Mr. Marco Buletti, Chair of the Mobile Phone Working Group, received the “Swiss Cowbell Award” from the Steering Committee of the International Electronics Recycling Congress (IERC), which took place in January 2009, in Salzburg, Austria.This award was presented to Mr. Buletti as a recognition for his outstanding commitment and leadership, which resulted in the creation of the Mobile Phone Partnership Initiative (MPPI). He accepted this award on the understanding that many representatives from Parties and Signatories to the Basel Convention, industry and non-governmental organizations significantly contributed to the success of the MPPI. Mr. Buletti says "I wish to dedicate this award to all those who actively participated in the Working Group and various project groups and wish to thank everyone for their contribution to the success of the MPPI". Click here for additional photos.

At the sixth meeting of the Conference of the Parties in 2003 the Mobile Phone Partnership Initiative (MPPI) was established as a sustainable partnership on the environmentally sound management of used and end-of-life mobile telephones.

Information note on the Basel Convention Mobile Phone Partnership Initiative

Decision VI/31 of the sixth meeting of the Conference of the Parties established a working group consisting of experts from Parties and/or Signatories interested in a sustainable partnership on the ESM of end-of-life mobile telephones plus representatives of the mobile phone manufacturers and the Secretariat of the Basel Convention. This decision defines the mandates of what is called the Mobile Phone Working Group (MPWG), as well as the roles and responsibilities of the MPWG, the OEWG and the Secretariat of the Basel Convention in respect of the MPPI.

MPPI Documents and Guidelines - Decisions of the Governing Bodies of the Basel Convention, reports of the meetings of the Mobile Phone Working Group, infonotes and other documents

The ninth meeting of the Conference of the Parties by its decision IX/8, adopted the Guidance Document on the Environmentally Sound Management of Used and End of Life Telephones (UNEP/CHW.8/2/Add.3, UNEP/CHW.9/11).

The Secretariat is requested to continue to collect comments on chapter 4. Parties are encouraged to test chapter 4 of the Guidance document and its application to transboundary movements of used and end of life mobile phones.

• Comments received from Parties and others on decision OEWG VI/21 on the guidance document on the environmentally sound management of used and end of life mobile phones, based on their experiences and needs, in particular comments on chapter 4 of the document, which concerns the transboundary movement of used and end-of-life mobile phones.
• Comments received from Parties and others on the chairman's paper on issues raised during the discussion of the guideline on transboundary movement of used and end-of-life mobile phones.