Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants - Declaration
Date: 2001-05-22
Institutions: Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Czechia, Côte d’Ivoire, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, European Community, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, North Macedonia, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Sweden, Syria, São Tomé and Príncipe, Tajikistan, Thailand, The Gambia, Togo, Tonga, Tunisia, Türkiye, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Subjects: chemical product, environmental protection, international convention, multilateral agreement, organic pollution, pollution control measures, public health, toxic substance

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STOCKHOLM CONVENTION ON PERSISTENT ORGANIC POLLUTANTS

THE PARTIES TO THIS CONVENTION,

RECOGNISING that persistent organic pollutants possess toxic properties, resist degradation, bioaccumulate and are
transported, through air, water and migratory species, across international boundaries and deposited far from their place of
release, where they accumulate in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems,

AWARE of the health concerns, especially in developing countries, resulting from local exposure to persistent organic
pollutants, in particular impacts upon women and, through them, upon future generations,

ACKNOWLEDGING that the Arctic ecosystems and indigenous communities are particularly at risk because of the
biomagnification of persistent organic pollutants and that contamination of their traditional foods is a public health issue,

CONSCIOUS of the need for global action on persistent organic pollutants,

MINDFUL of Decision 19/13 C of 7 February 1997 of the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment
Programme to initiate international action to protect human health and the environment through measures which will
reduce and/or eliminate emissions and discharges of persistent organic pollutants,

RECALLING the pertinent provisions of the relevant international environmental conventions, especially the Rotterdam
Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International
Trade, and the Basel Convention on the Control of Trans-boundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal
including the regional agreements developed within the framework of its Article 11,

RECALLING also the pertinent provisions of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development and Agenda 21,

ACKNOWLEDGING that precaution underlies the concerns of all the Parties and is embedded within this Convention,

RECOGNISING that this Convention and other international agreements in the field of trade and the environment are
mutually supportive,

REAFFIRMING that States have, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and the principles of international
law, the sovereign right to exploit their own resources pursuant to their own environmental and developmental policies, and
the responsibility to ensure that activities within their jurisdiction or control do not cause damage to the environment of
other States or of areas beyond the limits of national jurisdiction,

TAKING INTO ACCOUNT the circumstances and particular requirements of developing countries, in particular the least
developed among them, and countries with economies in transition, especially the need to strengthen their national
capabilities for the management of chemicals, including through the transfer of technology, the provision of financial and
technical assistance and the promotion of cooperation among the Parties,

TAKING FULL ACCOUNT OF the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States,
adopted in Barbados on 6 May 1994,

NOTING the respective capabilities of developed and developing countries, as well as the common but differentiated
responsibilities of States as set forth in Principle 7 of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development,

RECOGNISING the important contribution that the private sector and non‑governmental organisations can make to
achieving the reduction and/or elimination of emissions and discharges of persistent organic pollutants,

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UNDERLINING the importance of manufacturers of persistent organic pollutants taking responsibility for reducing adverse
effects caused by their products and for providing information to users, Governments and the public on the hazardous
properties of those chemicals,

CONSCIOUS OF the need to take measures to prevent adverse effects caused by persistent organic pollutants at all stages of
their life cycle,

REAFFIRMING Principle 16 of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development which states that national authorities
should endeavour to promote the internalisation of environmental costs and the use of economic instruments, taking into
account the approach that the polluter should, in principle, bear the cost of pollution, with due regard to the public interest
and without distorting international trade and investment,

ENCOURAGING Parties not having regulatory and assessment schemes for pesticides and industrial chemicals to develop
such schemes,

RECOGNISING the importance of developing and using environmentally sound alternative processes and chemicals,

DETERMINED to protect human health and the environment from the harmful impacts of persistent organic pollutants,

HAVE AGREED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

Objective

Mindful of the precautionary approach as set forth in Principle
15 of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, the
objective of this Convention is to protect human health and the
environment from persistent organic pollutants.

Article 2

Definitions

For the purposes of this Convention:

Article 3

Measures to reduce or eliminate releases from intentional
production and use

1.

Each Party shall:

(a)

prohibit and/or take the legal and administrative measures
necessary to eliminate:

(i)

its production and use of
the chemicals listed in
Annex A subject to the provisions of that Annex; and

(ii)

its import and export of
the chemicals listed in
Annex A in accordance with the provisions of
paragraph 2; and

(a)

‘Party’ means a State or regional economic integration
organisation that has consented to be bound by this
Convention and for which the Convention is in force;

(b)

restrict its production and use of the chemicals listed in
Annex B in accordance with the provisions of that Annex.

2.

Each Party shall take measures to ensure:

(b)

‘Regional economic integration organisation’ means an
organisation constituted by sovereign States of a given
region to which its Member States have transferred
competence in respect of matters governed by this
Convention and which has been duly authorised,
in
accordance with its internal procedures, to sign, ratify,
accept, approve or accede to this Convention;

(a)

that a chemical listed in Annex A or Annex B is imported
only:

(i)

for the purpose of environmentally sound disposal as
set forth in paragraph 1(d) of Article 6; or

(c)

‘Parties present and voting’ means Parties present and
casting an affirmative or negative vote.

(ii)

for a use or purpose which is permitted for that Party
under Annex A or Annex B;

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(b)

that a chemical listed in Annex A for which any production
or use specific exemption is in effect or a chemical listed in
Annex B for which any production or use specific
exemption or acceptable purpose is in effect, taking into
account any relevant provisions in existing international
prior informed consent instruments, is exported only:

(i)

for the purpose of environmentally sound disposal as
set forth in paragraph 1(d) of Article 6;

taking into consideration the criteria in paragraph 1 of Annex D,
exhibit the characteristics of persistent organic pollutants.

Each Party that has one or more regulatory and assessment
4.
schemes for pesticides or industrial chemicals shall, where
appropriate, take into consideration within these schemes the
criteria in paragraph 1 of Annex D when conducting assessments
of pesticides or industrial chemicals currently in use.

(ii)

to a Party which is permitted to use that chemical
under Annex A or Annex B; or

5.
Except as otherwise provided in this Convention, para-
graphs 1 and 2 shall not apply to quantities of a chemical to be
used for laboratory-scale research or as a reference standard.

(iii)

to a State not Party to this Convention which has
provided an annual certification to the exporting
Party. Such certification shall specify the intended use
of the chemical and include a statement that, with
respect
the importing State is
committed to:

to that chemical,

(a)

protect human health and the environment by
taking the necessary measures to minimise or
prevent releases;

6. Any Party that has a specific exemption in accordance with
Annex A or a specific exemption or an acceptable purpose in
accordance with Annex B shall take appropriate measures to
ensure that any production or use under such exemption or
purpose is carried out in a manner that prevents or minimises
human exposure and release into the environment. For exempted
uses or acceptable purposes that involve intentional release into
the environment under conditions of normal use, such release
shall be to the minimum extent necessary, taking into account
any applicable standards and guidelines.

(b)

comply with the provisions of paragraph 1 of
Article 6; and

Article 4

(c)

comply, where appropriate, with the provisions
of paragraph 2 of Part II of Annex B.

The certification shall also include any appropriate
supporting documentation, such as legislation, reg-
ulatory instruments, or administrative or policy
guidelines. The exporting Party shall
the
certification to the Secretariat within 60 days of
receipt;

transmit

that a chemical listed in Annex A, for which production
and use specific exemptions are no longer in effect for any
Party, is not exported from it except for the purpose of
environmentally sound disposal as set forth in paragraph 1
(d) of Article 6;

for the purposes of this paragraph, the term ‘State not Party
to this Convention’
to a
particular chemical, a State or regional economic integra-
tion organisation that has not agreed to be bound by the
Convention with respect to that chemical.

include, with respect

shall

(c)

(d)

Register of specific exemptions

1. A Register
the purpose of
is hereby established for
identifying the Parties that have specific exemptions listed in
Annex A or Annex B. It shall not identify Parties that make use of
the provisions in Annex A or Annex B that may be exercised by
all Parties. The Register shall be maintained by the Secretariat and
shall be available to the public.

2. The Register shall include:

(a)

a list of the types of specific exemptions reproduced from
Annex A and Annex B;

(b)

a list of the Parties that have a specific exemption listed
under Annex A or Annex B; and

(c)

a list of
exemption.

the expiry dates for each registered specific

3.
Each Party that has one or more regulatory and assessment
schemes for new pesticides or new industrial chemicals shall take
measures to regulate with the aim of preventing the production
and use of new pesticides or new industrial chemicals which,

3. Any State may, on becoming a Party, by means of a
notification in writing to the Secretariat, register for one or more
types of specific exemptions listed in Annex A or Annex B.

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4. Unless an earlier date is indicated in the Register by a Party,
or an extension is granted pursuant
to paragraph 7, all
registrations of specific exemptions shall expire five years after
the date of entry into force of this Convention with respect to a
particular chemical.

