The Indian Chemical Council (ICC) received the 2024 OPCW-The Hague Award during the 29th Session of the Conference of the States Parties (CSP) of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) held in The Hague, Netherlands.
About the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC)
- Entered into force in 1997; has 193 member States Parties.India is an original signatory to the CWC
- The signatory state which has not yet ratified CWC is Israel.
- States which have neither signed or acceded to CWC are Egypt, South Sudan and North Korea.
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Chemical Weapons:
- Chemical weapons are chemicals intentionally used to cause death or harm through their toxic properties.
- Munitions, devices, and other equipment specifically designed to weaponize toxic chemicals are also considered chemical weapons.
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- Objective:
- To eliminate an entire category of weapons of mass destruction.
- It prohibits the development, production, acquisition, stockpiling, retention, transfer, or use of chemical weapons by States Parties.
- Unique Feature of the Convention:
- The CWC incorporates the ‘challenge inspection’ mechanism.
- This allows any State Party with doubts about another State Party’s compliance to request a surprise inspection.
- Under the ‘challenge inspection’ procedure, States Parties adhere to the principle of ‘any time, anywhere’ inspections with no right of refusal.
- Implementation in India:
- The National Authority Chemical Weapons Convention (NACWC) is responsible for implementing the Convention in India.
- The NACWC is a statutory body established under the Chemical Weapons Convention Act, 2000.
About Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)
- OPCW is an intergovernmental organisation that oversees the implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC)
- Purpose: To achieve a world free of chemical weapons it promotes international chemical safety and security.
- Establishment and Headquarters: The OPCW was established in 1997 with its headquarters at The Hague, Netherlands.
- Membership: The OPCW has 193 States Parties.
- Recognition: The OPCW was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2013 for its efforts to eliminate chemical weapons globally.
- The Hague Award: The OPCW established The Hague Award in 2014 to honor individuals and organizations advancing the goals of the CWC.
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About the Indian Chemical Council (ICC)
- Establishment: The Indian Chemical Council (ICC) was founded in 1938 to support and drive the growth of India’s chemical industry.
- Industry Representation: The ICC represents over 80% of India’s chemical industry, which is valued at $220 billion.
- Role of ICC:
- It serves as the apex national body representing all branches of India’s chemical industry, including organic and inorganic chemicals, plastics, and petrochemicals.
- It acts as the voice of the Indian chemical sector, engaging with policymakers, stakeholders, and international bodies.
- The ICC has been authorized by the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India, to issue the Certificate of Origin (CO) for exporters through its offices in Mumbai, New Delhi, Kolkata, and Chennai.
- The Certificate of Origin certifies that goods being exported originated in a specific country and is crucial for international trade.
- This service is available to both member and non-member exporters across India.
- Key Initiatives of ICC:
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- Nicer Globe Initiative: Focuses on improving chemical transportation safety in India and provides real-time monitoring systems and emergency response capabilities for chemical logistics.
- Responsible Care (RC) Programme: Promotes sustainable and safe chemical industry practices.
- Introduced the Security Code of RC to strengthen industry security measures.
November 29, 2024
