Communication regarding COVID-19 and upcoming BRS meetings

Geneva, 11 June 2020,

The present communication is to provide an update regarding upcoming BRS meetings, in light of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) situation.

The Secretariat is keeping the situation under review taking into account the information and guidance from the United Nations Department of Operational Support, the WHO, the Swiss authorities, the Italian authorities, the Food and Agriculture Organization and the United Nations Office at Geneva that is received and updated regularly.

Please find below an update on the status of BRS meetings that have been either suspended, postponed, or are planned to be held online:

Suspended meeting:

• Meeting of the small intersessional working group on technical specially engineered landfill (D5) and incineration on land (D10) and energy recovery (R1), Ottawa, Canada, 18 and 19 March 2020

The possibility of holding this meeting at a later point in time is being considered, taking into account the development of the COVID-19 situation and the organization of the OEWG-12 meeting. An update on the organization of the above meeting will be sent to all members and observers to this small intersessional working group.

Postponed meeting:

• Twelfth meeting of the Open-ended Working Group of the Basel Convention (OEWG-12), Geneva, Switzerland from 22 to 25 June 2020

The Bureau of the OEWG of the Basel Convention at its online meeting on 10 June 2020 agreed to postpone the OEWG-12. The dates and arrangements for OEWG-12, including options and a way forward for the convening of the meeting, are to be considered by the Bureau of the OEWG, taking into account the feedback received during consultations, at an OEWG Bureau meeting scheduled on 22 June 2020.

Meetings held or to be held online:

• First meeting of the small intersessional working group on the strategic framework for the implementation of the Basel Convention for 2012-2021, 20 to 22 April 2020
• Orientation for new members of the Chemical Review Committee: by webinars (first webinar held on 7 May 2020)
• Meeting of the Bureau of the Conference of the Parties to the Rotterdam Convention, 9 June 2020
• Meeting of the Bureau of the Conference of the Parties to the Stockholm Convention, 10 June 2020
• Meeting of the Bureau of the Conference of the Parties to the Basel Convention, 25-26 June 2020
• Fourteenth meeting of the Basel Convention Implementation and Compliance Committee (ICC-14), 29 June – 3 July 2020, followed by supplementary sessions to be convened either face-to -face or online and tentatively scheduled for 21-24 September 2020, Geneva, Switzerland
• Sixteenth meeting of the Rotterdam Convention Chemical Review Committee, 8-11 September 2020