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ROTTERDAM CONVENTION Secretariat of the Rotterdam Convention Secretariat of the Rotterdam Convention United Nations Environment Programme Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Office Address: International Environment House 1 Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00153 Rome, Italy 11–13, chemin des Anémones, 1219 Châtelaine, Geneva, Switzerland Tel.: +39 06 5705 2061 ¦ Fax: +39 06 5705 3224 ¦ E-mail: [email protected] Postal Address: c/o Palais des Nations, 8-14, avenue de la Paix, 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland Tel.: +41 (0) 22 917 8271 ¦ Fax: +41 (0) 22 917 8098 ¦ E-mail: [email protected] 5 June 2023 Subject: Call for information in follow-up to the eleventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Rotterdam Convention (1-12 May 2023) Dear Sir, Dear Madam, At its eleventh meeting, the Conference of the Parties to the Rotterdam Convention adopted a number of decisions that invited Parties and others to provide information. The full set of decisions adopted at the meeting are contained in Annex I to the meeting report, which will be made available on the Rotterdam Convention website in due course: www.pic.int. To facilitate responses to the various invitations for information, please find enclosed a summary of the individual decisions that contain such invitations. Please bear in mind that this letter does not reflect the full set of decisions. The information set out in this letter is also available on the Convention’s website under: “Call for information in follow-up to the eleventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Rotterdam Convention”. Please note that similar letters are being sent to Parties and observers to the Basel and Stockholm conventions as a follow-up to the sixteenth and eleventh meetings of their respective conferences of the Parties. The invitations for information pertaining to joint issues of the three conventions have been included in each of the individual letters. In decision RC-11/3, the Conference of the Parties to the Rotterdam Convention agreed to list terbufos in Annex III to the Convention. A separate letter will be sent to solicit import responses for this chemical at the time the amendment to list it in Annex III to the Convention enters into force on 22 October 2023. Should you have any queries, please contact Ms. Andrea Lechner, Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions (E-mail: [email protected]; Tel: +41 22 917 88 53). We look forward to receiving your submissions. Yours sincerely, For Rolph Payet Christine Fuell Executive Secretary of the Basel, Rotterdam and Executive Secretary ad interim Stockholm Conventions of the Rotterdam Convention Enc: Follow-up to the eleventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Rotterdam Convention To: Rotterdam Convention Official Contact Points Rotterdam Convention Designated National Authorities Members of the Bureau of the twelfth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Rotterdam Convention Observers admitted to the meetings of the Conference of the Parties to the Rotterdam Convention cc: Representatives of the Permanent Missions to the United Nations Office at Geneva Representatives of Permanent Missions to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in Rome Secretariat of the Rotterdam Convention Page | 2 Follow-up to the eleventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Rotterdam Convention 1. Status of implementation ........................................................................................................................................................... 3 2. Enhancing the effectiveness of the Rotterdam Convention by addressing impacts regarding the listing of chemicals in Annex III and its implementation ............................................................................................................................................... 4 3. Compliance Committee .............................................................................................................................................................. 5 4. Technical assistance .................................................................................................................................................................. 6 5. Synergies in preventing and combating illegal traffic and trade in hazardous chemicals and wastes ........................... 7 6. Venue and dates of the next meetings of the conferences of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 8 Secretariat of the Rotterdam Convention Page | 3 1. Status of implementation Decision: RC-11/1: Status of implementation Background: The Conference of the Parties encouraged Parties, among other things, to adopt, as soon as possible, a national definition for the term “pesticide” and communicate national definitions to the Secretariat; to provide the Secretariat with information that might assist other Parties to prepare and notify final regulatory actions; and to provide information on their implementation of Articles 11, 12, 13 and 14 of the Convention by submitting responses to the periodic questionnaire on the implementation of those articles. Parties, non-Parties, industry, civil society and other stakeholders were invited to provide to the Secretariat data on the international trade in chemicals listed or recommended for listing in Annex III to the Rotterdam Convention. Follow-up: Deadlines for Call for information Respondents submission (a) Parties are encouraged to communicate national definitions for the Parties No deadline term “pesticide” to the Secretariat. specified; information to be submitted as soon as possible. (b) Parties are encouraged to provide the Secretariat with information Parties No deadline that might assist other Parties to prepare and notify final regulatory specified; actions, including scientific and technical information relevant to risk information to be evaluation and decision-making on hazardous chemicals and submitted as pesticides. soon as possible. (c) Parties are encouraged to provide information on their Parties Deadline