Regulatory updates announced for pearl industry and petroleum sectors

In French Polynesia, the Economic, Social, Environmental and Cultural Council (CESEC) has issued recommendations regarding a bill to amend regulations for the pearl and mother-of-pearl industry. Recognizing perliculture as a pillar of the local economy, the CESEC suggests limiting certain commercialization rights to the CMMPF and calls for increased transparency in sales and revenue allocation. The council also emphasized the need for better environmental monitoring of lagoon ecosystems, improved scientific knowledge transfer to professionals, and stricter biosecurity for hatcheries.

In Côte d'Ivoire, the Council of Ministers has adopted a decree to strengthen the regulatory framework for the downstream petroleum sector. The new rules govern the importation, exportation, transformation, storage, transport, distribution, and analysis of petroleum products and biofuels. The decree aims to combat fraud, clarify technical terms, and establish specific conditions for the operation and decommissioning of facilities such as depots, terminals, and pipelines. These regulations are intended to protect both the environment and public health.