5. At its first meeting, the Conference of the Parties shall decide
upon its review process for the entries in the Register.

6.
Prior to a review of an entry in the Register, the Party
concerned shall submit a report to the Secretariat justifying its
continuing need for registration of that exemption. The report
shall be circulated by the Secretariat to all Parties. The review of a
registration shall be carried out on the basis of all available
information. Thereupon, the Conference of the Parties may make
such recommendations to the Party concerned as it deems
appropriate.

7. The Conference of the Parties may, upon request from the
Party concerned, decide to extend the expiry date of a specific
exemption for a period of up to five years. In making its decision,
the Conference of the Parties shall take due account of the special
circumstances of the developing country Parties and Parties with
economies in transition.

8. A Party may, at any time, withdraw an entry from the
Register for a specific exemption upon written notification to the
Secretariat. The withdrawal shall take effect on the date specified
in the notification.

9. When there are no longer any Parties registered for a
particular type of specific exemption, no new registrations may
be made with respect to it.

implementation of subparagraphs (b) to (e). The action plan
shall include the following elements:

(i)

an evaluation of current and projected releases,
including the development and maintenance of source
inventories and release estimates, taking into con-
sideration the source categories identified in Annex C;

(ii)

an evaluation of the efficacy of the laws and policies
of
the Party relating to the management of such
releases;

(iii)

strategies to meet the obligations of this paragraph,
taking into account the evaluations in (i) and (ii);

(iv)

steps to promote education and training with regard
to, and awareness of, those strategies;

(v)

a review every five years of those strategies and of
their success in meeting the obligations of
this
paragraph; such reviews shall be included in reports
submitted pursuant to Article 15;

(vi)

a schedule for implementation of the action plan,
including for the strategies and measures identified
therein;

(b)

promote the application of available, feasible and practical
measures that can expeditiously achieve a realistic and
meaningful level of release reduction or source elimination;

Article 5

Measures to reduce or eliminate releases from unintentional
production

Each Party shall at a minimum take the following measures to
reduce the total releases derived from anthropogenic sources of
each of the chemicals listed in Annex C, with the goal of their
continuing minimisation and, where feasible, ultimate elimina-
tion:

(c)

(d)

(a)

develop an action plan or, where appropriate, a regional or
subregional action plan within two years of the date of
entry into force of this Convention for it, and subsequently
implement it as part of its implementation plan specified in
Article 7, designed to identify, characterise and address the
release of the chemicals listed in Annex C and to facilitate

promote the development and, where it deems appropriate,
require the use of substitute or modified materials, products
and processes to prevent the formation and release of the
chemicals listed in Annex C, taking into consideration the
general guidance on prevention and release reduction
measures in Annex C and guidelines to be adopted by
decision of the Conference of the Parties;

promote and,
in accordance with the implementation
schedule of its action plan, require the use of best available
techniques for new sources within source categories which
a Party has identified as warranting such action in its action
plan, with a particular initial focus on source categories
identified in Part II of Annex C. In any case, the requirement
to use best available techniques for new sources in the
categories listed in Part II of that Annex shall be phased in
as soon as practicable but no later than four years after the
entry into force of the Convention for that Party. For the

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identified categories, Parties shall promote the use of best
environmental practices. When applying best available
techniques and best environmental practices, Parties should
take into consideration the general guidance on prevention
and release reduction measures in that Annex and guide-
lines on best available techniques and best environmental
practices to be adopted by decision of the Conference of the
Parties;

(v)

‘best environmental practices’ means the application
of
the most appropriate combination of environ-
mental control measures and strategies;

(vi)

‘new source’ means any source of which the
construction or
substantial modification is com-
menced at least one year after the date of:

(e)

promote, in accordance with its action plan, the use of best
available techniques and best environmental practices:

(a)

entry into force of this Convention for the Party
concerned; or

(i)

for existing sources, within the source categories listed
in Part II of Annex C and within source categories
such as those in Part III of that Annex; and

(b)

entry into force for the Party concerned of an
to Annex C where the source
amendment
becomes
this
to the provisions of
Convention only by virtue of that amendment;

subject

(ii)

for new sources, within source categories such as
those listed in Part III of Annex C which a Party has
not addressed under subparagraph (d).

(g)

release limit values or performance standards may be used
by a Party to fulfill
its commitments for best available
techniques under this paragraph.

When applying best available techniques and best environmental
practices, Parties should take into consideration the general
guidance on prevention and release reduction measures in
Annex C and guidelines on best available techniques and best
environmental practices to be adopted by decision of
the
Conference of the Parties;

(f)

for the purposes of this paragraph and Annex C:

(i)

suitability of particular

‘best available techniques’ means the most effective
and advanced stage in the development of activities
and their methods of operation which indicate the
for
practical
providing in principle the basis for release limitations
designed to prevent and, where that is not practicable,
generally to reduce releases of chemicals listed in Part I
of Annex C and their impact on the environment as a
whole. In this regard:

techniques

(ii)

‘techniques’ includes both the technology used and the
way in which the installation is designed, built,
maintained, operated and decommissioned;

(iii)

‘available’ techniques means those techniques that are
accessible to the operator and that are developed on a
scale that allows implementation in the relevant
industrial sector, under economically and technically
viable conditions, taking into consideration the costs
and advantages; and

(iv)

‘best’ means most effective in achieving a high general
level of protection of the environment as a whole;

Article 6

Measures to reduce or eliminate releases from stockpiles
and wastes

In order to ensure that stockpiles consisting of or containing
1.
chemicals listed either in Annex A or Annex B and wastes,
including products and articles upon becoming wastes, consist-
ing of, containing or contaminated with a chemical
listed in
Annex A, B or C, are managed in a manner protective of human
health and the environment, each Party shall:

(a)

develop appropriate strategies for identifying:

(i)

stockpiles consisting of or containing chemicals listed
either in Annex A or Annex B; and

(ii)

products and articles in use and wastes consisting of,
containing or contaminated with a chemical listed in
Annex A, B or C;

(b)

identify, to the extent practicable, stockpiles consisting of or
containing chemicals listed either in Annex A or Annex B
on the basis of the strategies referred to in subparagraph (a);

(c) manage stockpiles, as appropriate, in a safe, efficient and
environmentally sound manner. Stockpiles of chemicals
listed either in Annex A or Annex B, after they are no
longer allowed to be used according to any specific
exemption specified in Annex A or any specific exemption
or acceptable purpose specified in Annex B, except
stockpiles which are allowed to be exported according to
paragraph 2 of Article 3, shall be deemed to be waste and
shall be managed in accordance with subparagraph (d);

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(d)

take appropriate measures so that such wastes, including
products and articles upon becoming wastes, are:

Article 7

Implementation plans

(i)

(ii)

handled, collected,
environmentally sound manner;

transported and stored in an

1.

Each Party shall:

disposed of in such a way that the persistent organic
pollutant content is destroyed or irreversibly trans-
formed so that they do not exhibit the characteristics
of persistent organic pollutants or otherwise disposed
of
in an environmentally sound manner when
destruction or irreversible transformation does not
represent the environmentally preferable option or the
persistent organic pollutant content is low, taking into
account international rules, standards, and guidelines,
including those that may be developed pursuant to
paragraph 2, and relevant global and regional regimes
governing the management of hazardous wastes;

(a)

(b)

(c)

develop and endeavour
implementation of its obligations under this Convention;

to implement a plan for

the

transmit its implementation plan to the Conference of the
Parties within two years of
the date on which this
Convention enters into force for it; and

review and update, as appropriate, its implementation plan
on a periodic basis and in a manner to be specified by a
decision of the Conference of the Parties.

(iii) not permitted to be subjected to disposal operations
that may lead to recovery, recycling, reclamation,
direct reuse or alternative uses of persistent organic
pollutants; and

(iv) not transported across international boundaries with-
out taking into account relevant international rules,
standards and guidelines;

(e)

endeavour to develop appropriate strategies for identifying
sites contaminated by chemicals listed in Annex A, B or C;
if remediation of
those sites is undertaken it shall be
performed in an environmentally sound manner.

2. The Conference of the Parties shall cooperate closely with
the appropriate bodies of the Basel Convention on the Control of
Trans-boundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their
Disposal to, inter alia:

(a)

establish levels of destruction and irreversible transforma-
tion necessary to ensure that the characteristics of persistent
organic pollutants as specified in paragraph 1 of Annex D
are not exhibited;

(b)

determine what they consider to be the methods that
constitute environmentally sound disposal
referred to
above; and

2. The Parties shall, where appropriate, cooperate directly or
through global, regional and sub-regional organisations, and
consult their national stakeholders, including women's groups
and groups involved in the health of children,
in order to
facilitate the development, implementation and updating of their
implementation plans.

