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The Parties to this Convention,

Recognizing that mercury is a chemical of global concern owing to its long-range atmospheric transport, its persistence in the environment once anthropogenically introduced, its ability to bioaccumulate in ecosystems and its significant negative effects on human health and the environment,

Recalling decision 25/5 of 20 February 2009 of the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Programme to initiate international action to manage mercury in an efficient, effective, and coherent manner,

Recalling paragraph 221 of the outcome document of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development “The Future We Want”, which called for a successful outcome of the negotiations on a global legally binding instrument on mercury to address the risks to human health and the environment,

Recalling the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development’s reaffirmation of the principles of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, including, inter alia, common but differentiated responsibilities, and acknowledging States’ respective circumstances and capabilities and the need for global action,

Aware of the health concerns, especially in developing countries, resulting from exposure to mercury of vulnerable populations, especially women, children, and, through them, future generations,

Noting the particular vulnerabilities of Arctic ecosystems and indigenous communities because of the biomagnification of mercury and contamination of traditional foods, and concerned about indigenous communities more generally with respect to the effects of mercury,

Recognizing the substantial lessons of Minamata Disease, in particular the serious health and environmental effects resulting from the mercury pollution, and the need to ensure proper management of mercury and the prevention of such events in the future,

Stressing the importance of financial, technical, technological, and capacity-building support, particularly for developing countries, and countries with economies in transition, in order to strengthen national capabilities for the management of mercury and to promote the effective implementation of the Convention,

Recognizing also the activities of the World Health Organization in the protection of human health related to mercury and the roles of relevant multilateral environmental agreements, especially the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal and the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade,

Recognizing that this Convention and other international agreements in the field of the environment and trade are mutually supportive,

Emphasizing that nothing in this Convention is intended to affect the rights and obligations of any Party deriving from any existing international agreement,

Understanding that the above recital is not intended to create a hierarchy between this Convention and other international instruments,

Noting that nothing in this Convention prevents a Party from taking additional domestic measures consistent with the provisions of this Convention in an effort to protect human health and the environment from exposure to mercury in accordance with that Party’s other obligations under applicable international law,

Have agreed as follows:

The objective of this Convention is to protect the human health and the environment from anthropogenic emissions and releases of mercury and mercury compounds.

For the purposes of this Convention:

(a) “Artisanal and small-scale gold mining” means gold mining conducted by individual miners or small enterprises with limited capital investment and production;

(b) “Best available techniques” means those techniques that are the most effective to prevent and, where that is not practicable, to reduce emissions and releases of mercury to air, water and land and the impact of such emissions and releases on the environment as a whole, taking into account economic and technical considerations for a given Party or a given facility within the territory of that Party. In this context:

(i) “Best” means most effective in achieving a high general level of protection of the environment as a whole;

(ii) “Available” techniques means, in respect of a given Party and a given facility within the territory of that Party, those techniques developed on a scale that allows implementation in a relevant industrial sector under economically and technically viable conditions, taking into consideration the costs and benefits, whether or not those techniques are used or developed within the territory of that Party, provided that they are accessible to the operator of the facility as determined by that Party; and

(iii) “Techniques” means technologies used, operational practices and the ways in which installations are designed, built, maintained, operated and decommissioned;

(c) “Best environmental practices” means the application of the most appropriate combination of environmental control measures and strategies;

(d) “Mercury” means elemental mercury (Hg(0), CAS No. 7439-97-6);

(e) “Mercury compound” means any substance consisting of atoms of mercury and one or more atoms of other chemical elements that can be separated into different components only by chemical reactions;

(f) “Mercury-added product” means a product or product component that contains mercury or a mercury compound that was intentionally added;

(g) “Party” means a State or regional economic integration organization that has consented to be bound by this Convention and for which the Convention is in force;

(h) “Parties present and voting” means Parties present and casting an affirmative or negative vote at a meeting of the Parties;

(i) “Primary mercury mining” means mining in which the principal material sought is mercury;

(j) “Regional economic integration organization” means an organization constituted by sovereign States of a given region to which its member States have transferred competence in respect of matters governed by this Convention and which has been duly authorized, in accordance with its internal procedures, to sign, ratify, accept, approve or accede to this Convention; and

(k) “Use allowed” means any use by a Party of mercury or mercury compounds consistent with this Convention, including, but not limited to, uses consistent with Articles 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7.

1. For the purposes of this Article:

(a) References to “mercury” include mixtures of mercury with other substances, including alloys of mercury, with a mercury concentration of at least 95 per cent by weight; and

(b) “Mercury compounds” means mercury (I) chloride (known also as calomel), mercury (II) oxide, mercury (II) sulphate, mercury (II) nitrate, cinnabar and mercury sulphide.

2. The provisions of this Article shall not apply to:

(a) Quantities of mercury or mercury compounds to be used for laboratory-scale research or as a reference standard; or

(b) Naturally occurring trace quantities of mercury or mercury compounds present in such products as non-mercury metals, ores, or mineral products, including coal, or products derived from these materials, and unintentional trace quantities in chemical products; or

(c) Mercury-added products.

3. Each Party shall not allow primary mercury mining that was not being conducted within its territory at the date of entry into force of the Convention for it.

4. Each Party shall only allow primary mercury mining that was being conducted within its territory at the date of entry into force of the Convention for it for a period of up to fifteen years after that date. During this period, mercury from such mining shall only be used in manufacturing of mercury added products in accordance with Article 4, in manufacturing processes in accordance with Article 5, or be disposed in accordance with Article 11, using operations which do not lead to recovery, recycling, reclamation, direct re-use or alternative uses

5. Each Party shall:

(a) Endeavour to identify individual stocks of mercury or mercury compounds exceeding 50 metric tons, as well as sources of mercury supply generating stocks exceeding 10 metric tons per year, that are located within its territory;

(b) Take measures to ensure that, where the Party determines that excess mercury from the decommissioning of chlor-alkali facilities is available, such mercury is disposed of in accordance with the guidelines for environmentally sound management referred to in paragraph 3 (a) of Article 11, using operations that do not lead to recovery, recycling, reclamation, direct re-use or alternative uses.

6. Each Party shall not allow the export of mercury except:

(a) To a Party that has provided the exporting Party with its written consent, and only for the purpose of:

(i) A use allowed to the importing Party under this Convention; or

(ii) Environmentally sound interim storage as set out in Article 10; or

(b) To a non-Party that has provided the exporting Party with its written consent, including certification demonstrating that:

(i) The non-Party has measures in place to ensure the protection of human health and the environment and to ensure its compliance with the provisions of Articles 10 and 11; and

(ii) Such mercury will be used only for a use allowed to a Party under this Convention or for environmentally sound interim storage as set out in Article 10.

7. An exporting Party may rely on a general notification to the Secretariat by the importing Party or non-Party as the written consent required by paragraph 6. Such general notification shall set out any terms and conditions under which the importing Party or non-Party provides its consent. The notification may be revoked at any time by that Party or non-Party. The Secretariat shall keep a public register of all such notifications.

8. Each Party shall not allow the import of mercury from a non-Party to whom it will provide its written consent unless the non-Party has provided certification that the mercury is not from sources identified as not allowed under paragraph 3 or paragraph 5 (b).

9. A Party that submits a general notification of consent under paragraph 7 may decide not to apply paragraph 8, provided that it maintains comprehensive restrictions on the export of mercury and has domestic measures in place to ensure that imported mercury is managed in an environmentally sound manner. The Party shall provide a notification of such decision to the Secretariat, including information describing its export restrictions and domestic regulatory measures, as well as information on the quantities and countries of origin of mercury imported from non-Parties. The Secretariat shall maintain a public register of all such notifications. The Implementation and Compliance Committee shall review and evaluate any such notifications and supporting information in accordance with Article 15 and may make recommendations, as appropriate, to the Conference of the Parties.

10. The procedure set out in paragraph 9 shall be available until the conclusion of the second meeting of the Conference of the Parties. After that time, it shall cease to be available, unless the Conference of the Parties decides otherwise by simple majority of the Parties present and voting, except with respect to a Party that has provided a notification under paragraph 9 before the end of the second meeting of the Conference of the Parties.

11. Each Party shall include in its reports submitted pursuant to Article 21 information showing that the requirements of this Article have been met.

12. The Conference of the Parties shall at its first meeting provide further guidance in regard to this Article, particularly in regard to paragraphs 5 (a), 6 and 8, and shall develop and adopt the required content of the certification referred to in paragraphs 6 (b) and 8.

13 The Conference of the Parties shall evaluate whether the trade in specific mercury compounds compromises the objective of this Convention and consider whether specific mercury compounds should, by their listing in an additional annex adopted in accordance with Article 27, be made subject to paragraphs 6 and 8.

1. Each Party shall not allow, by taking appropriate measures, the manufacture, import or export of mercury-added products listed in Part I of Annex A after the phase-out date specified for those products, except where an exclusion is specified in Annex A or the Party has a registered exemption pursuant to Article 6.

