• Overview
  • Pre-session documents
  • Event information

OEWG dates: Tuesday, 24 June, 2025 - Friday, 27 June, 2025

Venue: Convention and Exhibition Centre in Punta del Este, Uruguay

Registration for funded registrants - extended to Friday 11th April

Registration for self funded registrants - extended to Friday 30th May

The first meeting of the Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG) for the Global Framework on Chemicals (GFC) will be held from 24–27 June 2025 at the Convention and Exhibition Centre in Punta del Este, Uruguay. The event is open to all stakeholders committed to sustainable global chemicals management, particularly professionals representing governments, industry, health and labour, business and industry associations, academia, and non-governmental associations.

The OEWG will include discussions and work on the Framework’s resolutions, including those focused on implementation programmes, the Global Alliance on Highly Hazardous Pesticides, the Global Framework on Chemicals Fund, and the Gender Action Plan. Participants will also focus on emerging policy issues, capacity building, and the integration of safe and sustainable chemicals management practices across economic and industrial sectors, including textiles, agriculture, and finance. There will also be preparations for the International Conference scheduled for late 2026.  

Prior to the conference, 22-23 (morning) June, the Inter-Organization Programme for the Sound Management of Chemicals (IOMC) will host a global multi-stakeholder workshop to develop a GFC Implementation Programme for “Strengthening National Chemicals Legislation and Institutional Capacities".

On the afternoon of 23 June 2025, technical briefings have been planned successively on the GFC Fund (12:30 to 13:30) and on measurability and indicators (13:30 to 15:30). Following those briefings, from 15:30 to 18:00 space is available for informal regional and stakeholder consultations.

Please note that the GFC OEWG will be held back-to-back with the resumed third session of the ad hoc Open-Ended Working Group of the science-policy panel to contribute further to the safe and sustainable management of chemicals and waste. 

For practical event information, please visit the Event Information tab on this page or contact the Secretariat unep-gfc.secretariat@un.org

GFC/OEWG.1/1 - Draft provisional agenda

Information for participants - First meeting of the Open-Ended Working Group of the Global Framework on Chemicals – for a planet free of harm from chemicals and waste: 24–27 June 2025 Punta del Este, Uruguay 

Version 2 27th March - Download Document: Registration for funded registrants extended to Friday 11th April. New information on visas.

IOMC workshop on “Strengthening National Chemicals Legislation and Institutional Capacities”: 22 and 23 (morning) June 2025.  The IOMC will host a global multi-stakeholder workshop to support the development of a GFC Implementation Programme for “Strengthening National Chemicals Legislation and Institutional Capacities” just prior to the OEWG. The workshop will, among other things, provide an opportunity to obtain feedback on the draft mandate, terms of reference, and workplan of the Programme, to inform its further development and possible adoption at the first International Conference on the GFC tentatively scheduled for late 2026.

For more information please visit the IOMC website