Thirteenth meeting of the Open-ended Working Group of the Basel Convention (OEWG-13)

Note by the Secretariat

I. Introduction

1. At its fifteenth meeting, the Conference of the Parties to the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal agreed to hold the thirteenth meeting of the Open-ended Working Group in Geneva, as an in-person meeting and with the same conditions for online participation as agreed by the Bureau of the Conference of the Parties for the 2022 face-to-face segment of its fifteenth meeting , for a duration of three days in the week commencing 20 February 2023.

Note by the Secretariat

A tentative schedule for the face-to-face segment of the thirteenth meeting of the Open-ended Working Group of the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal is set out in the annex to the present note. It was agreed by the Bureau of the Open-ended Working Group via electronic means on 12 November 2022 and will be adjusted as work progresses. The present note, including its annex, has not been formally edited.

Note by the Secretariat

As is mentioned in the note by the Secretariat on the strategic framework (UNEP/CHW/OEWG.13/2), the annex to the present note sets out the findings and recommendations to improve, as appropriate, the strategic framework for the implementation of the Basel Convention for 2012–2021, prepared by the small intersessional working group on the strategic framework. The present note, including its annex, has not been formally edited.

Note by the Secretariat

The annex to the present note sets out the findings and recommendations to improve, as appropriate, the strategic framework for the implementation of the Basel Convention for 2012–2021, prepared by the small intersessional working group on the strategic framework as revised during the thirteenth meeting of the Open-ended Working Group of the Basel Convention. The present note, including its annex, has not been formally edited.

As is mentioned in the note by the Secretariat on work to improve the functioning of the prior informed consent procedure (UNEP/CHW/OEWG.13/3), the annex to the present note sets out a compilation and synthesis of information received from Parties and observers on challenges in the implementation of the prior informed consent procedure and on best practices, possible approaches, initiatives and views to improve the functioning of the procedure. The present note, including its annex, has not been formally edited.

Note by the Secretariat

As is mentioned in the note by the Secretariat on technical guidelines (UNEP/CHW/OEWG.13/4), the annex to the present note sets out the draft updated general technical guidelines on the environmentally sound management of wastes consisting of, containing or contaminated with persistent organic pollutants (draft updated version of 1 December 2022). The present note, including its annex, has not been formally edited.

Note by the Secretariat

The annex to the present note sets out the draft updated general technical guidelines on the environmentally sound management of wastes consisting of, containing or contaminated with persistent organic pollutants, as revised during the thirteenth meeting of the Open-ended Working Group of the Basel Convention. The present note, including its annex, has not been formally edited.

Note by the Secretariat

As is mentioned in the note by the Secretariat on technical guidelines (UNEP/CHW/OEWG.13/4), the annex to the present note sets out the draft updated technical guidelines on the environmentally sound management of wastes consisting of, containing or contaminated with perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), its salts and perfluorooctane sulfonyl fluoride (PFOSF), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), its salts and PFOA-related compounds, and perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), its salts and PFHxS related compounds (draft updated version of 1 December 2022). The present note, including its annex, has not been formally edited.

Note by the Secretariat

The annex to the present note sets out the draft updated technical guidelines on the environmentally sound management of wastes consisting of, containing or contaminated with perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), its salts and perfluorooctane sulfonyl fluoride (PFOSF), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), its salts and PFOA-related compounds, and perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), its salts and PFHxS related compounds, as revised during the thirteenth meeting of the Open-ended Working Group of the Basel Convention. The present note, including its annex, has not been formally edited.

Note by the Secretariat

As is mentioned in the note by the Secretariat on technical guidelines (UNEP/CHW/OEWG.13/4), the annex to the present note sets out the draft updated guidelines on the environmentally sound management of plastic wastes (draft updated version of 10 February 2023). This version of the technical guidelines represents the results of negotiations of the face-to-face meeting of the small intersessional working group on the technical guidelines on the environmentally sound management of plastic wastes, which took place from 8 to 10 December 2022 in Geneva and further work taken up by smaller drafting groups during the month of January 2023. The document was prepared by the Governments of China, Japan and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland as co-lead countries, in consultation with the small intersessional working group on plastic wastes. The present note, including its annex, has not been formally edited.

Note by the Secretariat

The annex to the present note sets out the draft updated guidelines on the environmentally sound management of plastic wastes, as revised during the thirteenth meeting of the Open-ended Working Group of the Basel Convention. The present note, including its annex, has not been formally edited.

Note by the Secretariat

As is mentioned in the note by the Secretariat on technical guidelines (UNEP/CHW/OEWG.13/4), the annex to the present note sets out the draft updated guidelines on the environmentally sound management of waste lead-acid batteries (draft updated version of 31 January 2023). The present note, including its annex, has not been formally edited.

Note by the Secretariat

As is mentioned in the note by the Secretariat on technical guidelines (UNEP/CHW/OEWG.13/4), the annex to the present note sets out a synthesis of comments on the scope of work for updating the technical guidelines on the environmentally sound management of used and waste pneumatic tyres received from members of the small intersessional working group. The comments received were made available on the website of the Convention. The present note, including its annex, has not been formally edited.