2. A Party may, as an alternative to paragraph 1, indicate at the time of ratification or upon entry into force of an amendment to Annex A for it, that it will implement different measures or strategies to address products listed in Part I of Annex A. A Party may only choose this alternative if it can demonstrate that it has already reduced to a de minimis level the manufacture, import, and export of the large majority of the products listed in Part I of Annex A and that it has implemented measures or strategies to reduce the use of mercury in additional products not listed in Part I of Annex A at the time it notifies the Secretariat of its decision to use this alternative. In addition, a Party choosing this alternative shall:

(a) Report at the first opportunity to the Conference of the Parties a description of the measures or strategies implemented, including a quantification of the reductions achieved;

(b) Implement measures or strategies to reduce the use of mercury in any products listed in Part I of Annex A for which a de minimis value has not yet been obtained;

(c) Consider additional measures to achieve further reductions; and

(d) Not be eligible to claim exemptions pursuant to Article 6 for any product category for which this alternative is chosen.

No later than 5 years after the date of entry into force of the Convention, the Conference of the Parties shall, as part of the review process under paragraph 8, review the progress and the effectiveness of the measures taken under this paragraph.

3. Each Party shall take measures for the mercury-added products listed in Part II of Annex A in accordance with the provisions set out therein.

4. The Secretariat shall, on the basis of information provided by Parties, collect and maintain information on mercury-added products and their alternatives, and shall make such information publicly available. The Secretariat shall also make publicly available any other relevant information submitted by Parties.

5. Each Party shall take measures to prevent the incorporation into assembled products of mercury-added products the manufacture, import and export of which are not allowed for it under this Article.

6. Each Party shall discourage the manufacture and the distribution in commerce of mercury-added products not covered by any known use of mercury-added products prior to the date of entry into force of the Convention for it, unless an assessment of the risks and benefits of the product demonstrates environmental or human health benefits. A Party shall provide to the Secretariat, as appropriate, information on any such product, including any information on the environmental and human health risks and benefits of the product. The Secretariat shall make such information publicly available.

7. Any Party may submit a proposal to the Secretariat for listing a mercury-added product in Annex C, which shall include information related to the availability, technical and economic feasibility and environmental and health risks and benefits of the non-mercury alternatives to the product, taking into account information pursuant to paragraph 4.

8. No later than five years after the date of entry into force of the Convention, the Conference of the Parties shall review Annex A and may consider amendments to that Annex in accordance with Article 27.

9. In reviewing Annex A pursuant to paragraph 8, the Conference of the Parties shall take into account at least:

(a) Any proposal submitted under paragraph 7;

(b) The information made available pursuant to paragraph 4; and

(c) The availability to the Parties of mercury-free alternatives that are technically and economically feasible, taking into account the environmental and human health risks and benefits.

1. Any State or regional economic integration organization may register for one or more exemptions from the phase-out dates listed in Annex A and Annex B, hereafter referred to as an “exemption”, by notifying the Secretariat in writing:

(a) On becoming a Party to this Convention; or

(b) In the case of any mercury-added product that is added by an amendment to Annex A or any manufacturing process in which mercury is used that is added by an amendment to Annex B, no later than the date upon which the applicable amendment enters into force for the Party. Any such registration shall be accompanied by a statement explaining the Party’s need for the exemption.

2. An exemption can be registered either for a category listed in Annex A or B or for a sub-category identified by any State or regional economic integration organization.

3. Each Party that has one or more exemptions shall be identified in a register. The Secretariat shall establish and maintain the register and make it available to the public.

4. The register shall include:

(a) A list of the Parties that have one or more exemptions;

(b) The exemption or exemptions registered for each Party; and

(c) The expiration date of each exemption.

5. Unless a shorter period is indicated in the register by a Party, all exemptions pursuant to paragraph 1 shall expire five years after the relevant phase-out date listed in Annex A or B.

6. The Conference of the Parties may, at the request of a Party, decide to extend an exemption for five years unless the Party requests a shorter period. In making its decision, the Conference of the Parties shall take due account of:

(a) A report from the Party justifying the need to extend the exemption and outlining activities undertaken and planned to eliminate the need for the exemption as soon as feasible;

(b) Available information, including in respect of the availability of alternative products and processes that are free of mercury or that involve the consumption of less mercury than the exempt use; and

(c) Activities planned or under way to provide environmentally sound storage of mercury and disposal of mercury wastes.

An exemption may only be extended once per product per phase-out date.

7. A Party may at any time withdraw an exemption upon written notification to the Secretariat. The withdrawal of an exemption shall take effect on the date specified in the notification.

