Global leaders convene in Helsinki for crucial discussions on chemicals safety
The leading conference for promoting global chemical safety, Helsinki Chemicals Forum (HCF), takes place in Helsinki Expo and Convention Centre 10–11 April 2024 with three Keynotes and five debate Panels towards a safer and more sustainable future.
HCF will hold its European conference as a global hybrid event next month in Helsinki, allowing for both live and virtual participation. The program includes three impactful keynote speeches alongside five critical discussion topics that delve into key issues in chemicals regulations. The conference aims to foster international collaboration and knowledge sharing, providing participants with the unique opportunity to engage with top experts from around the world.
Geert Dancet, Secretary General of HCF, expressed his excitement for this year’s program: “We invite stakeholders in chemicals regulations from all over the world to join our debates on the five most relevant topics on chemicals safety with 25 top expert speakers from around the world“.
The opening keynote on achievements of the new chemicals policy and the challenges for the future Commission will be delivered by Kristin Schreiber, Director of DG GROW in the European Commission. Sharon McGuinness, Executive Director of ECHA, has the second Keynote about the future role of ECHA under the EU’s revised set chemicals regulations. Anita Breyer, former President of ICCM-5, will in her Keynote give her personal reflections from the United Nations ICCM-5 that agreed on the new Global Framework for Chemicals.
The topics and moderators of the five discussion panels of HCF 2024 are:
- How does the new UN Framework on Chemicals influence global supply chains to manage chemicals safer during the whole product lifecycle? - hosted by Jacqueline Alvarez, Chief of Chemicals Division, UNEP
- How can substitution planning help to create regulatory certainty, promote investments in safer alternatives and speed up the substitution of the most harmful chemicals? - moderated by Otto Linher, senior expert, DG Growth, European Commission
- Changes to the chemicals legislation elsewhere (US, Canada, Australia, Japan): what can we learn from them? discussion led by Mercedes Viñas, Director of Submissions and Interaction, European Chemicals Agency (ECHA)
- Increasing the use of economic instruments for chemicals management, hosted by Eeva Lainala, Principal Administrator, chemical safety and biosafety, OECD
- Are Transition Pathways for Sustainability demonstrating how industrial sectors can achieve both the EU’s chemicals and industrial strategies? - chaired by Leigh Stringer, Managing Editor Europe, Chemical Watch.
"The online broadcast is scheduled from 1 to 6 p.m. (EET) on each of the two days, making it viewable in real time from all continents. We are also proud to welcome all live participants to take part in the morning activities of the conference or in the simultaneous events ChemBio Finland and Pulp&Beyond," says Anssi Rajala, Business Manager of these events at Helsinki Expo and Convention Centre.
The European Partnership for Alternatives to Animal Testing is a special sponsor of the event with a presentation of posters expressing the achievements at their stand.
The conference will be held in Helsinki Expo and Convention Centre on 10–11 April 2024 alongside with ChemBio Finland, the exhibition and congress for the chemistry and biotechnology professionals in the Nordic Countries and Baltic regions, as well as Pulp&Beyond, the leading international conference for the forest industry.
HCF 2024 conference is organised by the non-profit Chemicals Forum Association in co-operation with a high number of Finnish and international partners. To learn more: http://www.helsinkicf.eu.
Helsinki Chemicals Forum: LinkedIn
Geert Dancet, Secretary General, geert.dancet@messukeskus.com
Helsinki Expo and Convention Centre: Anu-Eveliina Mattila, Communications Manager, tel.: +358 50 555 6183, anu-eveliina.mattila@messukeskus.com
Photos and logo of the event for free use:
https://mediabank.messukeskus.com/kuvat/Helsinki+Chemicals+Forum/
