L 201/60 Official Journal of the European Union 27.7.2012 REGULATION (EU) No 649/2012 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 4 July 2012 concerning the export and import of hazardous chemicals (recast) (Text with EEA relevance) THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 192(1) and Article 207 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission, After transmission of the draft legislative act to the national parliaments, Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee ('), After consulting the Committee of the Regions, Acting in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure (2), Whereas: (1) Regulation (EC) No 689/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 June 2008 concerning the export and import of dangerous chemi- cals °) has been substantially amended several times. Since further amendments are to be made, Regulation (EC) No 689/2008 should be recast in the interest of clarity. (2)  Regulation (EC) No 689/2008 implements the Rotterdam Convention on the prior informed consent procedure for certain hazardous chemicals and pesticides in inter- national trade () (the ‘Convention’), which entered into force on 24 February 2004, and replaces Regulation (EC) No 304/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 January 2003 concerning the export and import of dangerous chemicals (°). (3)  For reasons of clarity and consistency with other relevant Union legislation, certain definitions should be () OJ C 318, 29.10.2011, p. 163. (3) Position of the European Parliament of 10 May 2012 (not yet published in the Official Journal) and decision of the Council of 26 June 2012. () OJ L 204, 31.7.2008, p. 1. (% OJ L 63, 6.3.2003, p. 29. () OJ L 63, 6.3.2003, p. 1. (©) () O] 0] introduced or clarified and terminology should be aligned with that used in Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 December 2006 concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authori- sation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) and estab- lishing a European Chemicals Agency (°), on the one hand, and Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 2008 on classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures (7) on the other hand. It is appropriate to ensure that this Regulation reflects the transitional provisions of Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008, in order to avoid any inconsistencies between the timetable of application of that Regulation and this Regu- lation. The Convention allows Parties the right to take action that is more stringently protective of human health and the environment than that called for in the Convention, provided that such action is consistent with the provisions of the Convention and is in accordance with international law. It is necessary and appropriate, in order to ensure a higher level of protection of the environment and the general public of importing countries, to go further than the provisions of the Convention in certain respects. As regards the participation of the Union in the Convention, it is essential to have a single contact point for Union interaction with the Secretariat of the Convention (the ‘Secretariat) and other Parties to the Convention as well as with other countries. The Commission should act as that contact point. There is a need to ensure the effective coordination and management of technical and administrative aspects of this Regulation at Union level. The Member States and the European Chemicals Agency established by Regu- lation (EC) No 1907/2006 (the ‘Agency) have the competence and experience in implementing Union legis- lation on chemicals and international agreements on chemicals. The Member States and the Agency should, therefore, carry out tasks with regard to the adminis- trative, technical and scientific aspects of the implemen- tation of the Convention through this Regulation, as well as the exchange of information. In addition, the Commission, the Member States and the Agency should cooperate in order to implement the Union’s international obligations under the Convention effec- tively. L 396, 30.12.2006, p. 1. L 353, 31.12.2008, p. 1.