8. Notwithstanding paragraph 1, no State or regional economic integration organization may register for an exemption after five years after the phase-out date for the relevant product or process listed in Annex A or B, unless one or more Parties remain registered for an exemption for that product or process, having received an extension pursuant to paragraph 6. In that case, a State or regional economic integration organization may, at the times set out in paragraphs 1 (a) and (b), register for an exemption for that product or process, which shall expire ten years after the relevant phase-out date.

9. No Party may have an exemption in effect at any time after 10 years after the phase-out date for a product or process listed in Annex A or B.

1. The measures in this Article and in Annex C shall apply to artisanal and small-scale gold mining and processing in which mercury amalgamation is used to extract gold from ore.

2. Each Party that has artisanal and small-scale gold mining and processing subject to this Article within its territory shall take steps to reduce, and where feasible eliminate, the use of mercury and mercury compounds in, and the emissions and releases to the environment of mercury from, such mining and processing.

3. Each Party shall notify the Secretariat if at any time the Party determines that artisanal and small-scale gold mining and processing in its territory is more than insignificant. If it so determines the Party shall:

(a) Develop and implement a national action plan in accordance with Annex C;

(b) Submit its national action plan to the Secretariat no later than three years after entry into force of the Convention for it or three years after the notification to the Secretariat, whichever is later; and

(c) Thereafter, provide a review every three years of the progress made in meeting its obligations under this Article and include such reviews in its reports submitted pursuant to Article 21.

4. Parties may cooperate with each other and with relevant intergovernmental organizations and other entities, as appropriate, to achieve the objectives of this Article. Such cooperation may include:

(a) Development of strategies to prevent the diversion of mercury or mercury compounds for use in artisanal and small-scale gold mining and processing;

(b) Education, outreach and capacity-building initiatives;

(c) Promotion of research into sustainable non-mercury alternative practices;

(d) Provision of technical and financial assistance;

(e) Partnerships to assist in the implementation of their commitments under this Article; and

(f) Use of existing information exchange mechanisms to promote knowledge, best environmental practices and alternative technologies that are environmentally, technically, socially and economically viable.

1. This Article concerns controlling and, where feasible, reducing emissions of mercury and mercury compounds, often expressed as “total mercury”, to the atmosphere through measures to control emissions from the point sources falling within the source categories listed in Annex D.

2. For the purposes of this Article:

(a) “Emissions” means emissions of mercury or mercury compounds to the atmosphere;

(b) “Relevant source” means a source falling within one of the source categories listed in Annex D. A Party may, if it chooses, establish criteria to identify the sources covered within a source category listed in Annex D so long as those criteria for any category include at least 75 per cent of the emissions from that category;

(c) “New source” means any relevant source within a category listed in Annex D, the construction or substantial modification of which is commenced at least one year after the date of:

(i) Entry into force of this Convention for the Party concerned; or

(ii) Entry into force for the Party concerned of an amendment to Annex D where the source becomes subject to the provisions of this Convention only by virtue of that amendment;

(d) “Substantial modification” means modification of a relevant source that results in a significant increase in emissions, excluding any change in emissions resulting from by-product recovery. It shall be a matter for the Party to decide whether a modification is substantial or not.

(e) “Existing source” means any relevant source that is not a new source;

(f) “Emission limit value” means a limit on the concentration, mass or emission rate of mercury or mercury compounds, often expressed as “total mercury”, emitted from a point source.

3. A Party with relevant sources shall take measures to control emissions and may prepare a national plan setting out the measures to be taken to control emissions and its expected targets, goals and outcomes. Any plan shall be submitted to the Conference of the Parties within 4 years of the date of entry into force of the Convention for that Party. If a Party develops an implementation plan in accordance with Article 20, the Party may include in it the plan prepared pursuant to this paragraph.

4. For its new sources, each Party shall require the use of best available techniques and best environmental practices to control and, where feasible, reduce emissions, as soon as practicable but no later than five years after the date of entry into force of the Convention for that Party. A Party may use emission limit values that are consistent with the application of best available techniques.

5. For its existing sources, each Party shall include in any national plan, and shall implement, one or more of the following measures, taking into account its national circumstances, and the economic and technical feasibility and affordability of the measures, as soon as practicable but no more than ten years after the date of entry into force of the Convention for it:

(a) A quantified goal for controlling and, where feasible, reducing emissions from relevant sources;

(b) Emission limit values for controlling and, where feasible, reducing emissions from relevant sources;

(c) The use of best available techniques and best environmental practices to control emissions from relevant sources;

(d) A multi-pollutant control strategy that would deliver co-benefits for control of mercury emissions;

(e) Alternative measures to reduce emissions from relevant sources.