3. The Parties shall endeavour to utilise and, where necessary,
establish the means to integrate national implementation plans
for persistent organic pollutants in their sustainable development
strategies where appropriate.

Article 8

Listing of chemicals in Annexes A, B and C

1. A Party may submit a proposal to the Secretariat for listing a
chemical in Annexes A, B and/or C. The proposal shall contain
the information specified in Annex D. In developing a proposal,
a Party may be assisted by other Parties and/or by the Secretariat.

2. The Secretariat shall verify whether the proposal contains
the information specified in Annex D.
is
satisfied that the proposal contains the information so specified,
it shall forward the proposal to the Persistent Organic Pollutants
Review Committee.

the Secretariat

If

3. The Committee shall examine the proposal and apply the
screening criteria specified in Annex D in a flexible and
transparent way, taking all information provided into account
in an integrative and balanced manner.

4.

If the Committee decides that:

(c) work to establish, as appropriate, the concentration levels
of the chemicals listed in Annexes A, B and C in order to
define the low persistent organic pollutant content referred
to in paragraph 1 (d)(ii).

(a)

it is satisfied that the screening criteria have been fulfilled, it
shall, through the Secretariat, make the proposal and the
evaluation of the Committee available to all Parties and
the information
observers and invite them to submit
specified in Annex E; or

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(b)

it is not satisfied that the screening criteria have been
fulfilled, it shall, through the Secretariat, inform all Parties
and observers and make the proposal and the evaluation of
the Committee available to all Parties and the proposal shall
be set aside.

following this procedure,

5. Any Party may resubmit a proposal to the Committee that
has been set aside by the Committee pursuant to paragraph 4.
The resubmission may include any concerns of the Party as well
as a justification for additional consideration by the Committee.
If,
the Committee again sets the
proposal aside, the Party may challenge the decision of the
Committee and the Conference of the Parties shall consider the
matter at its next session. The Conference of the Parties may
decide, based on the screening criteria in Annex D and taking
into account the evaluation of the Committee and any additional
information provided by any Party or observer, that the proposal
should proceed.

6. Where the Committee has decided that the screening criteria
have been fulfilled, or the Conference of the Parties has decided
that the proposal should proceed, the Committee shall further
review the proposal, taking into account any relevant additional
information received, and shall prepare a draft risk profile in
accordance with Annex E. It shall, through the Secretariat, make
that draft available to all Parties and observers, collect technical
comments from them and, taking those comments into account,
complete the risk profile.

If, on the basis of the risk profile conducted in accordance

7.
with Annex E, the Committee decides:

(a)

transport

is likely as a result of its long-range
that the chemical
environmental
to lead to significant adverse
human health and/or environmental effects such that global
action is warranted, the proposal shall proceed. Lack of full
scientific certainty shall not prevent the proposal from
proceeding. The Committee shall, through the Secretariat,
invite information from all Parties and observers relating to
the considerations specified in Annex F.
then
prepare a risk management evaluation that includes an
analysis of possible control measures for the chemical in
accordance with that Annex; or

It shall

(b)

that the proposal should not proceed, it shall, through the
Secretariat, make the risk profile available to all Parties and
observers and set the proposal aside.

8.
For any proposal set aside pursuant to paragraph 7(b), a
Party may request the Conference of the Parties to consider
instructing the Committee to invite additional information from
the proposing Party and other Parties during a period not to
exceed one year. After that period and on the basis of any
information received,
the
proposal pursuant to paragraph 6 with a priority to be decided
by the Conference of the Parties. If, following this procedure, the
Committee again sets the proposal aside, the Party may challenge
the decision of the Committee and the Conference of the Parties

the Committee shall

reconsider

shall consider the matter at its next session. The Conference of
the Parties may decide, based on the risk profile prepared in
accordance with Annex E and taking into account the evaluation
of the Committee and any additional information provided by
any Party or observer, that the proposal should proceed. If the
Conference of the Parties decides that the proposal shall proceed,
the Committee shall
then prepare the risk management
evaluation.

9. The Committee shall, based on the risk profile referred to in
paragraph 6 and the risk management evaluation referred to in
paragraph 7(a) or 8, recommend whether the chemical should be
considered by the Conference of
the Parties for listing in
Annexes A, B and/or C. The Conference of the Parties, taking due
account of the recommendations of the Committee, including
any scientific uncertainty, shall decide,
in a precautionary
manner, whether to list the chemical, and specify its related
control measures, in Annexes A, B and/or C.

Article 9

Information exchange

Each Party shall facilitate or undertake the exchange of

1.
information relevant to:

(a)

the reduction or elimination of the production, use and
release of persistent organic pollutants; and

(b)

alternatives
including
to persistent organic pollutants,
information relating to their risks as well as to their
economic and social costs.

2. The Parties shall exchange the information referred to in
paragraph 1 directly or through the Secretariat.

Each Party shall designate a national focal point for the

3.
exchange of such information.

information on persistent organic pollutants,

4. The Secretariat shall serve as a clearing-house mechanism
for
including
information provided by Parties,
intergovernmental organisa-
tions and non-governmental organisations.

5.
For the purposes of this Convention, information on health
and safety of humans and the environment shall not be regarded
as confidential. Parties that exchange other information pursuant
to this Convention shall protect any confidential information as
mutually agreed.

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Article 10

of the annual quantities of the chemicals listed in Annex A, B or
C that are released or disposed of.

Public information, awareness and education

Article 11

Each Party shall, within its capabilities, promote and

1.
facilitate:

Research, development and monitoring

(a)

awareness among its policy and decision makers with
regard to persistent organic pollutants;

(b)

(c)

(d)

provision to the public of all available information on
persistent organic pollutants, taking into account para-
graph 5 of Article 9;

development and implementation, especially for women,
children and the least educated, of educational and public
awareness programmes on persistent organic pollutants, as
well as on their health and environmental effects and on
their alternatives;

public participation in addressing persistent organic
pollutants and their health and environmental effects and
in developing adequate responses, including opportunities
for providing input at
regarding
implementation of this Convention;

the national

level

1. The Parties shall, within their capabilities, at the national and
international
levels, encourage and/or undertake appropriate
research, development, monitoring and cooperation pertaining
to persistent organic pollutants and, where relevant, to their
alternatives and to candidate persistent organic pollutants,
including on their:

(a)

sources and releases into the environment;

(b)

presence, levels and trends in humans and the environment;

(c)

environmental transport, fate and transformation;

(d)

effects on human health and the environment;

(e)

socio-economic and cultural impacts;

(f)

release reduction and/or elimination; and

(e)

training of workers, scientists, educators and technical and
managerial personnel;

(g)

(f)

development and exchange of educational and public
awareness materials at the national and international levels;
and

harmonised methodologies
generating sources and analytical
measurement of releases.

for making inventories of
the
techniques

for

In undertaking action under paragraph 1, the Parties shall,

2.
within their capabilities:

(g)

development and implementation of education and training
programmes at the national and international levels.

(a)

Each Party shall, within its capabilities, ensure that the public
2.
has access to the public information referred to in paragraph 1
and that the information is kept up to date.

3.
Each Party shall, within its capabilities, encourage industry
and professional users to promote and facilitate the provision of
the information referred to in paragraph 1 at the national level
and, as appropriate, sub-regional, regional and global levels.

4.
In providing information on persistent organic pollutants
and their alternatives, Parties may use safety data sheets, reports,
mass media and other means of communication, and may
establish information centres at national and regional levels.

(b)

(c)

support and further develop, as appropriate, international
programmes, networks and organisations aimed at defin-
ing, conducting, assessing and financing research, data
collection and monitoring, taking into account the need to
minimise duplication of effort;

scientific and technical

support national and international efforts to strengthen
research capabilities,
national
particularly in developing countries and countries with
economies in transition, and to promote access to, and the
exchange of, data and analyses;

take into account the concerns and needs, particularly in
the field of financial and technical resources, of developing
countries and countries with economies in transition and
cooperate in improving their capability to participate in the
efforts referred to in subparagraphs (a) and (b);

5.
Each Party shall give sympathetic consideration to develop-
ing mechanisms, such as pollutant release and transfer registers,
for the collection and dissemination of information on estimates

(d)

undertake research work geared towards alleviating the
effects of persistent organic pollutants on reproductive
health;

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(e) make the results of

research, development and
monitoring activities referred to in this paragraph accessible
to the public on a timely and regular basis; and

their

(f)

encourage and/or undertake cooperation with regard to
storage and maintenance of information generated from
research, development and monitoring.

