Fourth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs COP4)

	Donald Cooper, Executive Secretary, Stockholm Convention, delivered his opening address to COP4.

The fourth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP4) to the Stockholm Convention opened in Geneva, Switzerland on  Monday, 4 May 2009. Delegates heard opening addresses by Ndiaye Cheikh Sylla, Senegal, and Donald Cooper, Executive  Secretary of the Stockholm Convention and addressed organizational matters during the morning plenary. 

Delegates initiated a discussion on substantive matters, including the listing of new chemicals in Annexes A, B or C of the Convention, in the early afternoon. The nine new chemicals were considered individually, with parties addressing technical and political issues regarding the inclusion of the chemicals. Delegates tasked the Secretariat to prepare draft decisions for listing six chemicals (chlordecone, hexabromobiphenyl (HBB), lindane, alpha-HCH, beta-HCH and pentachlorobenzene (PeCB)) in the Convention.

Three chemicals (c-octaBDE, c-pentaBDE, PFOS) were referred to a contact group on new chemicals, chaired by John Roberts (UK), for further deliberation. The contact group began its work on Monday evening.

Delegates discussed matters related to the POPRC including membership, conflict of interest and terms of reference for the POPRC. Delegates referred the issue of terms of reference to a Friends of the President group.

Late in the afternoon, delegates discussed the issue of non-compliance. After an initial exchange of views delegates agreed to convene a contact group on non-compliance, chaired by Anne Daniel (Canada).