to be implementation of Articles 11, 12, 13 and 14 of the Convention by indicated in the submitting responses to the periodic questionnaire on the questionnaires to implementation of those articles. be sent out on this topic. (d) Parties, non-Parties, industry, civil society and other stakeholders are Parties, non- No deadline invited to provide to the Secretariat data on the international trade in Parties, specified; chemicals listed or recommended for listing in Annex III to the industry, civil information to be Rotterdam Convention. society, submitted as other soon as possible. stakeholders Contact persons: (a) Ms. Christine Fuell, email: [email protected] (b) Mr. Aleksandar Mihajlovski, email: [email protected] (c) Mr. Suman Sharma, email: [email protected] (d) Ms. Andrea Lechner, email: [email protected] Secretariat of the Rotterdam Convention Page | 4 2. Enhancing the effectiveness of the Rotterdam Convention by addressing impacts regarding the listing of chemicals in Annex III and its implementation Decision: RC-11/4: Enhancing the effectiveness of the Rotterdam Convention by addressing impacts regarding the listing of chemicals in Annex III and its implementation Background: The Conference of the Parties urged Parties and observers to provide information to the Secretariat on the potential direct and indirect trade and socio-economic impacts, as well as financial implications, caused or anticipated by the listing of chemicals in Annex III, including the costs of inaction; on the benefits and challenges in introducing alternatives to chemicals recommended for listing in Annex III, and on actions to address such challenges; and on challenges in implementing legislative and administrative measures for the sound management of chemicals recommended for listing in Annex III and their alternatives, including challenges relating to technological and scientific capability. Follow-up: Deadlines for Call for information Respondents submission (a) Parties and observers are urged to provide information to the Secretariat Parties 30 June 2024 on the potential direct and indirect trade and socio-economic impacts, Observers as well as the financial implications, caused or anticipated by the listing of chemicals in Annex III, including the costs of inaction. (b) Parties and observers are urged to provide information to the Secretariat Parties 30 June 2024 on the benefits and challenges in introducing alternatives to chemicals Observers recommended for listing in Annex III, and on actions to address such challenges. (c) Parties and observers are urged to provide information to the Secretariat Parties 30 June 2024 on challenges in implementing legislative or administrative measures for Observers the sound management of chemicals recommended for listing in Annex III and their alternatives, including challenges relating to technological and scientific capability. Contact person: Ms. Andrea Lechner, email: [email protected] Secretariat of the Rotterdam Convention Page | 5 3. Compliance Committee Decision: RC-11/5: Compliance Committee Background: By decision RC-11/15, the Conference of the Parties invited Parties that believe that they are or will be unable to comply with obligations under the Convention to consider making submissions to the Compliance Committee pursuant to paragraph 12 of Annex VII to the Convention. In part V of the same decision, the Conference of the Parties approved the programme of work of the Committee for the biennium 2024–2025 set out in the annex to that decision. The Conference of the Parties also requested Parties to provide the Secretariat with texts of national legislation or other measures to implement and enforce the Convention and encouraged Parties to provide the Compliance Committee with information on issues faced in relation to notifications of final regulatory action. Follow-up: Method of Deadlines for Call for information Respondents submission submission I: Specific submissions (a) Parties that believe that, despite their best efforts, Parties Please make No deadline they are, or will be, unable to comply with certain submissions to specified; obligations under the Rotterdam Convention are the Secretariat via information to invited to consider making submissions to the the contact be submitted Compliance Committee pursuant to paragraph 12 of person provided as soon as Annex VII to the Convention. below. possible. II: Laws, regulations, policies, procedures and other measures to implement the Rotterdam Convention (b) Parties are requested to provide the Secretariat with Parties Please make No deadline the texts of national legislation or other measures that submissions to specified; they have adopted to implement and enforce the the Secretariat via information to Convention, specifically those texts related to the contact be submitted paragraphs 1 and 2 of Article 5 and Article 10 of the person provided as soon as Convention. below. possible. III: Notifications of final regulatory action (c) Parties are encouraged to submit responses to the Parties Please respond 30 June 2023 questionnaire for the identification of issues faced by to the online Parties in relation to notifications of final regulatory questionnaire on action, so as to inform the work of the Compliance this matter.1 Committee. Contact person: Ms. Yvonne Ewang-Sanvincenti, email: [email protected]. 