Article 12

Technical assistance

recognise

1. The Parties
timely and
that
appropriate technical assistance in response to requests from
developing country Parties and Parties with economies in
transition is essential to the successful implementation of this
Convention.

rendering of

2. The Parties shall cooperate to provide timely and appro-
priate technical assistance to developing country Parties and
Parties with economies in transition, to assist them, taking into
account their particular needs, to develop and strengthen their
capacity to implement their obligations under this Convention.

In this regard,

3.
technical assistance to be provided by
developed country Parties, and other Parties in accordance with
their capabilities, shall include, as appropriate and as mutually
technical assistance for capacity‑building relating to
agreed,
implementation of
this Convention.
the obligations under
Further guidance in this regard shall be provided by the
Conference of the Parties.

4. The Parties shall establish, as appropriate, arrangements for
the purpose of providing technical assistance and promoting the
transfer of technology to developing country Parties and Parties
with economies in transition relating to the implementation of
this Convention. These arrangements shall include regional and
sub-regional centres
for capacity-building and transfer of
technology to assist developing country Parties and Parties with
economies in transition to fulfil their obligations under this
Convention. Further guidance in this regard shall be provided by
the Conference of the Parties.

5. The Parties shall, in the context of this Article, take full
least
account of
developed countries and small island developing states in their
actions with regard to technical assistance.

the specific needs and special situation of

Article 13

Financial resources and mechanisms

1.
Each Party undertakes to provide, within its capabilities,
financial support and incentives in respect of those national
activities that are intended to achieve the objective of
this
Convention in accordance with its national plans, priorities and
programmes.

2. The developed country Parties shall provide new and
additional
financial resources to enable developing country
Parties and Parties with economies in transition to meet the
agreed full incremental costs of implementing measures which
fulfil their obligations under this Convention as agreed between a
recipient Party and an entity participating in the mechanism
described in paragraph 6. Other Parties may also on a voluntary
basis and in accordance with their capabilities provide such
financial resources. Contributions from other sources should also
be encouraged. The implementation of these commitments shall
take into account the need for adequacy, predictability, the timely
flow of funds and the importance of burden sharing among the
contributing Parties.

3. Developed country Parties, and other Parties in accordance
with their capabilities and in accordance with their national
plans, priorities and programmes, may also provide and
developing country Parties and Parties with economies in
transition avail themselves of financial resources to assist in
their implementation of this Convention through other bilateral,
regional and multilateral sources or channels.

4. The extent to which the developing country Parties will
effectively implement their commitments under this Convention
will depend on the effective implementation by developed
country Parties of their commitments under this Convention
relating to financial resources, technical assistance and technol-
ogy transfer. The fact that sustainable economic and social
development and eradication of poverty are the first and
overriding priorities of the developing country Parties will be
taken fully into account, giving due consideration to the need for
the protection of human health and the environment.

5. The Parties shall take full account of the specific needs and
special situation of the least developed countries and the small
island developing states in their actions with regard to funding.

6. A mechanism for the provision of adequate and sustainable
financial resources to developing country Parties and Parties with
economies in transition on a grant or concessional basis to assist
in their implementation of the Convention is hereby defined. The
mechanism shall function under the authority, as appropriate,
and guidance of, and be accountable to the Conference of the
Parties for the purposes of this Convention. Its operation shall be
entrusted to one or more entities, including existing international
entities, as may be decided upon by the Conference of the Parties.
The mechanism may also include other entities providing
multilateral,
financial and technical
assistance. Contributions to the mechanism shall be additional
to other financial transfers to developing country Parties and
Parties with economies in transition as reflected in, and in
accordance with, paragraph 2.

regional and bilateral

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Pursuant

to the objectives of

this Convention and
7.
paragraph 6, the Conference of the Parties shall at its first
meeting adopt appropriate guidance to be provided to the
mechanism and shall agree with the entity or entities participat-
ing in the financial mechanism upon arrangements to give effect
thereto. The guidance shall address, inter alia:

(a)

(b)

the determination of the policy, strategy and programme
priorities, as well as clear and detailed criteria and
guidelines regarding eligibility for access to and utilisation
of financial resources including monitoring and evaluation
on a regular basis of such utilisation;

the provision by the entity or entities of regular reports to
the Conference of the Parties on adequacy and sustain-
ability of funding for activities relevant to the implementa-
tion of this Convention;

(c)

the promotion of multiple-source funding approaches,
mechanisms and arrangements;

(d)

the modalities for the determination in a predictable and
identifiable manner of the amount of funding necessary
and available for the implementation of this Convention,
keeping in mind that the phasing out of persistent organic
pollutants might
require sustained funding, and the
conditions under which that amount shall be periodically
reviewed; and

(e)

the modalities for the provision to interested Parties of
assistance with needs assessment, information on available
sources of funds and on funding patterns in order to
facilitate co-ordination among them.

8. The Conference of the Parties shall review, not later than its
second meeting and thereafter on a regular basis, the effective-
ness of the mechanism established under this Article, its ability
to address the changing needs of the developing country Parties
and Parties with economies in transition,
the criteria and
guidance referred to in paragraph 7, the level of funding as well
as the effectiveness of
the institutional
entities entrusted to operate the financial mechanism. It shall,
based on such review, take appropriate action, if necessary, to
improve the effectiveness of the mechanism, including by means
of recommendations and guidance on measures to ensure
adequate and sustainable funding to meet the needs of the
Parties.

the performance of

Article 14

Interim financial arrangements

The institutional structure of the Global Environment Facility,
operated in accordance with the Instrument for the Establish-
ment of the Restructured Global Environment Facility, shall, on

an interim basis, be the principal entity entrusted with the
operations of the financial mechanism referred to in Article 13,
for the period between the date of entry into force of this
Convention and the first meeting of the Conference of the
Parties, or until such time as the Conference of the Parties
decides which institutional structure will be designated in
accordance with Article 13. The institutional structure of the
Global Environment Facility should fulfill this function through
operational measures related specifically to persistent organic
pollutants taking into account that new arrangements for this
area may be needed.

Article 15

Reporting

1.
Each Party shall report to the Conference of the Parties on
the measures it has taken to implement the provisions of this
Convention and on the effectiveness of such measures in meeting
the objectives of the Convention.

2.

Each Party shall provide to the Secretariat:

(a)

(b)

statistical data on its total quantities of production, import
and export of each of the chemicals listed in Annex A and
Annex B or a reasonable estimate of such data; and

to the extent practicable, a list of the States from which it
has imported each such substance and the States to which it
has exported each such substance.

3.
Such reporting shall be at periodic intervals and in a format
to be decided by the Conference of the Parties at its first meeting.

Article 16

Effectiveness evaluation

1. Commencing four years after the date of entry into force of
this Convention, and periodically thereafter at intervals to be
decided by the Conference of the Parties, the Conference shall
evaluate the effectiveness of this Convention.

2.
In order to facilitate such evaluation, the Conference of the
Parties shall, at its first meeting, initiate the establishment of
arrangements to provide itself with comparable monitoring data
on the presence of the chemicals listed in Annexes A, B and C as
well as their regional and global environmental transport. These
arrangements:

(a)

should be implemented by the Parties on a regional basis
when appropriate, in accordance with their technical and
financial
capabilities, using existing monitoring pro-
grammes and mechanisms to the extent possible and
promoting harmonisation of approaches;

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(b) may be supplemented where necessary, taking into account
the differences between regions and their capabilities to
implement monitoring activities; and

3. A Party that is a regional economic integration organisation
may make a declaration with like effect in relation to arbitration
in accordance with the procedure referred to in paragraph 2(a).

(c)

shall include reports to the Conference of the Parties on the
results of the monitoring activities on a regional and global
basis at intervals to be specified by the Conference of the
Parties.

4. A declaration made pursuant to paragraph 2 or paragraph 3
shall remain in force until it expires in accordance with its terms
or until three months after written notice of its revocation has
been deposited with the depository.

3. The evaluation described in paragraph 1 shall be conducted
on the basis of available scientific, environmental, technical and
economic information, including:

5. The expiry of a declaration, a notice of revocation or a new
declaration shall not in any way affect proceedings pending
before an arbitral tribunal or the International Court of Justice
unless the parties to the dispute otherwise agree.

(a)

reports
pursuant to paragraph 2;

and other monitoring information provided

(b)

national reports submitted pursuant to Article 15; and

(c)

non-compliance information provided pursuant
procedures established under Article 17.

to the

Article 17

Non-compliance

The Conference of the Parties shall, as soon as practicable,
develop and approve procedures and institutional mechanisms
for determining non-compliance with the provisions of this
Convention and for the treatment of Parties found to be in non-
compliance.

Article 18

Settlement of disputes

Parties shall settle any dispute between them concerning the
this Convention through

1.
interpretation or application of
negotiation or other peaceful means of their own choice.

