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Recalling decision RC-7/5 and welcoming the intersessional work undertaken to enhance the effectiveness of the Rotterdam Convention, including the process of listing chemicals in Annex III,
Taking into account the circumstances and particular requirements of developing countries and countries with economies in transition, in particular the need to strengthen national capabilities and capacities for the management of chemicals, including transfer of technology, providing financial and technical assistance and promoting cooperation among the Parties,
Recalling the discussions during its eighth meeting and noting all the efforts and proposals to enhance the effectiveness of the Convention undertaken and put forward to date,
1.Takes note of the various options for enhancing the effectiveness of the Rotterdam Convention, including by improving the prior informed consent procedure, improving the listing process and considering cross-cutting issues such as the provision of technical and financial assistance;
2.Requests the Secretariat to develop an online survey to gather information on priority actions to enhance the effectiveness of the Convention and key information gaps related to such actions, to be sent to Parties by 30 June 2017 with an invitation to complete the survey by 31 October 2017;
3.Also requests the Secretariat, subject to the availability of resources, to compile the results of the survey mentioned in paragraph 2 above and to prepare by 15 January 2018 a report analysing the legal and operational implications of the priority actions received pursuant to paragraph 2 above;
4.Further requests the Secretariat to make the report referred to in paragraph 3 above available to Parties and others for comments by 31 March 2018 and to compile the comments received;
5.Decides to establish a working group with membership composed of representatives from Parties to identify, on the basis of the report developed pursuant to paragraph 3 above and the comments received pursuant to paragraph 4 above, a set of prioritized recommendations for enhancing the effectiveness of the Convention and to prepare a report identifying further steps for consideration by the Conference of the Parties at its ninth meeting;
6.Invites Parties to nominate representatives to participate in the working group and to inform the Secretariat of their nominations by 30 September 2017;
7.Decides that the abovementioned working group shall operate by electronic means, be open to participation by non-Party States and, subject to the availability of resources, hold face-to-face meetings;
8.Notes that paragraph 1 of rule 45 of the rules of procedure states that “Parties shall make every effort to reach agreement on all matters of substance by consensus. [If all efforts to reach consensus have been exhausted and no agreement has been reached, the decision shall, as a last resort, be taken by a two-thirds majority vote of the Parties present and voting, unless otherwise provided by the Convention, by the financial rules referred to in article 18, paragraph 4 of the Convention, or by the rules of procedure.]”