The cabinet meeting on Tuesday17, November 2009 has come to the following decision:
The Cabinet approved participating as an adhering country in the Mutual Acceptance of Data (MAD) in the assessment of chemicals system of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), as the Ministry of Industry proposed in order to refer to the Parliament for further consideration.
Facts
The proposal of the Ministry of Industry is as follows:
1. Since Thailand is a non-member of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development : OECD, participation as an adhering country in the Mutual Acceptance of Data in the assessment of chemicals system adheres Thailand to the OECD Council Acts in the MAD. It begins with notifying the OECD of Thailand’s intention to join the system. When OECD sends Thailand a letter of invitation to join the MAD, Thailand has to issue the letter of confirmation to affirm the participation. The Office of National Accreditation Council (NAC) will work as the coordinating centre with the OECD and other concerned orgnisations in each area will be the GLP Compliance Monitoring Authority — CMA.
2. Participating as an adhering country in the Mutual Acceptance of Data in the assessment of chemicals system will allow the chemical assessment data of Thai laboratories to be accepted by OECD countries and adhering countries without retesting. Apart from enhancing export procedure of Thailand and reducing Thailand’s trade barriers, it helps Thailand to maintain the market share of industrial product, to increase competitive capability, and to maintain domestic employment. However, Thailand has to follow obligations occurring from joining the MAD, for example, Thailand must solely accept chemical assessment data from OECD countries that have been adhered previously and must attend activities determined by the OECD. Moreover, the organization studying data of chemical assessment and the organizations following and accrediting Thailand’s operating procedure must have managing procedure which complies with the principle of Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) of the OECD along with the Compliance Monitoring Authority — CMA which its quality conforms to the OECD’s requirement. The latter requirement would be advantageous in upgrading the standard of chemical assessment of Thailand to meet the international standard.
Summary of content
Scopes, responsibilities, obligations, and benefits of joining the MAD are
1. Scopes : pharmaceuticals, pesticide, cosmetic products, veterinary drugs, food additives, feed additives, and industrial chemicals.
2. Responsibilities :
2.1 There must be a department to study data of chemical assessment which its management system complies with the GLP principle of the OECD, monitored by the CMA in each area.
2.2 The CMA must have qualification as the OECD determines (such as human resources management system) and must join activities determined by the OECD.
3. Obligations :
3.1 Once Thailand confirms joining the MAD as a provisional adherent, Thailand must accept data of assessment of chemicals from OECD members and adhering countries (currently, there are 34 countries), which is single acceptance.
3.2 After becoming a full adherent, the annual fee of 2,000 Euro must be paid.
4. Benefits :
4.1 OECD countries will accept data of assessment of chemicals of Thailand without retesting, which facilitates and increases trade opportunities, including develop competitive potential of the country.
4.2 Thailand will receive academic assistance from the OECD. Approval on hosting Special ASEAN Minister Meeting on the Environment - climate change issues
The cabinet approved and endorsed proposals from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, as follows.
1. Approved the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, to host the Special ASEAN Minister Meeting on the Environment concerning climate change issue during 28-29 November 2009 at Hua Hin, Prachuap Khiri Khan.
2. Endorsed the budget of 3,500,000 baht and directed the Bureau of the Budget and the Ministry of Finance to review budget allocation from central reserve budget for emergency and necessary cases to support hosting the meeting. Spending the budget will be as the real disbursement.
Facts
1. The Prime Minister has sent letters of invitation to invite the ASEAN leaders to attend the meeting in order to determine the reaction supporting and bringing about success to the Fifteenth session of the Conference of the Parties : COP15 and the Fifth session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol : CMP5, Copenhagen, the Kingdom of Denmark. Yet the date, time, and venue have not been determined.
2. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment discussed with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and concerned organizations and agreed that the Special ASEAN Minister Meeting on the Environment on the issue of climate change during 28-29 November 2009 at Hua Hin, Prachuap Khiri Khan should be held as the meeting is in the level of ASEAN leaders. Thailand, as the chairman of ASEAN should take a leading role in solving the climate change issue. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment as the National Focal Point of United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change has been assigned to prepare holding the meeting.
Summary of content
In the meeting, the document will be considered as it is the political document to propose in the COP 15 conference in Copenhagen in order to develop the obligations to provide the legal binding document within 2010.
The political document must reflect the political intention with the 5 main principles:
1) Common but Differentiated Responsibilities
2) Measurement, Reporting and Verification : MRV
3) Stepping Stone to control the temperature to increase not over 2 degree Celsius.
4) Giving assistance and financial mechanism and transferring technology to developing countries.
5) Announcing the clear timeline of operation. Although goals belong to Annex I Countries, Non-Annex I Countries should consider how to announce operating goal in order to solve the issue of climate change. The goal and result of the meeting in Copenhagen will be comprehensive and cover all aspects but it also depends on flexibility of each country. Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organisation asks Thai government for consider hosting regional workshop
The cabinet approved the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Office of Atoms for Peace to jointly host the regional workshop on Development of Potential of National Information Center and accept hosting the meeting, allowing the Ambassador Permanent Representative of Thailand to the United Nations in Vienna to sign the Letter of Exchange as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs proposed. As for the expense occurring from operation that the Thai government is responsible for, the concerned organization will spend from the fiscal year 2010 budget according to the opinion of the Bureau of the Budget.
Fact
As the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Office of Atoms for Peace, Ministry of Science and Technology, have been approached by Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization : CTBTO PrepCom to ask the Thai government for considering hosting the Regional National Data Center Capacity Building Workshop during 23-24 November 2009, attended by Mr. Tibor Toth, CTBTO PrepCom Executive Secretary. It is estimated that there will be around 30 attendees from countries in Asia-Pacific Region.
The CTBTO PrepCom proposes to do Exchange of Letters, indicating responsibilities of CTBTO PrepCom and of the Thai government in case that the Thai government agree to host the meeting. The CTBTO PrepCom will be responsible for the expense concerning holding the meeting, setting schedule, including coordinating with attendees. The Thai government is responsible for, for example, 1) Providing privileges and necessary facilities for the meeting attendees and the meeting staff, (2) Facilitating the meeting attendees on Visa matter, (3) Securing the meeting venue properly, (4) Being responsible for any damages that might occur, except the case that CTBTO PrepCom or the officers of CTBTO PrepCom commit gross negligence or have an intention to commit wrongdoing.
--Cabinet Meeting (Abhisit Vejjajiva) November 17, 2009--