Note by the Secretariat

As is mentioned in the note by the Secretariat on electronic approaches to the notification and movement documents (UNEP/CHW/OEWG.13/5), the annex to the present note sets out recommendations on the next steps regarding the work on electronic approaches to the notification and movement documents under the Basel Convention, which was prepared by the Secretariat. The present note, including its annex, has not been formally edited.

Note by the Secretariat

As is mentioned in the note by the Secretariat on further consideration of plastic waste (UNEP/CHW/OEWG.13/6), the annex to the present note sets out possible further activities that could be conducted under the Basel Convention, prepared taking into consideration the comments received from Parties and others in response to paragraph 10 of decision BC-15/15 and the work undertaken in follow-up to United Nations Environment Assembly resolution 5/14. The present note, including its annex, has not been formally edited.

Note by the Secretariat

As is mentioned in the note by the Secretariat on amendments to annexes II, VIII and IX on e-waste (UNEP/CHW/OEWG.13/7), the annexes to the present note sets out a draft assessment prepared by the Secretariat on the need to update existing guidance, technical guidelines and factsheets in order to reflect adjustments consequential to the adoption of the e-waste amendments. Annex I sets out the draft assessment. Annex II sets out draft recommendations for consideration by the Open-ended Working Group at its thirteenth meeting when preparing its recommendations on this matter for the consideration of the Conference of the Parties at its sixteenth meeting. The present note, including its annexes, has not been formally edited.

Note by the Secretariat

As is mentioned in the note by the Secretariat on providing further legal clarity (UNEP/CHW/OEWG.13/8), the proposals by the European Union to amend Annex IV and certain entries in Annexes II and IX to the Basel Convention, initially set out in document UNEP/CHW.15/13/Add.1, and the recommendations by the expert working group on the review of Annexes for possible amendment proposals to Annex IV and to entries A1180 and B1110 in Annexes VIII and IX to the Basel Convention, and findings of the expert working group on the consequential implications of the review of Annex IV to the Convention (status 13 January 2022), initially set out in annex I to document UNEP/CHW.15/INF/18, are set out, respectively, in annexes I and II of the present note. The present note, including its annexes, has not been formally edited.

Note by the Secretariat

As is mentioned in the note by the Secretariat on providing further legal clarity (UNEP/CHW/OEWG.13/8), the annexes to the present note set out information on progress made by the expert working group on the review of annexes with regards to review of Annexes I and III to the Basel Convention. Annex I to the present note sets out [Draft r] [R]ecommendations by the expert working group on the review of Annexes for possible amendment proposals to Annex I, including whether any additional constituents in relation to plastic waste should be added to Annex I, and findings of the expert working group on the consequential implications of the review of Annex I to the Convention (status as at 7 December 2022). Annex II to the present note sets out [Draft r] [R]ecommendations by the expert working group on the review of Annexes for possible amendment proposals to Annex III, including whether any additional characteristics in relation to plastic waste should be added to Annex III, and findings of the expert working group on the consequential implications of the review of Annex III to the Convention (status as at 7 December 2022). The present note, including its annexes, has not been formally edited.

Note by the Secretariat

As is mentioned in the note by the Secretariat on the Basel Convention Partnership Programme (UNEP/CHW/OEWG.13/9), the annexes to the present note sets out: in annex I, the draft table of contents for the guidance document on the environmentally sound refurbishment and repair of used and waste equipment of television screens, audio and video equipment and the environmentally sound management of waste of the same equipment; in annex II, the draft table of contents for the guidance document on the environmentally sound refurbishment and repair of refrigerators, cooling and heating equipment and the environmentally sound management of waste of the same equipment; and in annex III, the draft programme of work of the Partnership for Action on Challenges relating to E-waste (PACE II) for 2024–2025. The tables of contents for the two guidance documents were developed by PACE II project groups two and three, in cooperation with its working group. The programme of work was developed by the Partnership working group. The present note, including its annexes, has not been formally edited.

Note by the Secretariat

As is mentioned in the note by the Secretariat on Basel Convention Partnership Programme (UNEP/CHW/OEWG.13/9), annex I to the present note sets out the draft workplan of the working group of the Plastic Waste Partnership for the biennium 2024‒2025. The draft workplan is based on the four draft project group workplans developed by the working group, as set out in annex II to the present note. The present note including its annexes, has not been formally edited.

Note by the Secretariat

As is mentioned in the note by the Secretariat on cooperation with the World Customs Organization on the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System (UNEP/CHW/OEWG.13/10), annex I to the present note sets out the progress in the work of the World Customs Organization on the Harmonized System related to the Basel Convention and annex II sets out the proposal on amendments to the Harmonized System with respect to waste pneumatic tyres, which has been submitted to the World Customs Organization by the Secretariat. The present note, including its annexes, has not been formally edited.

Note by the Secretariat

1. In resolution 5/14 of 2 March 2022 entitled “End plastic pollution: towards an international legally binding instrument”, the United Nations Environment Assembly of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) requested the Executive Director of the UNEP to convene an intergovernmental negotiating committee to begin its work during the second half of 2022, with the ambition of completing that work by the end of 2024.