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1.Emphasizes the role of the regional and coordinating centres as one of the main institutions for enhancing the provision of technical assistance and capacity-building as well as supporting the national efforts of developing countries and countries with economies in transition for the implementation of the chemicals and waste conventions;
2.Emphasizes the role of the regional centres in the promotion of technology transfer relating to the implementation of the Basel Convention and requests them to cooperate and coordinate among themselves on areas of expertise in which they are able to provide assistance;
3.Recalls the omnibus decision on enhancing cooperation and coordination among the Basel Convention, the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade and the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants adopted by the conferences of the parties to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions at their 2013 simultaneous extraordinary meetings,1 by which the conferences of the parties made recommendations on follow-up to the review of the synergies arrangements which, among others, underline that synergies should be enhanced at the national and regional levels, with particular attention to reinforcing cooperation and coordination and rationalization of the Stockholm Convention and Basel Convention regional centres;
4.Welcomes United Nations Environment Assembly resolution 1/5 on chemicals and waste, by which the Assembly acknowledged the role of the Basel and Stockholm convention regional centres to support the implementation of those conventions;
5.Takes into account the outcome document of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, “The future we want”, that highlights the critical role that the sound management of chemicals and waste can play in promoting sustainable development and emphasizes its great relevance to the post-2015 development agenda;
(a)The information provided in the note by the Secretariat on the Basel Convention regional and coordinating centres;2
(c)The framework agreements between the centres and the Secretariat referred to in paragraph 6 of the note by the Secretariat and the validity of all existing framework agreements listed in the annex to the present decision;
(e)The report on the activities of the regional centres;7
7.Notes that it has evaluated, in accordance with the interim criteria set out in annex I and the interim methodology set out in annex II to decision BC-11/13, the performance and sustainability of the 14 Basel Convention regional and coordinating centres established in accordance with decisions III/19, VI/6, VI/8 and VII/10;
8.Notes the performance of the regional and coordinating centres and calls for sustained efforts to enhance their performance and actions in supporting developing-country parties;
9.Underlines the need to have an efficient and effective network of centres through greater institutional coordination and the promotion of the exchange of information, lessons learned and cooperation among them on areas of expertise in which they provide assistance, through regular communication, including meetings of the centres and increased use of other means of communication;
(b)Their activity reports for the period 1 January 2015 to 31 December 2016 by 31 December 2016 for consideration by the Conference of the Parties at its thirteenth meeting;
(a)To prepare a report on the evaluation of the Basel Convention regional and coordinating centres, based on the interim criteria and the interim methodology referred to in paragraph 7 above, for consideration by the Conference of the Parties at its fourteenth meeting;
(b)To prepare a report on the activities of the Basel Convention regional and coordinating centres for consideration by the Conference of the Parties at its thirteenth meeting, including an assessment of how to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the network of centres;
(c)To consider possible adjustments to the interim criteria and interim methodology for evaluating the regional and coordinating centres set out in annexes I and II, respectively, of decision BC-11/13, taking into account lessons learned, the views of the centres, as well as the views of parties, for consideration by the Conference of the Parties at its thirteenth meeting, and invites the centres and parties to provide their views on these by 30 June 2016;
12.Decides to evaluate, in accordance with the interim criteria set out in annex I to decision BC-11/13, taking into account the possible adjustments referred to in paragraph 11 (c) above, the performance and sustainability of the Basel Convention regional and coordinating centres at its fourteenth meeting and every four years thereafter;
13.Invites developed country parties and other parties, in accordance with their capabilities, to consider ways to strengthen the regional delivery of technical assistance and the promotion of technology transfer under the Convention to promote the sound management of chemicals and wastes, sustainable development and the protection of human health and the environment and further invites them to consider opportunities for effective and efficient cooperation with the regional and coordinating centres in implementing the regional sound management of chemicals and wastes projects;
14.Takes note of the challenges faced by some regional centres and invites parties, as well as other regional centres in a position to do so, to cooperate with and support those regional centres through the exchange of best practices, the provision of technical assistance and the promotion of technology transfer;
15. Recalls that sustainable financial and technical resources are necessary for the centres to succeed in their work under the Convention and invites parties, observers and others in a position to do so, including industry and the wider private sector as well as relevant financial institutions, to provide financial support to enable the Basel Convention regional and coordinating centres to implement their workplans aimed at supporting parties in implementing their obligations under the Convention;
16.Invites all regional centres and coordinating centres undertaking activities on mercury‑related issues under the Convention, including projects and activities about the dissemination of information, capacity-building and technology transfer, to provide the relevant information, which will be taken into account by the Secretariat for the evaluation, in accordance with the applicable synergy criterion, and requests the Secretariat to forward that information to the interim secretariat of the Minamata Convention on Mercury for possible consideration by the intergovernmental negotiating committee to prepare a global legally binding instrument on mercury at its seventh session;
(a)To continue to recommend concrete activities on synergies between the regional centres of the Basel and Stockholm conventions and the regional offices of the United Nations Environment Programme and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and other related centres to the Conference of the Parties for possible decision;
(b)To continue to foster a synergistic approach in its relations with the regional centres of the Basel and Stockholm conventions and the regional offices of the United Nations Environment Programme and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and other related centres, while recognizing the specificities and mandate of each centre;
(c)To continue to organize meetings every two years between the directors of regional centres and the Secretariat, including possible observers as appropriate, and if possible to consider additional meetings, subject to the availability of resources;
(d)To submit a report on progress made in the implementation of the present decision for consideration by the Conference of the Parties at its next meeting.