BRAZIL NOT AS CONCERNED ABOUT SAICM

UNCLAS BRASILIA 002463 SIPDIS DEPT FOR WHA/BSC AND OES/ENV:JGOURLEY DEPT PLEASE PASS TO EPA FOR JWILLIS AND SHAZEN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SENV ETRD ECON SUBJECT: BRAZIL NOT AS CONCERNED ABOUT SAICM REF: SECSTATE 157172 ¶1. Summary. Although the GoB interests in chemicals management would seem to be somewhat in line with ours, the government does not appear to share USG concerns that the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) process will result in problematic controls over the use and production of chemicals nor that the SAICM will give weight to certain questionable principles in chemicals and risk management. End Summary. ¶2. Econoff delivered reftel points on the (SAICM) to Foreign Ministry officials involved with trade and with environmental policy, and to Julio Baena of the International Trade Division within the Ministry of Development, Industry and Trade (MDIC). Heading Brazil's delegation to the SAICM Prepcom-3 meeting in Vienna September 18-24 will be First Secretary Raphael Lopes Mendes de Azeredo from MRE's SIPDIS Environmental Policy and Sustainable Development Division; MRE trade officials do not follow the SAIC discussions closely. ¶3. MDIC's Baena, who will not be traveling to Vienna, and Azeredo gave similar readouts on Brazil's position relating to SAICM. Brazil ranks 8th or 9th worldwide in chemical production and so the GoB would have grave concern over adoption of an international agenda that would negatively impact its industry. Azeredo said he understood the US points of concern, but, given the voluntary nature of the SAICM, the GoB does not view developments thus far in the negotiations as causing problems for Brazilian industry. ¶4. With regard to the EU's REACH initiative, Azeredo said he certainly does not have instructions to support adoption of REACH as a strategy to be applied worldwide; he suggested it is unlikely to be an issue given the strong resistance to EU pressure that occurred during Prepcom-1 and Prepcom-2 meetings from a number of both developed and developing countries. Nonetheless, Azeredo said Brazil could accept listing of the EU's REACH program among the "concrete measures" that will form the Global Action Plan. Azeredo characterized the Global Action Plan as a reference document in the form of a shopping list, which countries can consult when developing domestic policies. Azeredo emphasized, however, that the GoB would not accept any attempt to describe the list of measures as endorsed by consensus. ¶5. Azeredo also conveyed calm over proposals within SAICM to endorse a ban on production and use of certain classes of chemicals, confident that any attempt to negotiate mandatory provisions for such a ban of such a comprehensive nature would not be successful. Chicola