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- Meetings of the Conferences of the Parties (COPs) to the Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm Conventions Held
Meetings of the Conferences of the Parties (COPs) to the Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm Conventions Held
May 13, 2025
Joint Press Release with the Ministry of Environment
From Monday, April 28 to Friday, May 9, 2025, in Geneva, Switzerland, the 12th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COPs) to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (Stockholm Convention), the 17th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal (Basel Convention), and the 12th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade (Rotterdam Convention) were jointly held. These three conventions all relate to chemical substances and waste, and attendees discussed technical and operational challenges related to each convention. In addition, they also discussed how to strengthen synergy among the three conventions and the implementation of effective measures through collaboration with relevant international organizations and frameworks.
1．Key outcomes from the meetings
The parties decided to list chlorpyrifos, medium-chain chlorinated paraffins, and long-chain perfluorocarboxylic acids (LC-PFCA), their salts and related compounds to Annex A to the Stockholm Convention.
Concerning the Basel Convention, the parties discussed improvement of the Prior Informed Consent procedure (PIC procedure) in which the exporting state is required to send the advance notice to the destination state and receive the consent from the state of import, and considered the review of Annex IV.
Regarding the Rotterdam Convention, the parties decided to list carbosulfan and fenthion to the chemicals subject to the Rotterdam Convention.
2． Overview on Meeting of the COPs to each convention
(1) Venue and dates (local time)
- Venue:
- Geneva, Switzerland
- Dates:
- From April 28 (Mon.) to May 9 (Fri.), 2025
(2) Main agenda items
Stockholm Convention
- Listing new POPs to Annex A to the convention
- Chlorpyrifos (pesticide)
- Medium-chain chlorinated paraffins (MCCP: Metalworking fluids, raw materials for flame retardant)
- Long-chain perfluorocarboxylic acids (LC-PFCA), their salts and related compounds (Fluoropolymer-based processing aid, surface active agents)
- Review of the acceptable purposes and the specific exemptions
- Evaluating the convention’s effectiveness
Basel Convention
- Discussions on the improvement of the strategic framework
- Discussions on the improvement of the PIC procedure
- Discussions on the review of Annex IV (which defines the type of disposal operation)
- Discussions on technical guidelines on POPs wastes
Rotterdam Convention
- Listing subject chemicals to Annex III (carbosulfan, fenthion)
Joint Session of the COPs to the Three Conventions
- Matters related to the implementation of the conventions (budgets, compliance, funding, technical assistance, etc.)
- Strengthening synergy among the three conventions
- Cooperation with the Minamata Convention on Mercury
- Cooperation with other relevant international organizations and frameworks
(3) Attendees from Japan
Delegation from the Japanese government comprised of representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of the Environment, and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry attended.
(4) Next meeting
The next meeting will be held in Panama (Republic of Panama) from April 19 to 30, 2027.
The meetings of the three COPs will once again be held in succession, with the common issues to all Conventions to be discussed in the joint session.
[Reference] Webpages related to the Conventions (in Japanese)
- Related information on the Stockholm Convention
- Related information on the Basel Convention
- Related information on the Rotterdam Convention
Divisions in Charge
Information on the Stockholm Convention and the Rotterdam Convention
Chemical Management Policy Division, Industrial and Product Safety Policy Group
Information on the Basel Convention
Resource Efficiency and Circular Economy Division, GX Policy Group