Routine inspections

Not all declarable companies will be made subject to inspections as the thresholds for inspections are approximately 10 times higher than the thresholds for declarations.

The inspections are carried out by international inspectors from the OPCW in The Hague. The inspectors are escorted by representatives of the National Authority which shall provide or arrange for the amenities necessary for the inspection team such as communication means, interpretation, transportation, working space, lodging and meals.

The inspection procedures
The procedures for routine inspections start with the issuing of an inspection mandate and a notification to the State Party to be inspected of the OPCW's intention to carry out an inspection (receipt shall be acknowledged within an hour), followed by the inspection team's arrival at the POE, the carrying out of the inspection and, finally, the preparation of a report. As National Authority under the Convention the Danish National Agency for Enterprise and Construction has established an escort team and prepared an inspection manual (see below) in order to be able to receive inspections. The inspection manual can be downloaded as a pdf file.

Different forms of inspection

1. Shedule 1 facilities
All declarable Schedule 1 facilities will be subject to systematic verification through on-site inspection and monitoring with on-site instruments. They will receive an initial inspection in time for the OPCW and the State Party to conclude a facility agreement not later than 180 days after the Convention entered into force covering detailed inspection procedures for the facility.

The number, intensity, duration, timing and mode of inspections for a particular Schedule 1 facility shall be based on the risk to the object and purpose of the Convention posed by the relevant chemicals, the characteristics of the facility and the nature of the activities carried out there.

2. Schedule 2 facilities
During the first three years after entry into force, all commercial facilities that produce, process or consume Schedule 2 chemicals above the thresholds shall undergo an initial inspection during which negotiations will commence on a facility agreement, unless the parties agree that such a facility agreement is not necessary. Subsequent inspections will be guided by the resources available in the Technical Secretariat (TS) and based on a risk assessment of the facility in question. 

3. Schedule 3 facilities 
In the Convention there are no specific requirements as to the timing for the initial and subsequent inspections of Schedule 3 facilities, but there is an initial priority for Schedule 2 facilities. Schedule 3 facilities will be selected randomly by the TS on the basis of equitable geographical distribution and the information on the declared plant site available to the TS.

4. Other chemical production facilities
The inspection regime for other chemical production facilities began as from 29 April 2001, four years after entry into force of the Convention, following a decision by the Conference of States Parties. 

Up till now 6 routure inspections have been carried out in Denmark, mostly of other chemical production facilities.