OECD legal instruments

OECD Legal Instruments

The OECD governing body, the Council, has the power to adopt legal instruments. Council Decisions are legally binding on all those member countries which do not abstain at the time they are adopted. The Council also issues Recommendations, which are not legally binding, but which have great moral force. There is an expectation that member countries will do their utmost to fully implement a Recommendation.

Other legal instruments developed within the framework of the OECD include: l Declarations, arrangements and understandings, which are not legally binding, but their application is generally monitored by the responsible OECD body. l International Agreements which are legally binding on the parties.

A number of OECD Council acts in force are related to chemicals management and biosafety, and cover areas as diverse as chemical accidents, exchange of confi dential data on chemicals or the PolluterPays Principle.

Did you know?

21 OECD legal instruments are dedicated to chemical safety.

Link: oe.cd/council-acts-chemicals