The Commission on Narcotic Drugs voted in favour of rescheduling phenylacetic acid, a precursor chemical used to make amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) , from Table II to Table I.

The proposal passed with 44 members voting in favour of the rescheduling with zero opposed. A handful of states’ members were not present. The states that voted in favour of the rescheduling included Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Ivory Coast, Cuba, Czech Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, France, Germany, India, Israel, Italy, Kazakhstan, Laos, Myanmar, Netherlands, Pakistan, Peru, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sudan, Switzerland, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, United Arab Emirates, UK, USA, Uruguay, Venezuela, Yemen.

INCB President Sevil Atasoy said the change would impose tighter export controls on phenylacetic acid. The policy on substances in Table I are articulated in Article 12, paragraph 10 of the 1988 Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, which states, “In addition to the provisions of paragraph 9, and upon request to the Secretary-General by the interested Party, each Party from whose territory a substance in Table I is to be exported shall ensure that, prior to such export, the following information is supplied by its competent authorities to the competent authorities of the importing country:
i) Name and address of the exporter and importer and, when available, the
consignee;
ii) Name of the substance in Table I;
iii) Quantity of the substance to be exported;
iv) Expected point of entry and expected date of dispatch;
v) Any other information which is mutually agreed upon by the Parties.

b) A Party may adopt more strict or severe measures of control than those provided by
this paragraph if, in its opinion, such measures are desirable or necessary.”