Work programme of the Open-ended Working Group for 2014–2015

Topics Activities Mandate Priority
I. Strategic issues
A. Strategic framework Consider the baseline report submitted by the Secretariat BC-11/2 High
B. Cartagena Declaration on the Prevention, Minimization and Recovery of Hazardous Wastes and Other Wastes Prepare a road map for action and review the progress that parties have made in the implementation of the Cartagena Declaration Annex IV to the report of the tenth meeting of the Conference of the PartiesParagraph 109 of the report of the eighth meeting of the Open-ended Working Group High
C. Developing guidelines for environmentally sound management Consider the report on activities and work programme of the expert working group on the framework for the environmentally sound management of hazardous wastes and other wastes BC-11/1 High
D. Options for operations of the Open-ended Working Group Consider the document prepared by the Secretariat analysing possible options for future institutional arrangements including their financial implications and prepare a report including recommendations on possible options for future institutional arrangements, including draft terms of reference as appropriate, for submission to the twelfth meeting of the Conference of the Parties BC-11/19 High
II. Scientific and technical matters
A. Technical guidelines 1. (a) Update the general technical guidelines for the environmentally sound management of wastes consisting of, containing or contaminated with persistent organic pollutants and prepare or update specific technical guidelines with regard to the chemicals listed in Annexes A, B and C to the Stockholm Convention by decisions SC-4/10–SC-4/18, SC-5/3 and SC-6/13 of the Conference of the Parties to the Stockholm Convention, including the following:· 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 of the Stockholm Convention;· Determination of which disposal methods constitute environmentally sound disposal as referred to in paragraph 1 (d) (ii) of Article 6 of the Stockholm Convention;· Establishment, as appropriate, of the concentration levels of the chemicals in order to define for them low persistent organic pollutant content as referred to in paragraph 1(d) (ii) of Article 6 of the Stockholm Convention. 1. (b) Review waste-related aspects of the draft guidance document for the inventory of perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and related chemicals listed under the Stockholm Convention (2012), the draft guidance for the inventory of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) listed under the Stockholm Convention (2012), the draft guidance on best available techniques and best environmental practices for the use of PFOS and related chemicals listed under the Stockholm Convention (2012) and the draft guidance on the best available techniques and best environmental practices for the recycling and waste disposal of articles containing PBDEs, listed under the Stockholm Convention (2012) BC-11/3 High
2. Update the technical guidelines for the environmentally sound management of wastes consisting of elemental mercury and wastes containing or contaminated with mercury BC-11/5 High
3. Further develop the technical guidelines on transboundary movements of electronic and electrical waste and used electrical and electronic equipment, in particular regarding the distinction between waste and non-waste under the Basel Convention BC-11/4 High
B. National reporting Review and revise the draft reporting format submitted by the small intersessional working group on national reporting BC-11/7 High
C. Amendments to the annexes to the Basel Convention 1. Consider and review any applications for changes and any corrections to the list of wastes in Annexes VIII and IX to the Convention VIII/15 High
2. Consider the amendment of the entries in Annex VIII to the Basel Convention for polychlorinated dibenzo-furans and polychlorinated dibenzo-dioxins (entry A4110), DDT and other relevant persistent organic pollutants to include concentration levels for those chemicals, after the development of an appropriate framework for establishing de minimis concentrations BC-11/3 Medium
3. Consider the draft entry B3025 (composite packaging waste) BC-11/6 High
D. Classification and hazard characterization of wastes Provide guidance on the identification of wastes in the World Customs Organization Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System and related matters BC-10/10 Medium
III. Legal, governance and enforcement matters
A. Consultation with the Committee for Administering the Mechanism for Promoting Implementation and Compliance of the Convention Consult with the Committee on the following activities of the Committee’s 2014-2015 work programme:(a) Developing guidance on the development of inventories(b) Developing guidance on the take-back provision(c) Updating the guide to the control system(d) Reviewing and updating the manual for the implementation of the Basel Convention to ensure consistency between the manual and the guide to the control system and, as far as possible, to avoid duplication between the two documents BC-11/8 High
B. Providing further legal clarity (CLI) 1. Finalize the glossary of terms and related explanations and prepare a draft decision, including on paragraph 16 (c) and 17 of decision BC-11/1, for consideration and possible adoption by the Conference of the Parties at its twelfth meeting 2. Consider the report of the small intersessional working group on options for further steps towards the consistent interpretation of terminology, including possible voluntary and legally binding options BC-11/1 High
IV. International cooperation and coordination
A. Basel Convention Partnership Programme Consider the report of the Partnership for Action on Computing Equipment, including its recommendations, and based on these and the outcome of discussions to submit recommendations to the Conference of the Parties at its twelfth meeting for its consideration and possible adoption BC-11/15 High
B. Environmentally sound dismantling of ships Consider the report of the Secretariat on the programmes for sustainable ship recycling and on developments in relation to the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships BC-11/16 Medium
C. Other international cooperation and coordination Provide guidance, as appropriate, to the Secretariat on means of enhancing cooperation and coordination with international and regional organizations and multilateral environmental agreements in areas of relevance to the Convention BC-10/15 Medium
V. Programme of work and budget
A. Financing and budget for the biennium 2014-2015 Consider the reports by the Secretariat on all sources of income received, including the reserve and fund balances and interest, together with actual, provisional and projected expenditures and commitments, and by the Executive Secretary on all expenditures against the agreed budget lines BC-11/26 Medium