Further resources

Procedures and Mechanisms on Implementation and Compliance with the Basel and Rotterdam Conventions
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Overview and Mandate

Compliance matters fall within the competence of the Compliance Committee

Information about the Compliance Committee (mandate, membership, history) is available in the Convention section of the website. The Rotterdam Convention Compliance Committee has a dual mandate: the general compliance issues mandate and the submissions mandate.

General Compliance Issues Mandate

In accordance with paragraph 25 of Annex VII to the Rotterdam Convention, the Committee may examine systemic issues of general compliance of interest to all Parties where:
    1. The Conference of the Parties so requests;
    2. The Committee, on the basis of information obtained by the Secretariat, while acting pursuant to its functions under the Convention, from Parties and submitted to the Committee by the Secretariat, decides that there is a need for an issue of general non-compliance to be examined and for a report on it to be made to the Conference of the Parties.

In accordance with paragraph 22 of Annex VII to the Convention, the Committee for the purpose of examining systematic issues of general compliance may:

    1. Request information from all Parties;
    2. In accordance with relevant guidance by the Conference of the Parties, request relevant information from any reliable sources and outside experts;
    3. Consult with the Secretariat and draw upon its experience and knowledge base.

The Committee reports to the Conference of the Parties - in accordance with paragraph 26 of Annex VII, it submits a report to each ordinary meeting of the Conference of the Parties reflecting the work done and the Committee’s conclusions or recommendations.

Submissions Mandate

The Committee plays an important role in assisting individual Parties. In accordance with paragraph 19 of Annex VII, the Committee considers any submission made to it under paragraph 12 or in furtherance of paragraph 13 of Annex VII, with a view to establishing the facts and root causes of the matter of concern and to assisting in its resolution. The Committee may also provide a Party with advice, non-binding recommendations or further information as part of the facilitation procedure paragraph 19, and make recommendations to the Conference of the Parties on additional measures under paragraph 20.

Paragraphs 12 and 13 of Annex VII specify who may initiate specific submissions (a Party self-submission, a Party-to-Party submission or a Committee submission). The content and form of the submissions are also set out in paragraphs 12 -15.

The Committee submits a report to each ordinary meeting of the Conference of the Parties reflecting the work that it has done and its conclusions or recommendations in relation to the specific submissions mandate as well paragraph 26 of Annex VII.