2. When ratifying, accepting, approving or acceding to the
Convention, or at any time thereafter, a Party that is not a
regional economic integration organisation may declare in a
written instrument submitted to the depository that, with respect
to any dispute concerning the interpretation or application of the
Convention, it recognises one or both of the following means of
dispute settlement as compulsory in relation to any Party
accepting the same obligation:

(a)

arbitration in accordance with procedures to be adopted by
the Conference of the Parties in an Annex as soon as
practicable;

6.
If the parties to a dispute have not accepted the same or any
procedure pursuant to paragraph 2, and if they have not been
following
able to settle their dispute within 12 months
notification by one party to another that a dispute exists
between them, the dispute shall be submitted to a conciliation
commission at the request of any party to the dispute. The
conciliation commission shall render a report with recommen-
relating to the conciliation
dations. Additional procedures
commission shall be included in an Annex to be adopted by
the Conference of the Parties no later than at its second meeting.

Article 19

Conference of the Parties

1. A Conference of the Parties is hereby established.

2. The first meeting of the Conference of the Parties shall be
convened by the Executive Director of
the United Nations
Environment Programme no later than one year after the entry
into force of this Convention. Thereafter, ordinary meetings of
the Conference of the Parties shall be held at regular intervals to
be decided by the Conference.

Extraordinary meetings of the Conference of the Parties shall
3.
be held at such other times as may be deemed necessary by the
Conference, or at the written request of any Party provided that it
is supported by at least one third of the Parties.

4. The Conference of the Parties shall by consensus agree upon
and adopt at its first meeting, rules of procedure and financial
rules for itself and any subsidiary bodies, as well as financial
provisions governing the functioning of the Secretariat.

5. The Conference of the Parties shall keep under continuous
review and evaluation the implementation of this Convention. It
shall perform the functions assigned to it by the Convention and,
to this end, shall:

(b)

submission of the dispute to the International Court of
Justice.

(a)

establish, further to the requirements of paragraph 6, such
the
subsidiary bodies as
implementation of the Convention;

considers necessary for

it

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(b)

cooperate, where appropriate, with competent international
organisations and intergovernmental and non-governmen-
tal bodies; and

Article 20

Secretariat

(c)

regularly review all
information made available to the
Parties pursuant to Article 15, including consideration of
the effectiveness of paragraph 2(b)(iii) of Article 3;

1. A Secretariat is hereby established.

2. The functions of the Secretariat shall be:

(d)

consider and undertake any additional action that may be
required for the achievement of
the
Convention.

the objectives of

6. The Conference of the Parties shall, at its first meeting,
establish a subsidiary body to be called the Persistent Organic
Pollutants Review Committee for the purposes of performing the
functions assigned to that Committee by this Convention. In this
regard:

(a)

(b)

to make arrangements for meetings of the Conference of
the Parties and its subsidiary bodies and to provide them
with services as required;

to facilitate assistance to the Parties, particularly developing
country Parties and Parties with economies in transition, on
request, in the implementation of this Convention;

(c)

to ensure the necessary coordination with the secretariats of
other relevant international bodies;

(a)

the members of the Persistent Organic Pollutants Review
Committee shall be appointed by the Conference of the
Parties. Membership of
the Committee shall consist of
government-designated experts in chemical assessment or
management. The members of the Committee shall be
appointed on the basis of equitable geographical distribu-
tion;

(d)

(e)

to prepare and make available to the Parties periodic
reports based on information received pursuant
to
Article 15 and other available information;

to enter, under the overall guidance of the Conference of
the Parties,
into such administrative and contractual
arrangements as may be required for the effective discharge
of its functions; and

(b)

the Conference of the Parties shall decide on the terms of
reference, organisation and operation of the Committee;
and

(c)

the Committee shall make every effort
its
recommendations by consensus. If all efforts at consensus
have been exhausted, and no consensus reached, such
recommendation shall as a last resort be adopted by a two-
thirds majority vote of the members present and voting.

to adopt

7. The Conference of the Parties shall, at its third meeting,
evaluate the continued need for the procedure contained in
paragraph 2(b) of Article 3,
its
effectiveness.

including consideration of

(f)

to perform the other secretariat functions specified in this
Convention and such other functions as may be determined
by the Conference of the Parties.

functions for

this Convention shall be
3. The secretariat
performed by the Executive Director of the United Nations
Environment Programme, unless the Conference of the Parties
decides, by a three-fourths majority of the Parties present and
voting, to entrust the secretariat functions to one or more other
international organisations.

Article 21

Amendments to the Convention

its

specialised agencies and the
8. The United Nations,
International Atomic Energy Agency, as well as any State not
Party to this Convention, may be represented at meetings of the
Conference of the Parties as observers. Any body or agency,
whether national or
international, governmental or non-
governmental, qualified in matters covered by the Convention,
and which has informed the Secretariat of
its wish to be
represented at a meeting of the Conference of the Parties as an
observer may be admitted unless at least one third of the Parties
present object. The admission and participation of observers
to the rules of procedure adopted by the
shall be subject
Conference of the Parties.

1. Amendments to this Convention may be proposed by any
Party.

the Conference of

2. Amendments to this Convention shall be adopted at a
meeting of
the Parties. The text of any
proposed amendment shall be communicated to the Parties by
the Secretariat at least six months before the meeting at which it
is proposed for adoption. The Secretariat shall also communicate
proposed amendments to the signatories to this Convention and,
for information, to the depository.

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3. The Parties shall make every effort to reach agreement on
any proposed amendment to this Convention by consensus. If all
efforts at consensus have been exhausted, and no agreement
reached, the amendment shall as a last resort be adopted by a
three‑fourths majority vote of the Parties present and voting.

4. The amendment shall be communicated by the depository
to all Parties for ratification, acceptance or approval.

5. Ratification, acceptance or approval of an amendment shall
be notified to the depository in writing. An amendment adopted
in accordance with paragraph 3 shall enter into force for the
Parties having accepted it on the 90th day after the date of
deposit of instruments of ratification, acceptance or approval by
at least three-fourths of the Parties. Thereafter, the amendment
shall enter into force for any other Party on the 90th day after the
date on which that Party deposits its instrument of ratification,
acceptance or approval of the amendment.

Article 22

Adoption and amendment of Annexes

1. Annexes to this Convention shall form an integral part
thereof and, unless expressly provided otherwise, a reference to
this Convention constitutes at the same time a reference to any
Annexes thereto.

2. Any additional Annexes shall be restricted to procedural,
scientific, technical or administrative matters.

3. The following procedure shall apply to the proposal,
adoption and entry into force of additional Annexes to this
Convention:

(a)

(b)

additional Annexes
shall be proposed and adopted
according to the procedure laid down in paragraphs 1, 2
and 3 of Article 21;

any Party that is unable to accept an additional Annex shall
so notify the depository, in writing, within one year from
the date of communication by the depository of
the
adoption of the additional Annex. The depository shall
without delay notify all Parties of any such notification
received. A Party may at any time withdraw a previous
notification of non‑acceptance in respect of any additional
Annex, and the Annex shall thereupon enter into force for
that Party subject to subparagraph (c); and

4. The proposal, adoption and entry into force of amendments
to Annex A, B or C shall be subject to the same procedures as for
the proposal, adoption and entry into force of additional
Annexes to this Convention, except that an amendment to
Annex A, B or C shall not enter into force with respect to any
Party that has made a declaration with respect to amendment to
those Annexes in accordance with paragraph 4 of Article 25, in
which case any such amendment shall enter into force for such a
Party on the 90th day after the date of deposit with the
depository of its instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval
or accession with respect to such amendment.

5. The following procedure shall apply to the proposal,
adoption and entry into force of an amendment to Annex D,
E or F:

(a)

amendments shall be proposed according to the procedure
in paragraphs 1 and 2 of Article 21;

(b)

the Parties shall
Annex D, E or F by consensus; and

take decisions on an amendment

to

(c)

a decision to amend Annex D, E or F shall forthwith be
communicated to the Parties by the depository. The
amendment shall enter into force for all Parties on a date
to be specified in the decision.

6.
If an additional Annex or an amendment to an Annex is
related to an amendment to this Convention, the additional
Annex or amendment shall not enter into force until such time
as the amendment to the Convention enters into force.

Article 23

Right to vote

Each Party to this Convention shall have one vote, except as

1.
provided for in paragraph 2.

2. A regional economic integration organisation, on matters
within its competence, shall exercise its right to vote with a
number of votes equal to the number of its Member States that
are Parties to this Convention. Such an organisation shall not
exercise its right to vote if any of its member States exercises its
right to vote, and vice versa.

Article 24

Signature

(c)

from the date of

on the expiry of one year
the
communication by the depository of the adoption of an
additional Annex, the Annex shall enter into force for all
Parties that have not submitted a notification in accordance
with the provisions of subparagraph (b).

