On Friday, delegates convened for the final day of INC3.  In the morning, participants heard reports from the contact groups on information, and wastes, storage and contaminated sites. Following these reports, delegates reviewed and adopted the report of the meeting.

Delegates agreed to commence a range of intersessional work, including preparation of: a revised version of the draft text incorporating changes presented by the co-chairs of contact groups and the Legal Group; a proposal for Articles 15 and 16 of the draft text, on financial resources and mechanisms and technical assistance; and an approach for possible elements of Article 11, on releases to water and land.  

During closing statements, many delegates expressed appreciation for participants’ hard work throughout the week, commended the skillful leadership of Chair Lugris, and bade affectionate farewells to Per Bakken, UNEP Chemicals, and to Matthew Gubb, Secretariat, both of whom are taking on new challenges outside the mercury INC process. 

UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner thanked delegates and commended the commitment and conviction that fueled them as they worked late into the night throughout the week.

Chair Lugris gaveled the meeting to a close at 6:35pm. 

A summary and brief analysis of Mercury INC3 will be available on this site on Monday, 7th November 2011.