Multi-country meeting on Enhancing Monitoring of Trade and Elimination of Mercury Skin Lightening Products

The workshop is organized at the same time as the Customs Training to Enhance Monitoring of Trade of Mercury and Mercury Compounds. The last two dwo days are dedicated to the Multi-country Meeting of the on-going GEF-funded project Elimination of Mercury-Added Skin Lightening Products which addresses the health and environmental risks posed by these products.

When: 5-6 June 2025

Where: Colombo, Sri Lanka

Concept note and Agenda

Background information

Effective mercury trade enforcement requires tailored national strategies that align with each country’s regulatory and operational context. This in-country training focuses on practical, hands-on exercises to enhance coordination among customs officers, environmental regulators, and law enforcement authorities. Strengthening inter-agency collaboration is essential for detecting, monitoring, and preventing mercury trade, which remains a persistent challenge.

This initiative aims to equip national enforcement agencies with the technical skills and enforcement tools necessary to combat mercury smuggling. By integrating regional collaboration with country-specific training, the program fosters a comprehensive enforcement network, enhancing national and cross-border cooperation to improve compliance with the Minamata Convention and other trade regulations.

The regional training initiative aims to equip customs officers, environmental regulators, and law enforcement agencies with the necessary tools to detect and control mercury trade. Key areas of focus include regulatory compliance, risk assessment, intelligence-sharing, and forensic analysis. By building enforcement capacity and fostering regional cooperation, the program seeks to establish a sustainable enforcement network that enhances regulatory compliance and safeguards public health and ecosystems.

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