On December 16, 2024, the European Union released its annual report on the Prior Informed Consent Regulation (PIC), detailing the trade patterns of restricted or banned substances in 2023. Substances containing benzene remained at the forefront of EU's chemical trade.
Substances with a benzene concentration of 0.1% or more were added to PIC's Annex I in 2022, with enforcement starting from July 1 the same year. According to ECHA's data, in 2023, substances containing benzene accounted for 98% of the EU's total exports (65,147,553 tons) and about 99% of total imports (65,739,206 tons). While the export of PIC-regulated substances saw an increase, pesticide exports declined for the second consecutive year. The specifics are:
- Substance Imports
In 2023, the EU's total substance imports saw a decrease, with a 56% year-on-year drop for PIC-regulated substances. The top six substances by import and export volume in 2023 were almost the same as in 2022. - Substance Exports
The EU's total substance exports increased steadily in 2023, with an 8% year-on-year increase for PIC-regulated substances. - Pesticide Exports
In 2023, the EU's total pesticide exports fell for the second year in a row, from 192,674 tons in 2022 to 173,451 tons, a 10% drop. The decline was more significant from 2021 to 2022, at 21%. - Additional Notes
Of the companies reporting 2023 EU PIC substance trade data, 532 from 23 EU countries provided export data, and 207 submitted import data. However, four EU countries, including Cyprus, Estonia, Luxembourg, Malta, and Northern Ireland in the UK, reported no PIC substance trade.
About PIC
The PIC, effective in the EU from March 1, 2014, is a practical application of the Rotterdam Convention. It stringently regulates the trade of hazardous substances between the EU and third countries, specifying export notification duties for certain harmful substances within the EU.
PIC's Annex V lists substances completely banned from export within the EU, all of which are no longer produced. Annex I lists substances requiring export notification. Annually, by March 31, traders must report the trade data of Annex I substances to their national authorities. This data is then consolidated by each EU country and sent to ECHA for EU-level summary and public disclosure of non-confidential information.
