Proposed amendments

Amendment of the Basel Convention (Article 17)

There is currently one proposal under consideration for amending paragraph 2 of Article 6 of the Convention by the Russian Federation.

So far, one amendment to the Basel Convention has been adopted by the third meeting of the Conference of the Parties. The Ban Amendment was adopted by decision III/1, which includes amendments to the preamble, the introduction of a new Article 4A, and the addition of a new Annex VII – more information is available here.

Adoption of new annexes to the Basel Convention (Article 18)

There is currently no proposal under consideration for adding new annexes to the Convention.

Amendment to the annexes to the Basel Convention (Article 18)

Current Amendment proposal

There is currently one proposal to amend Annex IV to the Basel Convention.

Past amendment proposal on e-waste

At its fifteenth meeting, by decision BC-15/18, the Conference of the Parties adopted a proposal by Ghana and Switzerland and other Parties to amend Annexes II, VIII and IX to the Basel Convention in relation to e-waste. For more information on the E-waste amendments, see here.

Comments received from Parties and observers prior to the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties on the proposal by Ghana and Switzerland to amend Annexes II, VIII and IX to the Basel Convention in relation to e-waste

  • Parties
  • Observers

Past amendment proposal on plastic waste

At its fourteenth meeting, by decision BC-14/12 the Conference of the Parties adopted the Plastic Waste Amendments based on an amendment proposal put forward by Norway.

On 12 October 2018, the Secretariat received from Norway proposals to amend Annexes II, VIII and IX to the Basel Convention, followed by a corrigendum on 19 November 2018. The proposals are set out in annex I to document UNEP/CHW.14/27, while Annex II to the same document shows in tracked changes the proposed amendments to the current texts of Annexes II, VIII and IX. An explanatory note, in the six languages of the United Nations, from Norway is set out in document UNEP/CHW.14/INF/18.

Pursuant to paragraph 2 of Article 17 and paragraphs 2 (a) and 3 of Article 18 of the Convention, on 26 October 2018, more than six months before the fourteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties, the Secretariat communicated the proposals to amend Annexes II, VIII and IX to the Convention to the Parties and signatories to the Convention. A corrigendum to the proposal was subsequently communicated on 6 December 2018. The proposals were also communicated to the depositary for information. The table below sets out comments received from Parties and observers on the proposals. A compilation of comments received from Parties relating to the proposed amendments is set out in document UNEP/CHW.14/INF/17.

For more information on the work under the Convention on marine plastic litter and microplastics, please see here.

Comments received from Parties and observers prior to the fourteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties on the proposals to amend Annexes II, VIII and IX to the Convention.

  • Parties
  • Observers