A three day regional workshop for effective participation in the work of the POPs Review Committee was held at Laboratorio Technologico del Uruguay (LATU) in Montevideo, Uruguay, from 20 to 22 August, 2008.

The main objectives of the workshop were: to enhance the understanding and involvement of all stakeholders on the process for assessing candidate POPs in order to increase the participation of countries in the work of the POPRC; and to demonstrate and gather feedback of the handbook prepared by the POPRC intersessional working group for the above purpose. 

The workshop was participated by the National Focal Points and key stakeholders of the Stockholm Convention from 12 countries of the GRULAC (Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Bahamas, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Honduras, Jamaica, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, and Uruguay). Experts form Sweden and Mexico who were engaged in the preparation of the handbook also attended the workshop.  The outcome of the workshop will be reported to the fourth meeting of the POPs Review Committee scheduled to meet from 13 to 17 October 2008 in Geneva.