Overview and Mandate

The Open-ended Working Group (OEWG), one of the subsidiary bodies of the Basel Convention, was given the following mandate by decision VI/36 (Institutional arrangements), adopted by the sixth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the Basel Convention:

1. To assist the Conference of the Parties in developing and keeping under continuous review the implementation of the Convention’s work plan, specific operational policies and decisions taken by the Conference of the Parties for the implementation of the Convention, as specified in article 15;
2. To consider and advise the Conference of the Parties on issues relating to policy, technical, scientific, legal, institutional, administration, finance, budgetary and other aspects of the implementation of the Convention within the approved budget, including identification of the specific needs of different regions and subregions for training and technology transfer and to consider ways and means of ensuring the establishment and functioning of the Basel Convention Regional Centres for Training and Technology Transfer;
3. To prepare its work plan for consideration by the Conference of the Parties;
4. To report to the Conference of the Parties on the activities it has carried out between meetings of the Conference of the Parties.