Overview

Work undertaken by the small intersessional working group

At its tenth meeting, the Conference of the Parties, in its decision SC-10/7, expressed its appreciation to the lead country, Colombia, and to the small intersessional working group on PCB for their work and requested the small intersessional working group and the Secretariat to continue to undertake the activities referred to in decision SC-9/3.

Thanks to the generous financial support provided by the European Union and the Governments of France, Germany and Norway, the small intersessional working group on PCB, through online meetings held on 8 July 2020, 21 October 2020, 22 April 2021, 30 November 2021 and 6 May 2022, and a face-to-face meeting, held in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, from 5 to 8 December 2022, assisted the Secretariat in preparing the documents requested in paragraphs 6 and 9 of decision SC-9/3 and paragraph 8 of decision SC-10/7:

• A report on progress towards the elimination of PCB (UNEP/POPS/COP.11/INF/11);
• Guidance for development of PCB inventories and analysis of PCB (UNEP/POPS/COP.11/INF/12);
• A draft strategy for Parties to meet the 2025 and 2028 goals of the Stockholm Convention (UNEP/POPS/COP.11/INF/13).

Under Decision SC-11/X, The Conference of the Parties decided to re-establish the small intersessional working group, working by electronic means and, subject to the availability of resources, through face-to-face meetings, to assist the Secretariat in preparing, for consideration by the Conference of the Parties at its thirteenth meeting:

• A report on progress towards the elimination of polychlorinated biphenyls;
• Revised guidance for the development of inventories of polychlorinated biphenyls and analysis of polychlorinated biphenyls and revised versions of other guidance relevant to polychlorinated biphenyls available under the Stockholm Convention, taking into account the comments received in accordance with paragraph 3 of the present decision;
• A revised strategy for Parties to meet the 2025 and 2028 goals of the Stockholm Convention, taking into account the comments received in accordance with paragraph 3 of the present decision;

Parties to consider serving as lead country of the small intersessional working group and to inform the Secretariat accordingly by 31 August 2023.

Parties and observers to nominate experts, taking due consideration of regional and gender balance and of relevant expertise, to participate in the small intersessional working group and to inform the Secretariat of their nominations by 31 August 2023.

Workplan for the 2023-2024 intersessional period for the PCB SIWG

For further information please contact Mr. Agustin Harte, Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions (agustin.harte@un.org).