On 26 August 2009, the depositary communicated the adoption of the amendment to Annexes A, B and C of the Stockholm Convention. As a result, the amendments entered into force on 26 August 2010 for all Parties that had not submitted a notification pursuant to the provisions of paragraph 3(b) of Article 22.
In accordance with paragraph 4 of article 22, an amendment to Annex A, B or C shall not enter into force with respect to any Party that has made a declaration with respect to amendment to those Annexes in accordance with paragraph 4 of article 25. Thus, such amendment shall enter into force for such a Party on the ninetieth day after the date of deposit with the depositary of its instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession with respect to such amendment.
For further information, please read the depositary notification below, which includes the texts of the amendments to Annexes A, B and C:
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Depositary notification
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There are 18 Parties that, in accordance with paragraph 4 of Article 25 of the Convention, had declared in their instruments of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession to become a Party to the Convention, that any amendment to Annexes A, B or C shall enter into force only upon deposit of their instruments of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession with respect to such amendments.
Countries that became Parties to the Stockholm Convention following the adoption of these amendments are bound to the whole of the Convention as amended.
The amendments add the following chemicals to Annexes A, B and/or C of the Convention: alpha hexachlorocyclohexane; beta hexachlorocyclohexane; chlordecone; hexabromobiphenyl; hexabromodiphenyl ether and heptabromodiphenyl ether (commercial octabromodiphenyl ether); lindane; pentachlorobenzene; perfluorooctane sulfonic acid, its salts and perfluorooactane sulfonyl fluoride; and tetrabromodiphenyl ether and pentabromodiphenyl ether (commercial pentabromodiphenyl ether). Several of these POPs are widely used worldwide, thus Parties will have to take action, control their production and use and reduce or eliminate their release into the environment.
One Party has notified the Depositary that it is unable to accept the amendments, in accordance with paragraphs 3 and 4 of Article 22 (see Notification below).
Notification by New Zealand of non-acceptance of the amendments (23 August 2010)