This Convention shall be open for signature at Stockholm by all
States and regional economic integration organisations on
23 May 2001, and at the United Nations Headquarters in New
York from 24 May 2001 to 22 May 2002.

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Article 25

Ratification, acceptance, approval or accession

1. This Convention shall be subject to ratification, acceptance
or approval by States and by regional economic integration
organisations. It shall be open for accession by States and by
regional economic integration organisations from the day after
the date on which the Convention is closed for signature.
Instruments of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession
shall be deposited with the depository.

economic

2. Any regional
integration organisation that
becomes a Party to this Convention without any of its member
States being a Party shall be bound by all the obligations under
the Convention. In the case of such organisations, one or more
of whose Member States is a Party to this Convention, the
organisation and its Member States shall decide on their
respective responsibilities for the performance of their obliga-
tions under the Convention. In such cases, the organisation and
the Member States shall not be entitled to exercise rights under
the Convention concurrently.

3.
In its instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or
accession, a regional economic integration organisation shall
declare the extent of its competence in respect of the matters
governed by this Convention. Any such organisation shall also
inform the depository, who shall in turn inform the Parties, of
any relevant modification in the extent of its competence.

In its instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or
4.
accession, any Party may declare that, with respect to it, any
amendment to Annex A, B or C shall enter into force only upon
the deposit of its instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval
or accession with respect thereto.

Article 26

Entry into force

1. This Convention shall enter into force on the 90th day after
the date of deposit of
the 50th instrument of ratification,
acceptance, approval or accession.

For each State or regional economic integration organisation
2.
that ratifies, accepts or approves this Convention or accedes

thereto after the deposit of the 50th instrument of ratification,
acceptance, approval or accession, the Convention shall enter
into force on the 90th day after the date of deposit by such State
or regional economic integration organisation of its instrument
of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession.

3.
For the purpose of paragraphs 1 and 2, any instrument
deposited by a regional economic integration organisation shall
not be counted as additional to those deposited by member
States of that organisation.

Article 27

Reservations

No reservations may be made to this Convention.

Article 28

Withdrawal

1. At any time after three years from the date on which this
Convention has entered into force for a Party, that Party may
withdraw from the Convention by giving written notification to
the depository.

2. Any such withdrawal shall take effect upon the expiry of one
year from the date of receipt by the depository of the notification
of withdrawal, or on such later date as may be specified in the
notification of withdrawal.

Article 29

Depository

The Secretary-General of
depository of this Convention.

the United Nations shall be the

Article 30

Authentic texts

The original of this Convention, of which the Arabic, Chinese,
English, French, Russian and Spanish texts are equally authentic,
the
be
shall
United Nations.

deposited with the

Secretary‑General of

IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned, being duly authorised to that effect, have signed this
Convention.

Done at Stockholm on this twenty-second day of May, two thousand and one.

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ANNEX A

ELIMINATION

Part I

Chemical

Activity

Specific exemption

Aldrin*
CAS No: 309-00-2

Production

None

Use

Local ectoparasiticide
Insecticide

Chlordane*
CAS No: 57-74-9

Production

As allowed for the Parties listed in the Register

Use

Local ectoparasiticide
Insecticide
Termiticide
Termiticide in buildings and dams
Termiticide in roads
Additive in plywood adhesives

Production

None

Use

Production

Use

Production

Use

In agricultural operations

None

None

None

Termiticide
Termiticide in structures of houses
Termiticide (subterranean)
Wood treatment
In use in underground cable boxes

Production

As allowed for the Parties listed in the Register

Use

Intermediate
Solvent in pesticide
Closed system site limited intermediate

Production

As allowed for the Parties listed in the Register

Dieldrin*
CAS No: 60-57-1

Endrin*
CAS No: 72-20-8

Heptachlor*
CAS No: 76-44-8

Hexachlorobenzene
CAS No: 118-74-1

Mirex*
CAS No: 2385-85-5

Toxaphene*
CAS No: 8001-35-2

Use

Production

Use

Termiticide

None

None

None

Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCB)*

Production

Use

Articles in use in accordance with the provi-
sions of Part II of this Annex

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Notes:

(i)

(ii)

(iii)

except as otherwise specified in this Convention, quantities of a chemical occurring as unintentional
contaminants in products and articles shall not be considered to be listed in this Annex;

trace

this note shall not be considered as a production and use specific exemption for purposes of Article 3(2). Quantities of
a chemical occurring as constituents of articles manufactured or already in use before or on the date of entry into force
of the relevant obligation with respect to that chemical, shall not be considered as listed in this Annex, provided that a
Party has notified the Secretariat that a particular type of article remains in use within that Party. The Secretariat shall
make such notifications publicly available;

this note, which does not apply to a chemical that has an asterisk following its name in the Chemical column in Part I
of this Annex, shall not be considered as a production and use specific exemption for purposes of Article 3(2). Given
that no significant quantities of the chemical are expected to reach humans and the environment during the
production and use of a closed-system site-limited intermediate, a Party, upon notification to the Secretariat, may
allow the production and use of quantities of a chemical
listed in this Annex as a closed-system site-limited
intermediate that is chemically transformed in the manufacture of other chemicals that, taking into consideration the
criteria in paragraph 1 of Annex D, do not exhibit the characteristics of persistent organic pollutants. This notification
shall include information on total production and use of such chemical or a reasonable estimate of such information
and information regarding the nature of the closed-system site-limited process including the amount of any non-
transformed and unintentional trace contamination of the persistent organic pollutant-starting material in the final
product. This procedure applies except as otherwise specified in this Annex. The Secretariat shall make such
notifications available to the Conference of the Parties and to the public. Such production or use shall not be
considered a production or use specific exemption. Such production and use shall cease after a 10-year period, unless
the Party concerned submits a new notification to the Secretariat, in which case the period will be extended for an
additional 10 years unless the Conference of the Parties, after a review of the production and use decides otherwise.
The notification procedure can be repeated;

(iv)

all the specific exemptions in this Annex may be exercised by Parties that have registered exemptions in respect of
them in accordance with Article 4 with the exception of the use of polychlorinated biphenyls in articles in use in
accordance with the provisions of Part II of this Annex, which may be exercised by all Parties.

Part II

Polychlorinated biphenyls

Each Party shall:

(a)

with regard to the elimination of the use of polychlorinated biphenyls in equipment (e.g. transformers, capacitors or
other receptacles containing liquid stocks) by 2025, subject to review by the Conference of the Parties, take action in
accordance with the following priorities:

(i) make determined efforts to identify, label and remove from use equipment containing greater than 10 %

polychlorinated biphenyls and volumes greater than 5 litres;

(ii) make determined efforts to identify, label and remove from use equipment containing greater than 0,05 %

polychlorinated biphenyls and volumes greater than 5 litres;

(iii)

endeavour to identify and remove from use equipment containing greater than 0,005 % polychlorinated
biphenyls and volumes greater than 0,05 litres;

(b)

consistent with the priorities in subparagraph (a), promote the following measures to reduce exposures and risk to
control the use of polychlorinated biphenyls:

(i)

use only in intact and non-leaking equipment and only in areas where the risk from environmental release can
be minimised and quickly remedied;

(ii)

not use in equipment in areas associated with the production or processing of food or feed;

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(iii) when used in populated areas, including schools and hospitals, all reasonable measures to protect from electrical

failure which could result in a fire, and regular inspection of equipment for leaks;

(c)

notwithstanding paragraph 2 of Article 3, ensure that equipment containing polychlorinated biphenyls, as described
in subparagraph (a), shall not be exported or imported except for the purpose of environmentally sound waste
management;

(d)

except for maintenance and servicing operations, not allow recovery for the purpose of reuse in other equipment of
liquids with polychlorinated biphenyls content above 0,005 %;

(e) make determined efforts designed to lead to environmentally sound waste management of

liquids containing
polychlorinated biphenyls and equipment contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls having a polychlorinated
biphenyls content above 0,005 %, in accordance with paragraph 1 of Article 6, as soon as possible but no later than
2028, subject to review by the Conference of the Parties;

(f)

(g)

(h)

in lieu of note (ii) in Part I of this Annex, endeavour to identify other articles containing more than 0,005 %
polychlorinated biphenyls (e.g. cable-sheaths, cured caulk and painted objects) and manage them in accordance with
paragraph 1 of Article 6;

provide a report every five years on progress in eliminating polychlorinated biphenyls and submit it to the Conference
of the Parties pursuant to Article 15;

the reports described in subparagraph (g) shall, as appropriate, be considered by the Conference of the Parties in its
reviews relating to polychlorinated biphenyls. The Conference of the Parties shall review progress towards elimination
of polychlorinated biphenyls at five year intervals or other period, as appropriate, taking into account such reports.

