Meetings of the conferences of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions in 2023

Geneva, Switzerland from 1-12 May 2023

Venue: Geneva International Conference Centre (CICG), 17 rue de Varembé, Geneva, Switzerland

Highlights: The sixteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Basel Convention (BC COP-16), the eleventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Rotterdam Convention (RC COP-11) and the eleventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Stockholm Convention (SC COP-11) were held back-to-back in Geneva, Switzerland from 1-12 May 2023. The 2023 meetings of the Conferences of the Parties to the three conventions were held under the theme “Accelerating action: Targets for the sound management of chemicals and waste”.

The meetings were attended by over 1,400 participants from 177 country Parties and 165 observer entities. A total of 54 decisions were adopted strengthening the sound management of chemicals and wastes for the protection of human health and the environment, including 28 decisions adopted by BC COP-16, 15 decisions by RC COP-11 and 27 decisions by SC COP-11. Among those, eight are joint to two or three of the conventions, for instance on enhanced cooperation with other bodies, technical assistance, preventing and combating illegal traffic and trade and the clearing-house mechanism.

Among the key outcomes, BC COP-16 adopted updated technical guidelines on the environmentally sound management of plastic wastes. Other significant outcomes include: adoption of updated technical guidelines on POPs wastes and e-wastes, initiation of work to improve the functioning of the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) procedure and to develop a new strategic framework. RC COP-11 listed a new pesticide (terbufos) which makes the chemical subject to the Prior Informed Consent procedure, thereby granting Parties to the Convention the right to decide on its future import. The programme of work of the Compliance Committee for 2024-2025 was also adopted. SC COP-11 amended Annex A to the Convention to list three new chemicals therein, namely the pesticide methoxychlor and the industrial chemicals Dechlorane Plus and UV-328. Parties to the Convention also adopted procedures and mechanisms on compliance, marking a historical achievement after two decades of work.

Thanks to voluntary contributions from the Governments of China, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Japan, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and the Netherlands, financial assistance was provided to support the participation of developing country Parties and Parties with economies in transition to attend the meetings.

Working languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.

Meeting documents

Meetings documents can be accessed from the meetings documents page.

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Meeting reports

  • BC COP.16 Meeting Report
  • RC COP.11 Meeting report
  • SC COP.11 Meeting report