Noting differences in data on imports and exports of controlled substances submitted by the parties under Article 7 of the Montreal Protocol, and recognizing that while such shipments may have plausible explanations such as shipments over the end of a calendar year or the submission of incomplete data, they may also result from illegal trade activities or from not complying with domestic legislation without criminal intent,

Noting also that in the Article 7 data reporting format, as last revised by decision XVII/16, parties exporting controlled substances are requested to submit to the Ozone Secretariat information on countries of destination, while there is no request for parties importing controlled substances with regard to the country of origin,

Noting further that the absence of a request for importing countries to submit information on source countries makes the process of clarification of differences complex and burdensome for both importing and exporting countries,

Mindful that the further improvement of data reporting systems will facilitate the prevention of the illegal trade in controlled substances,

Recalling decisions IV/14 and IX/34, which provided some clarification on how to report transhipments and imports for re-export and thereby provided an indication on what country is to be considered as country of origin,

1. To request the Ozone Secretariat to revise, before 1 January 2013, the reporting format resulting from decision XVII/16 to include in the data forms an annex indicating the exporting party for the quantities reported as import, and noting that the annex is excluded from the reporting requirements under Article 7 and that the provision of the information in the annex would be done on a voluntary basis;
2. To request the Ozone Secretariat to compile every January aggregated information on controlled substances by annex and group received from the importing/re-importing party and to provide this uniquely and solely to the exporting party concerned when requested, in a manner that will maintain information deemed to be confidential in accordance with decision I/11;
3. To invite parties to enhance cooperation with the view to clarifying any differences in import and export data as provided by the Ozone Secretariat in accordance with paragraph 2 above;
4. To invite parties to consider participation in the informal Prior Informed Consent (iPIC) scheme as a means to improve information about their potential imports of controlled substances;