Work programme of the Open-ended Working Group for the biennium 2026-2027

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Topics

Activities

Mandate

Priority

  I.      Strategic issues

Work to improve the functioning of the prior informed consent procedure

Consider the report on further options for improving the functioning of the prior informed consent procedure prepared pursuant to paragraph 32 of decision BC‑17/2.

Decision BC-17/2

High

II.      Scientific and technical matters

A.   Technical guidelines

1.     Consider comments and information relating to the review of provisional low persistent organic pollutant content values in the general technical guidelines referred to in decision BC‑17/3 and other technical guidelines, as appropriate.

Decision BC-17/3

High

2.     Consider the updated general technical guidelines for the environmentally sound management of wastes consisting of, containing or contaminated with persistent organic pollutants and the updated specific technical guidelines with regard to the chemicals listed in Annex A, B and/or C to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants pursuant to decisions SC-12/9, SC-12/10 and SC-12/12 of the Conference of the Parties to the Stockholm Convention, including the following:

(a)   Establishment of levels of destruction and irreversible transformation for the chemicals necessary to ensure that, when disposed of, they do not exhibit the characteristics of persistent organic pollutants specified in paragraph 1 of Annex D to the Stockholm Convention;

(b)   Determination of which disposal methods constitute environmentally sound disposal as referred to in Article 6, paragraph 1 (d) (ii) of the Stockholm Convention;

(c)   Establishment, as appropriate, of the concentration levels of the chemicals in order to define for them the low persistent organic pollutant content as referred to in Article 6, paragraph 1 (d) (ii) of the Stockholm Convention.

Decision BC-17/3

High

3.     Consider the updates to the technical guidelines pursuant to paragraphs 2 and 4 of decision BC-17/12 in order to reflect adjustments consequential to the adoption of the e-waste amendments.

Decision BC-17/12

Medium

4.     Consider the updates to the technical guidelines pursuant to paragraph 6 of decision BC-17/11 in order to reflect adjustments consequential to the adoption of the plastic waste amendments.

Decision BC-17/11

Medium

5.     Consider the report on progress in the implementation of decision BC‑17/4 on technical guidelines on transboundary movements of electrical and electronic waste and used electrical and electronic equipment, in particular regarding the distinction between waste and non‑waste under the Basel Convention.

Decision BC-17/4

Medium

6.     Consider the draft updated technical guidelines on the environmentally sound management of waste lead‑acid batteries and on other waste batteries.

Decision BC-17/5

High

7.     Consider the draft updated technical guidelines on the environmentally sound management of used and waste pneumatic tyres.

Decision BC-17/6

High

 

8.     Consider the draft updated technical guidelines on the environmentally sound management of wastes consisting of, containing or contaminated with mercury or mercury compounds in order to reflect adjustments consequential to the adoption of the threshold on mercury waste, pursuant to decision MC-5/10 of the Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention on Mercury, and the adoption of the e-waste amendments, pursuant to decision BC-15/18.

Decision BC-17/7

Medium

B.    National reporting

1.     Consider the draft practical guidance on the development of inventories of biomedical and healthcare wastes.

2.     Consider further revisions to table 9 of the reporting format and to the manual for completing the format for national reporting.

Decision BC-17/9

Medium

C.    Electronic approaches to the notification and movement documents

Consider the progress made by the small intersessional working group on electronic approaches to the notification and movement documents.

Decision BC-17/10

Medium

D.    Further consideration of plastic waste

1.     Consider the compilation of comments received in accordance with paragraph 2 of decision BC‑17/11.

2.     Consider possible further activities that could be conducted under the Basel Convention.

Decision BC-17/11

Medium

E.    Waste containing nanomaterials

Consider information on activities aimed at addressing issues related to waste containing nanomaterials.

Decision BC-17/13

Low

F.     Follow-up to the amendments to Annexes II, VIII and IX on e-waste

Consider the guidance document on the identification of electrical and electronic waste under the new entries adopted by decision BC-15/18, as well as on the distinction between waste that is to be classified as electrical and electronic waste (Y49 or A1181) and waste that is related to such electrical and electronic waste, but can be classified under another entry in Annex II, VIII or IX.

Decision BC-17/12

High

G.    Used textiles and textile wastes

Consider relevant options available under the Convention to address challenges linked to the transboundary movement of textile wastes (including the distinction between used textiles and textile wastes), taking into account, inter alia, the report prepared by the Secretariat pursuant to paragraph 2 of decision BC-17/21 and relevant existing guidance documents and activities under the Basel Convention, and develop a proposal for possible options, within the scope of the Convention, for consideration by the Conference of the Parties at its eighteenth meeting.

Decision BC-17/21

Medium

H.     Amendments to the annexes to the Basel Convention

Consider and review any applications for changes and any corrections to the list of wastes contained in Annexes VIII and IX to the Basel Convention.

Decision VIII/15

High

III.      Legal, governance and enforcement matters

Providing further legal clarity

1.     Consider progress made by the expert working group on the review of annexes in reviewing Annexes I and III to the Basel Convention.

Decision BC-17/16

High

2.     Consider the draft revisions prepared pursuant to paragraph 4 (a) of decision BC-17/16.

Decision BC-17/16

Medium

3.     Consider the consequential implications of the amendments to Annex IV to the Basel Convention identified for other documents such as technical guidelines and, if appropriate, the glossary of terms.

Decision BC-17/16

Medium

 

4.     Consider the need to develop explanations, technical guidelines or guidance in relation to the disposal operations in Annex IV.

Decision BC-17/16

Medium

IV.      International cooperation and coordination

A.    Basel Convention Partnership Programme

1.      Consider progress made in and provide guidance on the implementation of the programme of work of the working group of the Partnership for Action on Challenges relating to E-waste for the biennium 2026-2027.

Decision BC-17/19

Medium

2.      Consider progress made in and provide guidance on the implementation of the workplan of the working group of the Household Waste Partnership for the biennium 2026-2027.

Decision BC-17/19

Medium

3.      Consider progress made in and provide guidance on the implementation of the workplan of the working group of the Basel Convention Partnership on Plastic Waste for the biennium 2026-2027.

Decision BC-17/19

Medium

B.    Cooperation with the World Customs Organization on the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System

Consider progress made with regard to the inclusion of Basel Convention wastes in the World Customs Organization Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System, including the types of wastes covered by the Basel Convention which should be proposed for inclusion in the Harmonized System.

Decision BC-17/8

Medium

C.    Cooperation with the International Maritime Organization

1.     Consider the provisional guidance on the implementation of the Hong Kong and Basel conventions with respect to the transboundary movement of ships intended for recycling reflecting the comments received from Parties and observers thereon and any other additional comments from the perspective of the Basel Convention on the implementation of the Hong Kong and Basel Conventions.

2.     Prepare a draft decision with recommendations for consideration by the Conference of the Parties at its eighteenth meeting.

Decision BC-17/23

High