4. Effects on Other Instruments

(a) States should take the necessary measures with regard to implementation of these Guidelines

(b) The provisions of these Guidelines do not affect the obligations of States deriving from any relevant international agreement to which they are or may become party.

5. Institutional Arrangements

5.1 UNEP and FAO should develop an information exchange system to ensure that designated national authorities of importing and exporting countries have a single contact point for obtaining information and communicating decisions on chemicals subject to the PlC procedure;

5.2 UNEP should share with FAO the operational responsibility for the implementation of the PIC procedure and jointly manage and implement common elements including the selection of chemicals to be included in the PIC procedure, preparation of the PIC guidance documents, mechanisms for information sharing, and creation of data bases;

5.3 UNEP should collaborate with FAO in reviewing the implementation of the PlC procedure, including participation, responses, and violations of importing country decisions;

5.4 For purposes of international communications, each State should designate a national governmental authority (or authorities) competent to perform the administrative functions related to the exchange of information and decisions regarding importation of chemicals included in the PIC procedure;  ² 

5.5 The designated national authority should be authorized to communicate, directly or as provided by national law or regulation, with designated national authorities of other States and with international organizations concerned, to exchange information, to make and communicate decisions regarding chemicals included in the PIC procedure and to submit reports at the request of such States or organizations or on its own initiative;

5.6 States should ensure that designated national authorities have sufficient national resources to assume responsibility with regard to implementation of these Guidelines:

5.7 States should as soon as possible make available the name and address of their designated national authority to the International Register of Potentially Toxic Chemicals (IRPTC), as well as subsequent changes:

5.8 A register of designated national authorities should be maintained, regularly up-dated, and disseminated by IRPTC;

5.9 IRPTC should, in addition:

(a) Co-ordinate the network of designated national authorities;

(b) Develop recommendations on practices and procedures, and such joint programmes and measures as may be required to make the Guidelines effective;

(c) Maintain liaison with other concerned intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations;

(d) Keep under review the implementation of these Guidelines, on the basis of periodic reports from designated national authorities and provide biennial reports on the effectiveness of the Guidelines and suggestions for their improvement.