ORIGIN OF THE REGULATIONS

The UN Subcommittee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods (SCoETDG) developed recommended procedures for the transport of all types of Dangerous Goods except radioactive materials, applicable to all transport modes. These procedures are published in the UN Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods.

The UN Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods are addressed to governments and international organisations which are responsible for ensuring the safe transport of Dangerous Goods. They are contained in two important documents:

the UN Model Regulations (allow uniform development of national and international Regulations governing the various modes of transport; yet remaining flexible enough to accommodate any special requirements that might have to be met)

the Manual of Tests and Criteria (providing criteria, test methods and procedures to be used for a correct classification of the Dangerous Goods)

Though these Recommendations are not legally mandatory on individual countries, they have gained a wide degree of international acceptance, becoming thus the basis of several international agreements and many national laws.