Informal Prior-Informed Consent (iPIC): Supporting Compliance through Prevention of Illegal and Unwanted Trade in Ozone depleting Substances

The ‘informal Prior-Informed Consent’ (iPIC) mechanism was launched in 2006 by the UNEP DTIE OzonAction as part of its work in providing assistance to developing countries to fulfil their commitments under the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. This initiative was developed in order to better manage trade in ozone depleting substances (ODS) that are controlled under the Protocol. iPIC has become a global voluntary initiative used by 113 like-minded states who wish to strengthen the implementation of their national licensing system for ozone depleting substances (ODS). In 2014, of the reported 141 iPIC consultations, 68% resulted in approved trade amounting to 2,257 metric tonnes of ODS. Rejections or cancellations of requests following iPIC consultations prevented unwanted trade in more than 545 metric tonnes of ODS including hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) and halons. More recently iPIC is also being used to screen shipments of hydrofluorocarbons (HFC), which are not ODS. This short booklet briefly describes how the iPIC system works and its advantages, it provides some information on results and successes from iPIC in 2014 and encourages countries which are not yet members to join and to begin to reap the benefits of this initiative.