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ANNEX B

RESTRICTION

Part I

Chemical

Activity

Acceptable purpose or specific exemption

DDT
(1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(4-chloro-
phenyl)ethane)
CAS No: 50-29-3

Production

Use

Acceptable purpose:
Disease vector control use in accordance with
Part II of this Annex
Specific exemption:
Intermediate in production of dicofol
Intermediate

Acceptable purpose:
Disease vector control in accordance with Part II
of this Annex
Specific exemption:
Production of dicofol
Intermediate

Notes:

(i)

(ii)

(iii)

except as otherwise specified in this Convention, quantities of a chemical occurring as unintentional
contaminants in products and articles shall not be considered to be listed in this Annex;

trace

this note shall not be considered as a production and use acceptable purpose or specific exemption for purposes of
Article 3(2). Quantities of a chemical occurring as constituents of articles manufactured or already in use before or on
the date of entry into force of the relevant obligation with respect to that chemical, shall not be considered as listed in
this Annex, provided that a Party has notified the Secretariat that a particular type of article remains in use within that
Party. The Secretariat shall make such notifications publicly available;

this note shall not be considered as a production and use specific exemption for purposes of Article 3(2). Given that
no significant quantities of the chemical are expected to reach humans and the environment during the production
and use of a closed-system site-limited intermediate, a Party, upon notification to the Secretariat, may allow the
production and use of quantities of a chemical listed in this Annex as a closed-system site-limited intermediate that is
chemically transformed in the manufacture of other chemicals that, taking into consideration the criteria in
paragraph 1 of Annex D, do not exhibit the characteristics of persistent organic pollutants. This notification shall
include information on total production and use of such chemical or a reasonable estimate of such information and
information regarding the nature of the closed‑system site-limited process including the amount of any non-
transformed and unintentional trace contamination of the persistent organic pollutant-starting material in the final
product. This procedure applies except as otherwise specified in this Annex. The Secretariat shall make such
notifications available to the Conference of the Parties and to the public. Such production or use shall not be
considered a production or use specific exemption. Such production and use shall cease after a 10-year period, unless
the Party concerned submits a new notification to the Secretariat, in which case the period will be extended for an
additional 10 years unless the Conference of the Parties, after a review of the production and use decides otherwise.
The notification procedure can be repeated;

(iv)

all the specific exemptions in this Annex may be exercised by Parties that have registered in respect of them in
accordance with Article 4.

DDT (1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl)ethane)

Part II

1.

The production and use of DDT shall be eliminated except for Parties that have notified the Secretariat of their
intention to produce and/or use it. A DDT Register is hereby established and shall be available to the public. The
Secretariat shall maintain the DDT Register.

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2.

3.

4.

Each Party that produces and/or uses DDT shall restrict such production and/or use for disease vector control in
accordance with the World Health Organization recommendations and guidelines on the use of DDT and when locally
safe, effective and affordable alternatives are not available to the Party in question.

In the event that a Party not listed in the DDT Register determines that it requires DDT for disease vector control, it
shall notify the Secretariat as soon as possible in order to have its name added forthwith to the DDT Register. It shall
at the same time notify the World Health Organization.

Every three years, each Party that uses DDT shall provide to the Secretariat and the World Health Organization
information on the amount used, the conditions of such use and its relevance to that Party's disease management
strategy,
in a format to be decided by the Conference of the Parties in consultation with the World Health
Organization.

5. With the goal of reducing and ultimately eliminating the use of DDT, the Conference of the Parties shall encourage:

(a)

each Party using DDT to develop and implement an action plan as part of the implementation plan specified in
Article 7. That action plan shall include:

(i)

(ii)

development of regulatory and other mechanisms to ensure that DDT use is restricted to disease vector
control;

implementation of suitable alternative products, methods and strategies, including resistance management
strategies to ensure the continuing effectiveness of these alternatives;

(iii) measures to strengthen health care and to reduce the incidence of the disease.

(b)

the Parties, within their capabilities, to promote research and development of safe alternative chemical and non-
chemical products, methods and strategies for Parties using DDT, relevant to the conditions of those countries
and with the goal of decreasing the human and economic burden of disease. Factors to be promoted when
considering alternatives or combinations of alternatives shall include the human health risks and environmental
implications of such alternatives. Viable alternatives to DDT shall pose less risk to human health and the
environment, be suitable for disease control based on conditions in the Parties in question and be supported
with monitoring data.

6.

Commencing at its first meeting, and at least every three years thereafter, the Conference of the Parties shall, in
consultation with the World Health Organization, evaluate the continued need for DDT for disease vector control on
the basis of available scientific, technical, environmental and economic information, including:

(a)

the production and use of DDT and the conditions set out in paragraph 2;

(b)

the availability, suitability and implementation of the alternatives to DDT; and

(c)

progress in strengthening the capacity of countries to transfer safely to reliance on such alternatives.

7.

A Party may, at any time, withdraw its name from the DDT Registry upon written notification to the Secretariat. The
withdrawal shall take effect on the date specified in the notification.

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ANNEX C

UNINTENTIONAL PRODUCTION

Part I: Persistent organic pollutants subject to the requirements of Article 5

This Annex applies to the following persistent organic pollutants when formed and released unintentionally from
anthropogenic sources:

Chemical

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/PCDF)
Hexachlorobenzene (HCB) (CAS No: 118-74-1)
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB)

Part II: Source categories

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans, hexachlorobenzene and polychlorinated biphenyls are unintention-
ally formed and released from thermal processes involving organic matter and chlorine as a result of incomplete combustion
or chemical reactions. The following industrial source categories have the potential for comparatively high formation and
release of these chemicals to the environment:

(a)

waste incinerators, including co-incinerators of municipal, hazardous or medical waste or of sewage sludge;

(b)

cement kilns firing hazardous waste;

(c)

production of pulp using elemental chlorine or chemicals generating elemental chlorine for bleaching;

(d)

the following thermal processes in the metallurgical industry:

(i)

secondary copper production;

(ii)

sinter plants in the iron and steel industry;

(iii)

secondary aluminium production;

(iv)

secondary zinc production.

Part III: Source categories

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans, hexachlorobenzene and polychlorinated biphenyls may also be
unintentionally formed and released from the following source categories, including:

(a)

open burning of waste, including burning of landfill sites;

(b)

thermal processes in the metallurgical industry not mentioned in Part II;

(c)

residential combustion sources;

(d)

fossil fuel-fired utility and industrial boilers;

(e)

firing installations for wood and other biomass fuels;

(f)

specific chemical production processes releasing unintentionally formed persistent organic pollutants, especially
production of chlorophenols and chloranil;

(g)

crematoria;

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(h) motor vehicles, particularly those burning leaded gasoline;

(i)

(j)

destruction of animal carcasses;

textile and leather dyeing (with chloranil) and finishing (with alkaline extraction);

(k)

shredder plants for the treatment of end of life vehicles;

(l)

smouldering of copper cables;

(m) waste oil refineries.

1.

For the purposes of this Annex:

Part IV: Definitions

(a)

(b)

‘polychlorinated biphenyls’ means aromatic compounds formed in such a manner that the hydrogen atoms on
the biphenyl molecule (two benzene rings bonded together by a single carbon-carbon bond) may be replaced by
up to ten chlorine atoms; and

‘polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins’ and ‘polychlorinated dibenzofurans’ are tricyclic, aromatic compounds
formed by two benzene rings connected by two oxygen atoms in polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and by one
oxygen atom and one carbon-carbon bond in polychlorinated dibenzofurans and the hydrogen atoms of which
may be replaced by up to eight chlorine atoms.

2.

In this Annex, the toxicity of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans is expressed using the concept of
toxic equivalency which measures the relative dioxin-like toxic activity of different congeners of polychlorinated
dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans and coplanar polychlorinated biphenyls
in comparison to 2,3,7,8-
tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin. The toxic equivalent factor values to be used for the purposes of this Convention
shall be consistent with accepted international standards, commencing with the World Health Organization 1998
mammalian toxic equivalent factor values for polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans and coplanar
polychlorinated biphenyls. Concentrations are expressed in toxic equivalents.

Part V: General guidance on best available techniques and best environmental practices

This Part provides general guidance to Parties on preventing or reducing releases of the chemicals listed in Part I.

A.

General prevention measures relating to both best available techniques and best environmental practices

Priority should be given to the consideration of approaches to prevent the formation and release of the chemicals listed in
Part I. Useful measures could include:

(a)

the use of low-waste technology;

(b)

the use of less hazardous substances;

(c)

the promotion of the recovery and recycling of waste and of substances generated and used in a process;

(d)

replacement of feed materials which are persistent organic pollutants or where there is a direct link between the
materials and releases of persistent organic pollutants from the source;

(e)

good housekeeping and preventive maintenance programmes;

(f)

improvements in waste management with the aim of the cessation of open and other uncontrolled burning of wastes,
including the burning of
landfill sites. When considering proposals to construct new waste disposal facilities,
consideration should be given to alternatives such as activities to minimise the generation of municipal and medical
waste, including resource recovery, reuse, recycling, waste separation and promoting products that generate less waste.
Under this approach, public health concerns should be carefully considered;

(g) minimisation of these chemicals as contaminants in products;

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(h)

avoiding elemental chlorine or chemicals generating elemental chlorine for bleaching.

