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The Conference of the Parties
1.Welcomes the work of the Committee Administering the Mechanism for Promoting Implementation and Compliance with the Basel Convention on electronic approaches to the notification and movement documents;11UNEP/CHW/CC.12/11/Add.2, annex; UNEP/CHW.13/9.
2.Requests the Secretariat to prepare, subject to the availability of funding and for the consideration of the Open-ended Working Group at its eleventh meeting, a document containing options on how to move forward on electronic approaches to the notification and movement documents, taking into account the note by the Secretariat on the Committee Administering the Mechanism for Promoting Implementation and Compliance of the Basel Convention,2 the note by the Secretariat entitled “Control system: electronic approaches to the notification and movement documents”3 and the results of a further survey on the issue, in particular through the gathering of more recent information from Parties and others on existing electronic approaches;2UNEP/CHW.13/9.3UNEP/CHW/CC.12/11/Add.2.
3.Invites Parties and others to submit comments on whether to consider the review of Annexes II, VIII and IX to the Basel Convention, taking into account the approach outlined in annex II of document UNEP/CHW.12/INF/52;
4.Requests the Secretariat to compile the comments submitted in accordance with paragraph 3 above for consideration by the Open-ended Working Group at its eleventh meeting;
5.Also requests the Secretariat to prepare, for consideration by the Open-ended Working Group at its eleventh meeting and subject to the availability of resources, a document compiling information on existing activities that address waste containing nanomaterials and identifying issues related to waste containing nanomaterials that may be relevant to work under the Convention and on options for further work that may be carried out under the Basel Convention related to waste containing nanomaterials within the scope of the Convention, avoiding duplication with activities relating to the matter in other forums;
6.Adopts the work programme of the Open-ended Working Group for the biennium 2018–2019 set out in the annex to the present decision;
7.Decides that any work by the Secretariat requested by the Open-ended Working Group at its eleventh meeting and to be submitted to the Conference of the Parties for consideration at its fourteenth meeting shall be undertaken, if approved by the Conference of the Parties, subject to the availability of resources;
8.Takes note of thecomments received from Parties and others on experiences with regard to the arrangements for the tenth meeting of the Open-ended Working Group;44UNEP/CHW.13/INF/42, annex.
9.Decides that the eleventh and subsequent meetings of the Open-ended Working Group will be of four days’ duration, with two days of plenary sessions with simultaneous interpretation provided, plus one additional day of plenary sessions with interpretation provided subject to the availability of resources, to be applied flexibly by the Executive Secretary, and invites those in a position to do so to provide voluntary funding for any interpretation not included in the core budget.
Annex to decision BC-13/17Work programme of the Open-ended Working Group for the biennium 2018–2019
TopicsActivitiesMandatePriority
I. Strategic issues
A. Strategic frameworkConsider a draft compilation of information related to the indicators in the strategic framework.Decision BC-13/1Medium
B. Development of guidelines for environmentally sound management1.Review the progress made in the implementation of the work programme of the expert working group on environmentally sound management.2.Consider the draft documents developed by the expert working group on environmentally sound management.Decision BC-13/2High
II. Scientific and technical matters
A. Technical guidelines1.Consider comments and information relating to a review of provisional low persistent organic pollutant content values in the general technical guidelines referred to in decision BC-13/4, and other technical guidelines, as appropriate.2.Update the general technical guidelines for the environmentally sound management of wastes consisting of, containing or contaminated with persistent organic pollutants and prepare or update specific technical guidelines with regard to the chemicals listed in Annexes A and C to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants by decisions SC-8/10, SC-8/11 and SC-8/12 of the Conference of the Parties to the Stockholm Convention, including the following:(a)Establishment of levels of destruction and irreversible transformation for the chemicals necessary to ensure that when disposed of they do not exhibit the characteristics of persistent organic pollutants specified in paragraph 1 of Annex D to the Stockholm Convention;(b)Determination of which disposal methods constitute environmentally sound disposal as referred to in paragraph 1 (d) (ii) of Article 6 of the Stockholm Convention;(c)Establishment, as appropriate, of the concentration levels of the chemicals in order to define for the Stockholm Convention low persistent organic pollutant content as referred to in paragraph 1 (d) (ii) of Article 6 of the Convention.Decision BC-13/4High
3. Consider comments on the technical guidelines on transboundary movements of electrical and electronic waste and used electrical and electronic equipment, in particular regarding the distinction between waste and non-waste under the Basel Convention and suggestions for amendments to those guidelines from the expert working group.Decision BC-13/5High
4. Consider the draft updated technical guidelines on incineration on land (D10) and on specially engineered landfill (D5).5. Consider whether the technical guidelines on hazardous waste physico-chemical treatment (D9) and biological treatment (D8) should be updated.Decision BC-13/6Medium
B. National reportingConsider the types of wastes for which additional practical guidance on the development of inventories would be useful and prepare recommendations thereon for consideration by the Conference of the Parties at its fourteenth meeting.Decision BC-13/8High
C. Amendments to the annexes to the Basel ConventionConsider and review any applications for changes and any corrections to the list of wastes in Annexes VIII and IX to the Basel Convention.Decision VIII/15High
D. Electronic approaches to the notification and movement documentsConsider work that may be carried out on electronic approaches to the notification and movement documents.Decision BC-13/17Medium
E. Marine plastic litter and microplasticsSubject to the availability of resources, consider relevant options available under the Convention to further address marine plastic litter and microplastics, taking into account, inter alia, the assessment requested by the United Nations Environment Assembly of the United Nations Environment Programme in its resolution 2/11, any relevant resolution by the Environment Assembly at its forthcoming third session and existing guidance documents and activities under the Basel Convention that address issues related to marine plastic litter and microplastics, and develop a proposal for possible further action, within the scope of the Convention and avoiding duplication with activities relating to the matter in other forums, for consideration by the Conference of the Parties at its fourteenth meeting.Decision BC-13/17High
F. Waste containing nanomaterialsConsider further work that may be carried out in relation to waste containing nanomaterials.Decision BC-13/17Medium
III. Legal, governance and enforcement matters
A. Consultation with the Committee Administering the Mechanism for Promoting Implementation and ComplianceConsult with the Committee on the finalization of the guidance to improve the implementation of paragraph 11 of Article 6 of the Convention and on other matters as decided by the Committee.Decision BC-13/9High
B. Providing further legal clarity1. Provide guidance to the expert working group on the review of Annexes I, III and IV and related aspects of Annex IX to the Basel Convention.Decision BC-13/2High
2. Consider whether to review Annexes II, VIII and IX to the Convention.Decision BC-13/17Medium
IV. International cooperation and coordination
A. Basel Convention Partnership Programme1. Consider, as needed, a report from the Basel Convention regional and coordinating centres on the implementation of activities listed in the work programme set out in the concept note on a follow-up partnership to the Partnership for Action on Computing Equipment.Decision BC-13/12Medium
2. Consider progress made with, and provide guidance on the implementation of, the workplan of the working group of the household waste partnership established by the Conference of the Parties at its thirteenth meeting.Decision BC-13/14High
B. Cooperation with the World Customs Organization on the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding SystemConsider progress achieved with regard to the inclusion of Basel Convention wastes in the World Customs Organization Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System.Decision BC-13/7Medium
V. Programme of work and budget
Financing and budget for the biennium 2018–2019Consider the report by the Secretariat on the status of the implementation of decision BC 13/24 on the programme of work and proposed budget for the Basel Convention for the biennium 2018–2019.Decision BC-13/24Medium