1 UNEP/FAO/RC/CC.1/4/Rev.1; http://www.pic.int/Implementation/Legalmatters/GeneralIssuesActivities/Notificationsoffinalregulatoryactions/tabid/9525/language/en- US/Default.aspx. Secretariat of the Rotterdam Convention Page | 6 4. Technical assistance Decisions: BC-16/17, RC-11/6 and SC-11/18: Technical assistance Background: In decisions BC-16/17, RC-11/6 and SC-11/18, the conferences of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions requested the Secretariat to prepare a report on the assessment of the needs of developing-country Parties and Parties with economies in transition for technical assistance and technology transfer. The reports will be developed on the basis of information to be provided by Parties and others on needs and availability of technical assistance and technology transfer under the conventions and will inform the development of the technical assistance plan of the conventions for the period 2026–2029, for consideration by the conferences of the Parties at their next meetings. Follow-up: Calls for information Respondents Methods of Deadlines for submission submission (a) Developing-country Parties and Parties with Developing- An online 31 March economies in transition are invited to submit to the country questionnaire 2024 Secretariat information on their needs for technical Parties will be made assistance and technology transfer, in accordance Parties with available on the with the provisions of the Basel, Rotterdam and economies in conventions’ Stockholm conventions. transition websites to enable responses to this request. (b) Developed-country Parties and others with the Developed- An online 31 March capacity to do so are invited to submit to the country questionnaire 2024 Secretariat information on the technical assistance Parties will be made and technology that they have available to be Others available on the transferred, in accordance with the provisions of conventions’ the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions, websites to to developing country Parties and Parties with enable economies in transition. responses to this request. Contact person: Ms. Lina Fortelius, email: [email protected] Secretariat of the Rotterdam Convention Page | 7 5. Synergies in preventing and combating illegal traffic and trade in hazardous chemicals and wastes Decisions: BC-16/24, RC-11/11 and SC-11/23: Synergies in preventing and combating illegal traffic and trade in hazardous chemicals and wastes Background: In part I of decisions BC-16/24, RC-11/11 and SC-11/23, the conferences of the Parties to the Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions reiterated their encouragement to Parties to the Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions to voluntarily provide information about cases of international trade in hazardous chemicals occurring in contravention of the conventions, using the prescribed forms. In part II of decisions BC-16/24, RC-11/11 and SC-11/23, the Conference of the Parties to the Basel Convention reminded Parties to the Basel Convention to report cases of illegal traffic to the Secretariat using the prescribed form for confirmed cases of illegal traffic or through table 9 of the format for national reporting. In part III of decisions BC-16/24, RC-11/11 and SC-11/23, the conferences of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions invited Parties to the three conventions to provide best practices for preventing and combating illegal traffic and trade in hazardous chemicals and wastes covered by the conventions, including the texts of any measures that have been adopted by them for that purpose. Follow-up: Calls for information Respondents Methods of submission Deadlines for submission (a) Parties to the Rotterdam and Stockholm Parties to the Please submit information As conventions are encouraged to voluntarily Rotterdam and about cases of illegal traffic appropriate provide information about cases of Stockholm using the prescribed form2 international trade in hazardous conventions chemicals occurring in contravention of the conventions (b) Parties to the Basel Convention are Parties to the Please submit information As reminded to report cases of illegal traffic Basel about cases of illegal traffic appropriate Convention using the prescribed form3 or table 9 of the format for national reporting (c) Parties are invited to provide best Parties to the Please make submissions As practices for preventing and combating three to the Secretariat via the appropriate illegal traffic and trade in hazardous conventions contact person provided chemicals and wastes covered by the below Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions and to voluntarily share information through the Secretariat on action taken to implement and enforce the trade control measures, as well as on challenges Parties may be facing Contact person: Ms. Tatiana Terekhova, email: [email protected]. 2 http://www.brsmeas.org/Implementation/Illegaltrafficandtrade/Formstoreportillegaltrade/tabid/8886/language/en- US/Default.aspx. 3 http://basel.int/Procedures/ReportingonIllegalTraffic/tabid/1544/Default.aspx. Secretariat of the Rotterdam Convention Page | 8 6. Venue and dates of the next meetings of the conferences of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions Decisions: BC-16/26, RC-11/13 and SC-11/25: Dates and venue of the next meetings of the conferences of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions Background: The conferences of the Parties decided to convene the next meetings of the conferences of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions back to back, from 28 April to 9 May 2025, in Geneva. The conferences of the Parties further decided that the meetings would include a high-level segment of no more than one day’s duration. The conferences of the Parties furthermore invited Parties to submit offers to host the 2027 meetings of the conferences of the Parties. Follow-up: Call for information Respondents Deadlines for submission Parties are invited to submit offers to host the 2027 meetings of the Parties 28 January conferences of the Parties for consideration during the meetings of the 2025 conferences of the Parties in 2025. Contact person: Mr. David Ogden, email: [email protected]. Saatja: BRS Secretariat (No-Reply) <[email protected]> Saadetud: 05.06.2023 13:03 Koopia: Andrea Lechner (UN) <[email protected]> Teema: Call for information in follow-up to the 11th meeting of the COP to the Rotterdam Convention (1-12 May 2023) Dear Sir/Madam, We are pleased to attach herewith a letter setting out calls for information in follow-up to the eleventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Rotterdam Convention for your attention and consideration. The letter has also been posted on the . It will, in addition, shortly be sent out and posted in French and Spanish. Thank you and we look forward to receiving your submissions. Best regards, Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions