1989 Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal

Basel Convention

• International Law Documents
  • Environment

United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

“Article 20: Settlement of Disputes

1. In case of a dispute between Parties as to the interpretation or application of, or compliance with, this Convention or any protocol thereto, they shall seek a settlement of the dispute through negotiation or any other peaceful means of their own choice.
2. If the Parties concerned cannot settle their dispute through the means mentioned in the preceding paragraph, the dispute, if the Parties to the dispute agree, shall be submitted to the International Court of Justice or to arbitration under the conditions set out in Annex VI on Arbitration. However, failure to reach common agreement on submission of the dispute to the International Court of Justice or to arbitration shall not absolve the Parties from the responsibility of continuing to seek to resolve it by the means referred to in paragraph 1.
3. When ratifying, accepting, approving, formally confirming or acceding to this Convention, or at any time thereafter, a State or political and/ or economic integration organization may declare that it recognizes as compulsory ipso facto and without special agreement, in relation to any Party accepting the same obligation:
(a) submission of the dispute to the International Court of Justice;
and/or
(b) arbitration in accordance with the procedures set out in Annex VI.

Such declaration shall be notified in writing to the Secretariat which shall communicate it to the Parties.”

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Annex I: Categories of wastes to be controlled

Annex II: Categories of wastes requiring special consideration

Annex III: List of hazardous characteristics

Annex IV: Disposal operations

Annex V A: Information to be provided on notification

Annex V B: Information to be provided on the movement document

Annex VI: Arbitration

Annex VII (not yet entered into force)

Annex VIII: List A

Annex IX: List B

05/05/1992

“Article 25: Entry into Force

1. This Convention shall enter into force on the ninetieth day after the date of deposit of the twentieth instrument of ratification, acceptance, formal confirmation, approval or accession.

2. For each State or political and/or economic integration organization which ratifies, accepts, approves or formally confirms this Convention or accedes thereto after the date of the deposit of the twentieth instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval, formal confirmation or accession, it shall enter into force on the ninetieth day after the date of deposit by such State or political and/or economic integration organization of its instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval, formal confirmation or accession.

3. For the purpose of paragraphs 1 and 2 above, any instrument deposited by a political and/or economic integration organization shall not be counted as additional to those deposited by member States of such organization.”

1995 Protocol on Liability and Compensation for Damage Resulting from Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal

1995 Amendment to the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal

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1957 Recommendations of the United Nations Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods

1972 Declaration of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment

1982 World Charter for Nature

1987 Cairo Guidelines and Principles for the Environmentally Sound Management of Hazardous Wastes

2002-2010 Strategic Plan for the Implementation of the Basel Convention

2008 Bali Declaration on Waste Management for Human Health and Livelihood

Secretariat of the Basel Convention accessed on 10/10/2019

The Convention text here incorporates the amendments from 1995 and 1998. 

In 2019, the fourteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties adopted further amendments to Annexes II, VIII and IX to the Convention by amending or inserting entries on plastic waste. The text of these amendments are still being finalised and are not yet available on the Convention website.