6. Parties may apply the same measures to all relevant existing sources or may adopt different measures in respect of different source categories. The objective shall be for those measures applied by a Party to achieve reasonable progress in reducing emissions over time.

7. Each Party shall establish, as soon as practicable and no later than five years after the date of entry into force of the Convention for it, and maintain thereafter, an inventory of emissions from relevant sources.

8 The Conference of the Parties shall, at its first meeting, adopt guidance on:

(a) Best available techniques and on best environmental practices, taking into account any difference between new and existing sources and the need to minimize cross-media effects; and

(b) Support for Parties in implementing the measures set out in paragraph 5, in particular in determining goals and in setting emission limit values.

9 The Conference of the Parties shall, as soon as practicable, adopt guidance on:

(a) Criteria that Parties may develop pursuant to paragraph 2 (b);

(b) The methodology for preparing inventories of emissions.

10. The Conference of the Parties shall keep under review, and update as appropriate, the guidance developed pursuant to paragraphs 8 and 9. Parties shall take the guidance into account in implementing the relevant provisions of this Article.

11. Each Party shall include information on its implementation of this Article in its reports submitted pursuant to Article 21, in particular information concerning the measures it has taken in accordance with paragraphs 4 to 7 and the effectiveness of the measures.

1. This Article concerns controlling and, where feasible, reducing releases of mercury and mercury compounds, often expressed as “total mercury”, to land and water from the relevant point sources not addressed in other provisions of this Convention.

2. For the purposes of this Article:

(a) “Releases” means releases of mercury or mercury compounds to land or water;

(b) “Relevant source” means any significant anthropogenic point source of release as identified by a Party that is not addressed in other provisions of this Convention;

(c) “New source” means any relevant source, the construction or substantial modification of which is commenced at least one year after the date of entry into force of this Convention for the Party concerned;

(d) “Substantial modification” means modification of a relevant source that results in a significant increase in releases, excluding any change in releases resulting from by-product recovery.It shall be a matter for the Party to decide whether a modification is substantial or not;

(e) “Existing source” means any relevant source that is not a new source;

(f) “Release limit value” means a limit on the concentration or mass of mercury or mercury compounds, often expressed as “total mercury”, released from a point source.

3. Each Party shall, no later than three years after the date of entry into force of the Convention for it and on a regular basis thereafter, identify the relevant point source categories.

4. A Party with relevant sources shall take measures to control releases and may prepare a national plan setting out the measures to be taken to control releases and its expected targets, goals and outcomes. Any plan shall be submitted to the Conference of the Parties within 4 years of the date of entry into force of the Convention for that Party. If a Party develops an implementation plan in accordance with Article 20, the Party may include in it the plan prepared pursuant to this paragraph.

5. The measures shall include one or more of the following, as appropriate:

(a) Release limit values to control and, where feasible, reduce releases from relevant sources;

(b) The use of best available techniques and best environmental practices to control releases from relevant sources;

(c) A multi-pollutant control strategy that would deliver co-benefits for control of mercury releases;

(d) Alternative measures to reduce releases from relevant sources.

6. Each Party shall establish, as soon as practicable and no later than five years after the date of entry into force of the Convention for it, and maintain thereafter, an inventory of releases from relevant sources.

7. The Conference of the Parties shall, as soon as practicable, adopt guidance on:

(a) Best available techniques and on best environmental practices, taking into account any difference between new and existing sources and the need to minimize cross-media effects;

(b) The methodology for preparing inventories of releases.

8. Each Party shall include information on its implementation of this Article in its reports submitted pursuant to Article 21, in particular information concerning the measures it has taken in accordance with paragraphs 3 to 6 and the effectiveness of the measures.

1. This Article shall apply to the interim storage of mercury and mercury compounds as defined in Article 3 that do not fall within the meaning of the definition of mercury wastes set out in Article 11.

2. Each Party shall take measures to ensure that the interim storage of such mercury and mercury compounds intended for a use allowed to a Party under this Convention is undertaken in an environmentally sound manner, taking into account any guidelines, and in accordance with any requirements, adopted pursuant to paragraph 3.

3. The Conference of the Parties shall adopt guidelines on the environmentally sound interim storage of such mercury and mercury compounds, taking into account any relevant guidelines developed under the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal and other relevant guidance. The Conference of the Parties may adopt requirements for interim storage in an additional annex to this Convention in accordance with Article 27.

