International Harmonisation of Dangerous Goods Transport Requirements

In order to assist industry through consistency and standardisation of regulation, Australia has been closely involved in international efforts to harmonise the classification and labelling requirements for all dangerous goods. This reduces the conformance burden for industries engaged in the use and transport of dangerous goods and facilitates seamless compliance for importers and exporters.

The United Nations (UN) Sub-Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods (UNSCETDG) is responsible for the 'UN Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods - Model Regulations'.  The UN Recommendations are internationally accepted as the principal technical standards underpinning the air and sea dangerous goods codes, and are also used by many countries as the basis for their road and rail dangerous goods transport codes.

The Department represents Australia as a voting member of the UN Committee. Through this representation, the Department contributes to the development of uniform international safety requirements for the transport of dangerous goods and ensures that Australia's interests are considered within the UN process.

The National Transport Commission has developed the latest road and rail dangerous goods regulatory package based on the UN Recommendations.