G/TBT/N/AUS/116  
27 February 2020  
(20-1483) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original:  English  
 
  NOTIFICATION  
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6  
 
1. Notifying Member:  AUSTRALIA   
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):   
2. Agency responsible:   
Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment  
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers , email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from ab ove:  
Please submit comments to: Australian Technical Barriers to Trade Enquiry Point  
Email: tbt.enquiry@dfat.gov.au  
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2.10.1 [   ], 5.6.2 [   ], 5.7.1 [   ], other :  
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff 
heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):  All 
industrial chemicals used in Australia. This does not include chemicals used in therapeutic 
goods and agricult ural and veterinary chemicals.   
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  Draft legislation 
to establish the National Standard for Environmental Risk Management of Industrial 
Chemicals (51 page(s), in English)  
6. Description of content:  The National Standard has been developed by all Australian 
governments to efficiently and effectively manage the impacts of industrial chemicals on 
the environment, while providing consistent requirements for businesses. The National 
Standard will  be established by a legislative framework consisting of primary legislation 
and subordinate legislative instruments  
• the Industrial Chemicals Environmental Management (Register) Bill will, once 
enacted, establish a new decision -making framework  
• the Industrial Chemicals Environmental Management Register Principles is a 
legislative instrument that will establish decision making principles that inform 
decisions made under the Bill  
• the Industrial Chemicals Environmental Management Register is a legislati ve 
instrument that will record decisions on environmental management of chemicals, 
including assigning risk management measures for particular industrial uses, which 
will be implemented by the Commonwealth and each state and territory.  G/TBT/N/AUS/116  
 
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  7. Objective and ra tionale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable:   
This reform aims to:  
• Achieve better protection of the environment through improved management of the 
environmental risks posed by industrial chemicals  
• Provide a nationally consistent, transparent, predictable and streamlined approach to 
environmental risk management of industrial chemicals for governments, industry 
and the community.  
• Work in conjunction with reforms to regulation of chemicals in Australia implemented 
under t he Industrial Chemicals Act 2019 , which will commence July 2020 . 
8. Relevant documents:   
• Industrial Chemicals Environmental Management (Register) Bill: 
https://www.environment .gov.au/system/files/consultations/542ab944 -d7b9-4b66-
a45e-74ba71fc7b23/files/exposure -draft-register -bill-2020.pdf  
• Draft Industrial Chemicals Environmental Management Register Principles: 
https://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/consultations/542ab944 -d7b9-4b66-
a45e-74ba71fc7 b23/files/exposure -draft-register -principles -2020.pdf  
• Example Industrial chemicals Environment Management Register: 
https://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/consul tations/542ab944 -d7b9-4b66-
a45e-74ba71fc7b23/files/exposure -draft-register -instrument -2020.pdf  
• Associated explanatory notes and information papers: 
https://www.environment.gov.au/protection/chemicals -management/national -
standard/draft -legislation  
9. Proposed date of adoption:  To be determined  
Proposed date of entry into force:  To be determined  
10. Final date for comments:  60 days from notification  
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [X] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, if available , of other body:   
https://www.environment.gov.au/protection/chemicals -management/national -
standard/draft -legislation