4. Parties shall cooperate, as appropriate, with each other and with relevant intergovernmental organizations and other entities, to enhance capacity-building for the environmentally sound interim storage of such mercury and mercury compounds.

1. The relevant definitions of the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal shall apply to wastes covered under this Convention for Parties to the Basel Convention. Parties to this Convention that are not Parties to the Basel Convention shall use those definitions as guidance as applied to wastes covered under this Convention.

2. For the purposes of this Convention, mercury wastes means substances or objects:

(a) Consisting of mercury or mercury compounds;

(b) Containing mercury or mercury compounds; or

(c) Contaminated with mercury or mercury compounds

in a quantity above the relevant thresholds defined by the Conference of the Parties, in collaboration with the relevant bodies of the Basel Convention in a harmonized manner, that are disposed of or are intended to be disposed of or are required to be disposed of by the provisions of national law or this Convention. This definition excludes overburden, waste rock and tailings from mining, except from primary mercury mining, unless they contain mercury or mercury compounds above thresholds defined by the Conference of the Parties.

3. Each Party shall take appropriate measures so that mercury waste is:

(a) Managed in an environmentally sound manner, taking into account the guidelines developed under the Basel Convention and in accordance with requirements that the Conference of the Parties shall adopt in an additional annex in accordance with Article 27. In developing requirements, the Conference of the Parties shall take into account Parties’ waste management regulations and programmes;

(b) Only recovered, recycled, reclaimed or directly re-used for a use allowed to a Party under this Convention or for environmentally sound disposal pursuant to paragraph 3 (a);

(c) For Parties to the Basel Convention, not transported across international boundaries except for the purpose of environmentally sound disposal in conformity with this Article and with that Convention. In circumstances where the Basel Convention does not apply to transport across international boundaries, a Party shall allow such transport only after taking into account relevant international rules, standards, and guidelines.

4. The Conference of the Parties shall seek to cooperate closely with the relevant bodies of the Basel Convention in the review and update, as appropriate, of the guidelines referred to in paragraph 3(a).

5. Parties are encouraged to cooperate with each other and with relevant intergovernmental organizations and other entities, as appropriate, to develop and maintain global, regional and national capacity for the management of mercury wastes in an environmentally sound manner.

1. Each Party shall endeavour to develop appropriate strategies for identifying and assessing sites contaminated by mercury or mercury compounds.

2. Any actions to reduce the risks posed by such sites shall be performed in an environmentally sound manner incorporating, where appropriate, an assessment of the risks to human health and the environment from the mercury or mercury compounds they contain.

3. The Conference of the Parties shall adopt guidance on managing contaminated sites that may include methods and approaches for:

(a) Site identification and characterization;

(b) Engaging the public;

(c) Human health and environmental risk assessments;

(d) Options for managing the risks posed by contaminated sites;

(e) Evaluation of benefits and costs; and

(f) Validation of outcomes.

4. Parties are encouraged to cooperate in developing strategies and implementing activities for identifying, assessing, prioritizing, managing and, as appropriate, remediating contaminated sites.

1. Each Party undertakes to provide, within its capabilities, resources in respect of those national activities that are intended to implement this Convention, in accordance with its national policies, priorities, plans and programmes. Such resources may include domestic funding through relevant policies, development strategies and national budgets, and bilateral and multilateral funding, as well as private sector involvement.

2. The overall effectiveness of implementation of this Convention by developing country Parties will be related to the effective implementation of this Article.

3. Multilateral, regional and bilateral sources of financial and technical assistance, as well as capacity- building and technology transfer, are encouraged, on an urgent basis, to enhance and increase their activities on mercury in support of developing country Parties in the implementation of this Convention relating to financial resources, technical assistance and technology transfer.

4. The Parties, in their actions with regard to funding, shall take full account of the specific needs and special circumstances of Parties that are small island developing States or least developed countries.

5. A Mechanism for the provision of adequate, predictable, and timely financial resources is hereby defined. The Mechanism is to support developing country Parties and Parties with economies in transition in implementing their obligations under this Convention.

6. The Mechanism shall include:

(a) The Global Environment Facility Trust Fund, and

(b) A specific international Programme to support capacity-building and technical assistance.

7. The Global Environment Facility Trust Fund shall provide new, predictable, adequate and timely financial resources to meet costs in support of implementation of this Convention as agreed by the Conference of the Parties. For the purposes of this Convention, the Global Environment Facility Trust Fund shall be operated under the guidance of and be accountable to the Conference of the Parties. The Conference of the Parties shall provide guidance on overall strategies, policies, programme priorities and eligibility for access to and utilization of financial resources. In addition, the Conference of the Parties shall provide guidance on an indicative list of categories of activities that could receive support from the Global Environment Facility Trust Fund. The Global Environment Facility Trust Fund shall provide resources to meet the agreed incremental costs of global environmental benefits and the agreed full costs of some enabling activities.

