8/9 and SC-8/15, the conferences of the Parties to the Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions, respectively, welcomed the technical assistance programme for the biennium 2018-2019 which included support for effective participation in the work of and coordination among the scientific subsidiary bodies of the Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions.

The activities to support effective participation in the work of the committees will:

• Enhance the understanding of Parties and observers on the processes for reviewing and listing new chemicals in Annexes A, B and/or C to the Stockholm Convention and in Annex III to the Rotterdam Convention;
• Increase the capacity of Parties and observers to provide information on the chemicals under review and comments on draft documents prepared by the committees;
• Support science-based decision making on the listing of new chemicals.