Hazardous wastes: control of transboundary movements (amendment to the Basel Convention)

OBJECTIVE: the proposal for a decision seeks to enable the deposit of the instrument of approval, on behalf of the Community, of the amendment to the Basel Convention on the control of transboundary movements of hazardous wastes and their disposal, as laid down in Decision III/1 of the Parties to the Convention. SUBSTANCE: Decision III/1, adopted by consensus in September 1995 by the Third Conference of the Parties to the Basel Convention, establishes an immediate prohibition of transboundary movements of hazardous waste destined for final disposal, and a prohibition as of 1 January 1998 of transboundary movements of hazardous waste destined for recovery operations, from countries listed in Annex VII to the Convention to countries not listed. Annex VII contains the following countries members of the EC, OECD and Liechtenstein. In view of the deadline set and taking into account that enabling legislation is already in place (Council Regulation 120/97/EC amending Regulation 259/93), it is considered opportune to formally approve of the amendment to the Convention on behalf of the Community as soon as possible. �