UNITED

NATIONS	ST

Secretariat	Distr.

GENERAL

ST/SG/AC.10/1998/41

28 September 1998

Original: ENGLISH
COMMITTEE OF EXPERTS ON THE

TRANSPORT OF DANGEROUS GOODS

(Twentieth session,

Geneva, 7-16 December l998,

agenda item 3 (a))

ACTIVITIES RELATED TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF AGENDA 21

Global harmonization of systems of classification and labelling of chemicals

Implementation mechanism

Transmitted by the Expert from Argentina

At the fifteenth session of the Sub-Committee of Experts, documents INF.19 and INF.39 were submitted referring to the probable new structure that the United Nations would have in matters concerning the transport of dangerous goods and globally harmonized system.

At its December 1998 session, the Committee of Experts will discuss alternatives and probable new structures, and we present some of the better alternatives:

1.	Similar to the present structure

-	This structure maintains the unity between the two bodies and allows a fixed number of days for each session to be laid down; the Sub-Committee can assign the number of days, to transport and to the harmonization group, depending on the amount of work each one has;

-	Do not modify the presentl budget, and ECOSOC rules would be followed with regard to the composition and decisions of the Committee;

-	The name of the Committee will be "United Nations Committee on Globally Harmonized Systems and the Transport of Dangerous Goods";

GE-98-

-	The membership will be as at present, but number of experts may be included in each delegtion, depending on requirements.

-	The ECOSOC rules shall to be followed.

1st Possible alternative structure

UNCTDG and GHS
Secretariat
Sub-Committee ETDG	Sub-Committee EGHS

-	It is expensive for foreign delegates to attend, except when the Sub-Committees meet consecutively.

-	The composition of each Sub-Committee must be discussed, but will be of a limited number of participants, in accordance with the ECOSOC rules.

-	If each Sub-Committee has its own independent secretariat they could act as a counterbalance to each other.

2nd Possible alternative structure

UNCTDG and GHS
Secretariat
Sub-Committee

ETDG ....... EGHS
Scientific Advisory Group

-	This structure is similar to others that exist in the world for advising international bodies, for example GESAMP , the scientific adviser of the IMO Committee and Sub-Committees on questions of marine pollution.

-	We should recall that the Sub-Committee nowadays works in the same manner in matters such as hazards to the environment. In this case, its advisory body is the OECD.

-	It has the advantage that a great number of members can be integrated into the scientific adviser group, and it does not need to work under the ECOSOC rules.

-	Do not increase the operational budget at all.

-	The group can work in parallel with the Sub-Committee.

UNCTDG and GHS	United Nations Committee on Transport and Globally Harmonized System

ETDG	Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods

EGHS	Experts on Globally Harmonized System

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