Partnership with mobile phone manufacturers- A first
Bern, 13.12.2002 - A partnership launched by Switzerland was signed in Geneva with leading global mobile phone manufacturers. In the view of SAEFL Director, Philippe Roch, this was the highlight of the 6th meeting of the Conference of Contracting Parties to the Basel Convention that ended today. The conference also decided to set up a committee intended to monitor compliance with the convention.
Switzerland was able to successfully conclude its three year presidency of the Basel Convention with the sixth meeting of the Conference of Contracting Parties in Geneva. For SAEFL Director, Philippe Roch, who has chaired the Basel Convention since 1999, the partnership signed on Thursday with the ten leading mobile phone manufacturers is the highlight of the conference.
It is the first time that a business sector has decided to work in partnership with the Basel Convention to solve environmental problems arising through the production, use or disposal of mobile phones. For Philippe Roch, this example of cooperation paves the way for further partnerships with industry and business within the framework of implementing its strategic plan.
The strategic plan adopted in Geneva aims, in the next ten years, to create access for each state to dispose of its wastes in an environmentally sound manner. Concrete projects within the scope of the action plan should aid the achievement of this objective. Regional centres of the Basel Convention should be established on all continents and in the case of those that already exist, their effectiveness should be reinforced.
A breakthrough was achieved at the conference with regard to the protocol on public liability. The protocol which was drawn up three years ago at the fifth meeting of the Conference of Contracting Parties in Basel was adopted in Geneva. Consequently, the process of ratification can begin. The public liability protocol regulates liability in the event of damage caused by transboundary movements of hazardous wastes.
Furthermore, the Basel Convention is at last to have a control instrument: The 152 Contracting Parties have decided to set up a 15 member Compliance Committee which can be called upon if there is a suspicion that partners are failing to comply with the provisions of the Basel Convention.
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