At the 5th meeting of the Committee on Chemicals and Biotechnology of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), held at the OECD Conference Centre in Paris, Bulgaria presented its compliance with 19 OECD Council Acts related to chemicals management.

Given the horizontal nature of the legislation on chemicals management and control of major accident hazards involving hazardous chemicals, the Bulgarian delegation included experts from the Ministries of Environment and Water, Health, Agriculture and Food, Interior and Foreign Affairs, as well as experts from the Executive Environmental Agency, Regional Inspectorates of Environment and Water, the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency, the Executive Agency "Bulgarian Accreditation Service", National Centre for Public Health and Analyses and General Directorate of Fire Safety and Civil Protection.

As part of the preventive policy instruments for the protection of the environmental components, Bulgaria has introduced and implemented effective policies and practices to control the hazards of major accidents with hazardous chemicals and to manage chemicals in an environmentally sound manner throughout their life cycle, in order to limit the pressure of contamination by pesticides, biocides and industrial chemicals. Our country is also committed to improving the capacity to monitor and control the components of the environment, to improving the public and business model of behaviour towards neutrality and zero pollution, with the application of the polluter pays principle.

Bulgaria seeks to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by implementing international and European requirements to strengthen the role and responsibility of industry to identify risks and provide information on chemicals to ensure their safe use, to achieve clean technologies and a circular economy, and to reduce hazardous substances by banning or restricting them.

An important aspect of implementing chemicals management legislation is informing and training industry and preparing them to meet the requirements and standards associated with chemicals management. Activities to provide advice to industry on the implementation of legislation on the management of hazardous chemicals and the prevention of the risk of accidents involving hazardous chemicals are carried out by the National Chemicals Information Bureau. Up-to-date information is published on the MoEW website, under section Prevention.

As a member of the EU, Bulgaria has implemented European legislation and already applies high standards and policies for the environmentally sound management of chemicals and the control of hazards from major accidents with hazardous chemicals. The OECD has a leading role in developing and implementing the highest standards in this area.

Bulgaria has shown full compliance with the organisation's instruments and we await the decision to join the Committee on Chemicals and Biotechnology.