8. In providing resources for an activity, the Global Environment Facility Trust Fund should take into account the potential mercury reductions of a proposed activity relative to its costs.

9. For the purposes of this Convention, the Programme referred to in paragraph 6 (b) will be operated under the guidance of and be accountable to the Conference of the Parties. The Conference of the Parties shall, at its first meeting, decide on the hosting institution for the Programme, which shall be an existing entity, and provide guidance to it, including on its duration. All Parties and other relevant stakeholders are invited to provide financial resources to the Programme, on a voluntary basis.

10. The Conference of the Parties and the entities comprising the Mechanism shall agree upon, at the first meeting of the Conference of the Parties, arrangements to give effect to the above paragraphs.

11. The Conference of the Parties shall review, no later than at its third meeting, and thereafter on a regular basis, the level of funding, the guidance provided by the Conference of the Parties to the entities entrusted to operationalize the Mechanism established under this Article and their effectiveness, and their ability to address the changing needs of developing country Parties and Parties with economies in transition. It shall, based on such review, take appropriate action to improve the effectiveness of the Mechanism.

12. All Parties, within their capabilities, are invited to contribute to the Mechanism. The Mechanism shall encourage the provision of resources from other sources, including the private sector, and shall seek to leverage such resources for the activities it supports.

1. Parties shall cooperate to provide, within their respective capabilities, timely and appropriate capacity-building and technical assistance to developing country Parties, in particular Parties that are least developed countries or small island developing States, and Parties with economies in transition, to assist them in implementing their obligations under this Convention.

2. Capacity-building and technical assistance pursuant to paragraph 1 and Article 13 may be delivered through regional, subregional and national arrangements, including existing regional and subregional centres, through other multilateral and bilateral means, and through partnerships, including partnerships involving the private sector. Cooperation and coordination with other multilateral environmental agreements in the field of chemicals and wastes should be sought to increase the effectiveness of technical assistance and its delivery.

3. Developed country Parties and other Parties within their capabilities shall promote and facilitate, supported by the private sector and other relevant stakeholders as appropriate, development, transfer and diffusion of, and access to, up-to-date environmentally sound alternative technologies to developing country Parties, in particular the least developed countries and small island developing States, and Parties with economies in transition, to strengthen their capacity to effectively implement this Convention.

4. The Conference of the Parties shall, by its second meeting and thereafter on a regular basis, and taking into account submissions and reports from Parties including those as provided for in Article 21 and information provided by other stakeholders:

(a) Consider information on existing initiatives and progress made in relation to alternative technologies;

(b) Consider the needs of Parties, particularly developing country Parties, for alternative technologies; and

(c) Identify challenges experienced by Parties, particularly developing country Parties, in technology transfer.

5. The Conference of the Parties shall make recommendations on how capacity building, technical assistance and technology transfer could be further enhanced under this Article.

1. A mechanism, including a Committee as a subsidiary body of the Conference of the Parties, is hereby established to promote implementation of, and review compliance with, all provisions of this Convention. The mechanism, including the Committee, shall be facilitative in nature and shall pay particular attention to the respective national capabilities and circumstances of Parties.

2. The Committee shall promote implementation of, and review compliance with, all provisions of this Convention. The Committee shall examine both individual and systemic issues of implementation and compliance and make recommendations, as appropriate, to the Conference of the Parties.

3. The Committee shall consist of 15 members, nominated by Parties and elected by the Conference of the Parties, with due consideration to equitable geographical representation based on the five regions of the United Nations; the first members shall be elected at the first meeting of the Conference of the Parties and thereafter in accordance with the rules of procedure approved by the Conference of the Parties pursuant to paragraph 5; the members of the Committee shall have competence in a field relevant to this Convention and reflect an appropriate balance of expertise.

4. The Committee may consider issues on the basis of:

(a) Written submissions from any Party with respect to its own compliance;

(b) National reports in accordance with Article 21; and

(c) Requests from the Conference of the Parties.

5. The Committee shall elaborate its rules of procedure, which shall be subject to approval by the second meeting of the Conference of the Parties; the Conference of the Parties may adopt further terms of reference for the Committee.

6. The Committee shall make every effort to adopt its recommendations by consensus. If all efforts at consensus have been exhausted and no consensus is reached, such recommendations shall as a last resort be adopted by a three-fourths majority vote of the members present and voting, based on a quorum of two-thirds of the members.

