What is Annex IV?
Annex IV lists the disposal operations under the Convention. Pursuant to Article 2 of the Convention, for the purpose of the Convention “wastes” are substances or objects which are disposed of or are intended to be disposed of or are required to be disposed of by the provisions of national law. Annex IV is therefore key to defining what are “wastes” under the Convention.
When was the Amendment to Annex IV adopted?
The Amendment to Annex IV was adopted by the seventeenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (Geneva, 28 April-9 May 2025) by decision BC-17/15.
What is the date of entry into force of the Amendment to Annex IV?
The date of entry into force of the Amendment to Annex IV is 1 January 2030, pursuant to subparagraphs (b) and (c) of paragraph 2 of Article 18 of the Convention.
Does the Amendment to Annex IV bind all Parties to the Basel Convention?
The Amendment to Annex IV will bind all Parties, except those that transmit to the Depositary of the Convention by 1 January 2030 a notification of non-acceptance. The Amendment will be circulated by the Depositary on 1 July 2029, at what time Parties may transmit to the Depositary such a notification of non-acceptance.
What are the changes to Annex IV?
The new Annex IV entirely replaces Annex IV, although some disposal operations remain the same.
The Amended Annex IV is intended to:
- Improve/update the description of disposal operations in Annex IV;
- Improve environmental controls by including in Annex IV additional disposal operations that occur in practice or could occur in practice; or
- Clarify the descriptions in Annex IV to address conflicts and overlaps;
The amended Annex IV:
- Adds a general introduction for Annex IV;
- Maintains the two sections of Annex IV (sections A and B), with captions and introductions for each section;
- Includes a new operation R14.
An illustration of the changes brought to Annex IV to the Convention is available here for information purposes.
What activities are undertaken in follow to the adoption of the Amendment to Annex IV?
In its decision BC-17/16, the Conference of the Parties noted that the amendment to Annex IV has consequential implications for the notification and movement documents and the instructions for completing them, as well as for the national reporting format and the manual for completing it; and may have consequential implications for other documents such as technical guidelines and, if appropriate, the glossary of terms.
In the same decision, the Conference of the Parties agreed on some work to be undertaken in follow up to the adoption of the amendment, namely:
- A request to the Secretariat, subject to the availability of resources, to prepare draft revisions to the notification and movement documents and the instructions for completing them as well as draft revisions to the national reporting format and the manual for completing it consequential to the adoption of the amendments to Annex IV, set out in decision BC 17/15, for consideration by the Open-ended Working Group at its fifteenth meeting and for consideration and possible adoption by the Conference of the Parties at its eighteenth meeting;
- A request to the Secretariat to identify, for consideration by the Open-ended Working Group at its fifteenth meeting and the Conference of the Parties at its eighteenth meeting, consequential implications of the amendment to Annex IV for other documents such as technical guidelines and, if appropriate, the glossary of terms;
- An invitation to Parties to submit to the Secretariat by 30 September 2025 comments on any need to develop explanations, technical guidelines or guidance in relation to the disposal operations in Annex IV for consideration by the Open-ended Working Group at its fifteenth meeting and the Conference of the Parties at its eighteenth meeting;
- An invitation to Parties and observers to submit to the Secretariat, by 1 January 2028, their views on whether or not there is the need for, as well as potential suggestions for, including in Annex IV new operations addressed in the revised amendment proposals on Annex IV developed by the expert working group on the review of annexes and discussed but not agreed on at the present meeting of the Conference of the Parties, for consideration by the Open-ended Working Group at its sixteenth meeting and the Conference of the Parties at its nineteenth meeting, with particular consideration given to operations R14, R15, D16 and D17 as referred to in that document, as well as alternative wording for those operations.
The call for information to Parties in follow up the seventeenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties is available here.