The Conference of the Parties to the Basel Convention has adopted guidance aimed at facilitating Parties’ implementation of the Convention’s provisions aimed at controlling transboundray movements of hazardous and other wastes.
Manual for the implementation of the Basel Convention
The Manual for the implementation of the Basel Convention aims at assisting Parties as well as non-Parties, the private sector, NGOs, and individuals to understand the obligations set up in the Convention. It explains the provisions of the Convention in simple language and gives examples of situations covered by the Convention (e.g. actions by the State of Export, Import and Transit, as well as by the Exporter, Importer, Carrier, Generator, Disposer, etc.) related to the environmentally sound management of hazardous wastes and their disposal. The Manual is complemented by a Checklist for the Legislator intended to assist Parties in their review of their national legal frameworks to ensure they adequately reflect the provisions of the Basel Convention.
An initial version of the manual was adopted by the Conference of the Parties at its third meeting in 1995, by decision III/8. The Conference of the Parties subsequently mandated the Basel Convention Implementation and Compliance Committee to review and update, including through consultations with the Open-ended Working Group, the manual for the implementation of the Basel Convention in a way to ensure consistency between the manual and the guide to the control system and, as far as possible, to avoid duplication between the two documents, for consideration and possible adoption by the Conference of the Parties at its twelfth meeting. This work was undertaken by the Committee in the context of its 2014-2015 work programme. The current version of the Manual for the implementation of the Basel Convention was adopted by Decision BC-12/7 of the twelfth meeting of the Conference of the Parties.
Guide to the control system
The Guide to the control system was developed with a view to providing a harmonised interpretation of the Convention and its control system, and facilitating the implementation of the control system. It is intended for use by Parties and other stakeholders involved in the transboundary movement of hazardous wastes and other wastes.
An initial version of the guide was adopted by the Conference of the Parties at its fourth meeting in 1998 by decision IV/14. The Conference of the Parties subsequently mandated the Basel Convention Implementation and Compliance Committee to update the guide to the control system for consideration and possible adoption by the Conference of the Parties at its twelfth meeting. This work was undertaken by the Committee in the context of its 2014-2015 work programme.The current version of the Guide to the control system was adopted by Decision BC-12/7 of the twelfth meeting of the Conference of the Parties.