First meeting of the Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG) on the Global Framework on Chemicals (GFC)

CCB • July 2, 2025

The first meeting of the Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG) on the Global Framework on Chemicals (GFC) was held in Punta del Este, Uruguay, from 23–27 June 2025, bringing together government representatives, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, including the Coalition Clean Baltic representative, the private sector, youth, and academia. This marked the first global gathering since the GFC was adopted at the Fifth International Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM5) in 2023.


The primary focus of OEWG-1 was to take stock of progress since ICCM5 and to discuss how best to operationalize the framework’s goals. Participants exchanged views on implementation needs and priorities, as well as preparatory work for the first International conference of GFC, expected in 2026.


Advancing Implementation Programmes Across Key Sectors

A central discussion point was the development of terms of reference (ToR) for three Implementation Programmes under the GFC. One of these programmes will include sector-specific sub-programmes, aiming to promote safer chemicals management practices in industries such as electronics, textiles, health care, and construction. The intent is to support sector-wide engagement, innovation, and accountability in reducing chemical risks.

Delegates also addressed the selection and future treatment of chemical Issues of Concern (IoCs)  -  substances or groups of substances that require global attention, e.g. lead in paints, highly hazardous pesticides, environmentally persistent pharmaceutical pollutants, and others). While there was broad support for retaining all currently recognized IoCs, discussions highlighted the need for clear criteria, dedicated workplans, and adequate resourcing to ensure each IoC is actively addressed rather than left unresolved.


Financing as a Cornerstone of Effective Implementation

Discussions made clear that successful implementation of the GFC will require adequate, sustained, and predictable financial resources.


The meeting explored the operation of the GFC Fund, with particular attention to how it might be improved to ensure equitable access to financial resources, especially for low- and middle-income countries. Ideas for a resource mobilization strategy were also shared, with many participants emphasizing the importance of sustained public and private sector contributions.


There was significant support for applying the “polluter pays” principle, ensuring that industries contributing to chemical pollution take financial responsibility for managing its impacts. The intersessional work ahead of COP1 will be critical for shaping a robust financing mechanism that matches the framework’s ambition.


Global Alliance on Highly Hazardous Pesticides launched

A major milestone from the meeting was the launch of the Global Alliance on Highly Hazardous Pesticides (HHPs). This new initiative aims to promote international collaboration, knowledge exchange, and support for safer alternatives, including agroecological approaches that reduce reliance on harmful substances in agriculture.


Regional Perspectives: Implications for the Baltic Sea

“For the Baltic Sea region, chemicals management remains a critical environmental and public health issue”, commented Eugeniy Lobanov, Leader of the Hazardous Substances Working Area at Coalition Clean Baltic. “Implementation of the GFC provides an opportunity to reinforce regional actions under the HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan, especially concerning the reduction of hazardous substances entering the marine environment, e.g., pharmaceutical pollutants”.


It is important that Baltic Sea countries actively contribute to the GFC’s development and ensure regional priorities are reflected in global strategies.


To read summary report of OEWG 1.


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Article written by Eugeniy Lobanov, CCB Hazardous Substances Working Area Leader


Photos by IISD/ENB - Natalia Mroz

Don't reopen the EU Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). Implement it.

By CCB • June 15, 2026
The European Commission's evaluation confirms what environmental NGOs across Europe have long argued: the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP)'s challenge is not its design, but its implementation.

Joint NGO recommendations on Baltic Sea fishing opportunities for 2027

By CCB • June 10, 2026
The poor status and decline of many Baltic Sea fish populations have been thoroughly documented over several decades, indicating that the entire ecosystem is in great distress. So far, policy interventions have not reversed, or even halted, the negative trend concerning many of these populations. The European Commission itself recently recognised in its Common Fishery Policy (CFP) evaluation report that progress on stock rebuilding is lacking and the number of stocks “ threatened by collapse due to impaired recruitment has increased during the reporting period ”. Fish populations that once formed the cornerstone of the Baltic Sea fishery, such as the eastern and western Baltic cod and the western Baltic herring, are now doing so poorly that the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) is advising zero catch for these stocks. Yet, even with the targeted fishery being closed for some years now, none of these three stocks are showing sufficient signs of recovery. The condition (such as size and weight-at-age) of many flatfish populations, such as plaice, also raises alarm bells. The salmon spawning migration has fallen short of the target level in the past three years5. As a result, even the healthiest salmon stocks are now unlikely to produce enough smolts corresponding to sustainable levels in the coming years. To address the crisis facing Baltic populations and the broader ecosystem, political will and ambition to improve fisheries management, alongside full implementation of the CFP provisions, are needed. The recent INI report on the Baltic Sea Multi-Annual Plan shows that the European Parliament recognises the importance of ecosystem-based fisheries management as well as the need for consideration of environmental legislation when making decisions on fishing opportunities.6 Fisheries managers must now act swiftly and decisively on the commitment the Commission and Baltic Sea Member States made at last year’s October Agrifish Council to rebuild Baltic Sea stocks. This document presents the joint NGO recommendations regarding Baltic Sea fishing opportunities for 2027, prioritising long-term ecosystem health and sustainable fisheries management over short-term economic interests. The recommendations are based on the ICES advice, the objectives and requirements of the CFP8 and the Baltic Multiannual Plan (MAP), specifically to apply the precautionary approach and implement an ecosystem-based approach to fisheries management, and the objective of achieving Good Environmental Status (GES) under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). Last year’s overarching joint Briefing Series on TAC-setting, co-signed by almost 30 organisations across the EU and the UK, including environmental NGOs, recreational fishers, and fishing rights owners, remains valid and provides further context, background and detailed explanations on the cross-cutting issues raised in this document. Read the Joint NGO recommendations on Baltic Sea fishing opportunities for 2027 here .