1. Parties are encouraged to:

(a) Promote the development and implementation of strategies and programmes to identify and protect populations at risk, particularly vulnerable populations, and which may include adopting science-based health guidelines relating to the exposure to mercury and mercury compounds, setting targets for mercury exposure reduction, where appropriate, and public education, with the participation of public health and other involved sectors;

(b) Promote the development and implementation of science-based educational and preventive programmes on occupational exposure to mercury and mercury compounds;

(c) Promote appropriate health-care services for prevention, treatment and care for populations affected by the exposure to mercury or mercury compounds; and

(d) Establish and strengthen, as appropriate, the institutional and health professional capacities for the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of health risks related to the exposure to mercury and mercury compounds.

2. The Conference of the Parties, in considering health-related issues or activities, should:

(a) Consult and collaborate with the World Health Organization, the International Labour Organization and other relevant intergovernmental organizations, as appropriate; and

(b) Promote cooperation and exchange of information with the World Health Organization, the International Labour Organization and other relevant intergovernmental organizations, as appropriate.

1. Each Party shall facilitate the exchange of:

(a) Scientific, technical, economic and legal information concerning mercury and mercury compounds, including toxicological, ecotoxicological and safety information;

(b) Information on the reduction or elimination of the production, use, trade, emissions and releases of mercury and mercury compounds;

(c) Information on technically and economically viable alternatives to:

(i) Mercury-added products;

(ii) Manufacturing processes in which mercury or mercury compounds are used; and

(iii) Activities and processes that emit or release mercury or mercury compounds;

including information on the health and environmental risks and economic and social costs and benefits of such alternatives; and

(d) Epidemiological information concerning health impacts associated with exposure to mercury and mercury compounds, in close cooperation with the World Health Organization and other relevant organizations, as appropriate.

2. Parties may exchange the information referred to in paragraph 1 directly, through the Secretariat, or in cooperation with other relevant organizations, including the secretariats of chemicals and wastes conventions, as appropriate.

3. The Secretariat shall facilitate cooperation in the exchange of information referred to in this Article, as well as with relevant organizations, including the secretariats of multilateral environmental agreements and other international initiatives. In addition to information from Parties, this information shall include information from intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations with expertise in the area of mercury, and from national and international institutions with such expertise.

4. Each Party shall designate a national focal point for the exchange of information under this Convention, including with regard to the consent of importing Parties under Article 3.

5. For the purposes of this Convention, information on the health and safety of humans and the environment shall not be regarded as confidential. Parties that exchange other information pursuant to this Convention shall protect any confidential information as mutually agreed.

1. Each Party shall, within its capabilities, promote and facilitate:

(a) Provision to the public of available information on:

(i) The health and environmental effects of mercury and mercury compounds;

(ii) Alternatives to mercury and mercury compounds;

(iii) The topics identified in paragraph 1 of Article 17;

(iv) The results of its research, development and monitoring activities under Article 19; and

(v) Activities to meet its obligations under this Convention;

(b) Education, training and public awareness related to the effects of exposure to mercury and mercury compounds on human health and the environment in collaboration with relevant intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations and vulnerable populations, as appropriate.

2. Each Party shall use existing mechanisms or give consideration to the development of mechanisms, such as pollutant release and transfer registers where applicable, for the collection and dissemination of information on estimates of its annual quantities of mercury and mercury compounds that are emitted, released or disposed of through human activities.

1. Parties shall endeavour to cooperate to develop and improve, taking into account their respective circumstances and capabilities:

(a) Inventories of use, consumption, and anthropogenic emissions to air and releases to water and land of mercury and mercury compounds;

(b) Modelling and geographically representative monitoring of levels of mercury and mercury compounds in vulnerable populations and in environmental media, including biotic media such as fish, marine mammals, sea turtles and birds, as well as collaboration in the collection and exchange of relevant and appropriate samples;

(c) Assessments of the impact of mercury and mercury compounds on human health and the environment, in addition to social, economic and cultural impacts, particularly in respect of vulnerable populations;

(d) Harmonized methodologies for the activities undertaken under subparagraphs (a), (b) and (c);

(e) Information on the environmental cycle, transport (including long-range transport and deposition), transformation and fate of mercury and mercury compounds in a range of ecosystems, taking appropriate account of the distinction between anthropogenic and natural emissions and releases of mercury and of remobilization of mercury from historic deposition;

(f) Information on commerce and trade in mercury and mercury compounds and mercury-added products; and