B.

Best available techniques

The concept of best available techniques is not aimed at the prescription of any specific technique or technology, but at
taking into account the technical characteristics of the installation concerned, its geographical location and the local
environmental conditions. Appropriate control techniques to reduce releases of the chemicals listed in Part I are in general
the same. In determining best available techniques, special consideration should be given, generally or in specific cases, to
the following factors, bearing in mind the likely costs and benefits of a measure and consideration of precaution and
prevention:

a)

General considerations:

(i)

the nature, effects and mass of the releases concerned: techniques may vary depending on source size;

(ii)

the commissioning dates for new or existing installations;

(iii)

the time needed to introduce the best available technique;

(iv)

the consumption and nature of raw materials used in the process and its energy efficiency;

(v)

the need to prevent or reduce to a minimum the overall impact of the releases to the environment and the risks
to it;

(vi)

the need to prevent accidents and to minimize their consequences for the environment;

(vii)

the need to ensure occupational health and safety at workplaces;

(viii) comparable processes, facilities or methods of operation which have been tried with success on an industrial

scale;

(ix)

technological advances and changes in scientific knowledge and understanding.

(b) General release reduction measures:

When considering proposals to construct new facilities or significantly modify existing facilities using processes that
release chemicals listed in this Annex, priority consideration should be given to alternative processes, techniques or
practices that have similar usefulness but which avoid the formation and release of such chemicals. In cases where
such facilities will be constructed or significantly modified, in addition to the prevention measures outlined in section
A of Part V the following reduction measures could also be considered in determining best available techniques:

(i)

(ii)

use of improved methods for flue-gas cleaning such as thermal or catalytic oxidation, dust precipitation, or
adsorption;

treatment of residuals, wastewater, wastes and sewage sludge by, for example, thermal treatment or rendering
them inert or chemical processes that detoxify them;

(iii)

process changes that lead to the reduction or elimination of releases, such as moving to closed systems;

(iv) modification of process designs to improve combustion and prevent formation of the chemicals listed in this

Annex, through the control of parameters such as incineration temperature or residence time.

C.

Best environmental practices

The Conference of the Parties may develop guidance with regard to best environmental practices.

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ANNEX D

INFORMATION REQUIREMENTS AND SCREENING CRITERIA

1.

A Party submitting a proposal to list a chemical in Annexes A, B and/or C shall identify the chemical in the manner
described in subparagraph (a) and provide the information on the chemical, and its transformation products where
relevant, relating to the screening criteria set out in subparagraphs (b) to (e):

(a)

chemical identity:

(i)

names, including trade name or names, commercial name or names and synonyms, Chemical Abstracts
Service (CAS) Registry number, International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) name; and

(ii)

structure, including specification of isomers, where applicable, and the structure of the chemical class;

(b)

persistence:

(i)

(ii)

evidence that the half-life of the chemical in water is greater than two months, or that its half‑life in soil is
greater than six months, or that its half-life in sediment is greater than six months; or

evidence that the chemical is otherwise sufficiently persistent to justify its consideration within the scope
of this Convention;

(c)

bio-accumulation:

(i)

(ii)

evidence that the bio-concentration factor or bio-accumulation factor in aquatic species for the chemical is
greater than 5 000 or, in the absence of such data, that the log Kow is greater than 5;

evidence that a chemical presents other reasons for concern, such as high bio‑accumulation in other
species, high toxicity or ecotoxicity; or

(iii) monitoring data in biota indicating that the bio-accumulation potential of the chemical is sufficient to

justify its consideration within the scope of this Convention;

(d)

potential for long-range environmental transport:

(i) measured levels of the chemical in locations distant from the sources of its release that are of potential

concern;

(ii) monitoring data showing that long-range environmental transport of the chemical, with the potential for

transfer to a receiving environment, may have occurred via air, water or migratory species; or

(iii)

environmental fate properties and/or model results that demonstrate that the chemical has a potential for
long-range environmental transport through air, water or migratory species, with the potential for transfer
to a receiving environment in locations distant from the sources of its release. For a chemical that migrates
significantly through the air, its half-life in air should be greater than two days; and

(e)

adverse effects:

(i)

evidence of adverse effects to human health or to the environment that justifies consideration of the
chemical within the scope of this Convention; or

(ii)

toxicity or ecotoxicity data that indicate the potential for damage to human health or to the environment.

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2.

3.

The proposing Party shall provide a statement of the reasons for concern including, where possible, a comparison of
toxicity or ecotoxicity data with detected or predicted levels of a chemical resulting or anticipated from its long-range
environmental transport, and a short statement indicating the need for global control.

The proposing Party shall, to the extent possible and taking into account its capabilities, provide additional
information to support the review of the proposal referred to in paragraph 6 of Article 8. In developing such a
proposal, a Party may draw on technical expertise from any source.

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ANNEX E

INFORMATION REQUIREMENTS FOR THE RISK PROFILE

The purpose of the review is to evaluate whether the chemical is likely, as a result of its long-range environmental transport,
to lead to significant adverse human health and/or environmental effects, such that global action is warranted. For this
purpose, a risk profile shall be developed that further elaborates on, and evaluates, the information referred to in Annex D
and includes, as far as possible, the following types of information:

(a)

sources, including as appropriate:

(i)

production data, including quantity and location;

(ii)

uses; and

(iii)

releases, such as discharges, losses and emissions;

(b)

(c)

hazard assessment for the endpoint or endpoints of concern, including a consideration of toxicological interactions
involving multiple chemicals;

environmental fate, including data and information on the chemical and physical properties of a chemical as well as its
persistence and how they are linked to its environmental transport, transfer within and between environmental
compartments, degradation and transformation to other chemicals. A determination of the bio‑concentration factor
or bio-accumulation factor, based on measured values, shall be available, except when monitoring data are judged to
meet this need;

(d) monitoring data;

(e)

(f)

exposure in local areas and, in particular, as a result of long‑range environmental transport, and including information
regarding bio‑availability;

national and international
classifications, as available; and

risk evaluations, assessments or profiles and labelling information and hazard

(g)

status of the chemical under international conventions.

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ANNEX F

INFORMATION ON SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONSIDERATIONS

An evaluation should be undertaken regarding possible control measures for chemicals under consideration for inclusion in
this Convention, encompassing the full range of options, including management and elimination. For this purpose, relevant
information should be provided relating to socio-economic considerations associated with possible control measures to
enable a decision to be taken by the Conference of the Parties. Such information should reflect due regard for the differing
capabilities and conditions among the Parties and should include consideration of the following indicative list of items:

(a)

efficacy and efficiency of possible control measures in meeting risk reduction goals:

(i)

technical feasibility; and

(ii)

costs, including environmental and health costs;

(b)

alternatives (products and processes):

(i)

technical feasibility;

(ii)

costs, including environmental and health costs;

(iii)

efficacy;

(iv)

risk;

(v)

availability; and

(vi)

accessibility;

(c)

positive and/or negative impacts on society of implementing possible control measures:

(i)

health, including public, environmental and occupational health;

(ii)

agriculture, including aquaculture and forestry;

(iii)

biota (biodiversity);

(iv)

economic aspects;

(v) movement towards sustainable development; and

(vi)

social costs;

(d) waste and disposal implications (in particular, obsolete stocks of pesticides and clean-up of contaminated sites):

(i)

technical feasibility; and

(ii)

cost;

(e)

access to information and public education;

(f)

status of control and monitoring capacity; and

(g)

any national or regional control actions taken,
management information.

including information on alternatives, and other relevant risk

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ANNEX

Declaration by the community in accordance with Article 25(3) of the Convention

The Community declares that, in accordance with the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular
Article 175 thereof, it is competent for entering into international environmental agreements, and for implementing the
obligations resulting therefrom, which contribute to the pursuit of the following objectives:

— preserving, protecting and improving the quality of the environment,

— protecting human health,

— prudent and rational utilisation of natural resources,

— promoting measures at international level to deal with regional or worldwide environmental problems.

Moreover, the Community declares that it has already adopted legal instruments, binding on its Member States, covering
matters governed by this Convention, and will submit and update, as appropriate, a list of those legal instruments to the
Conference of the Parties in accordance with Article 15(1) of the Convention.

The Community is responsible for the performance of those obligations resulting from the Convention which are covered
by Community law in force.

The exercise of Community competence is, by its nature, subject to continuous development.