International Basel Convention

he Basel Convention proposed in February 2011 a first draft Technical Guidance on the trans-boundary shipment of e-waste which was adopted on May 2015 by the 12th meeting of the Conference of Parties (COP12).

The guidance adds additional requirements to the transboundary shipment of used equipment trying to limit the flux of illegal waste shipped under the false claim of being used EEE for re-use. If requirements are not fullfilled, the border authorities are suggested to consider the shipment as an illegal shipment of waste.

The initially proposed additional requirements of “functionality testing” would harm in particular refurbishment activities of medical devices.

COCIR has been participating from the very beginning to the definition of the Guidelines providing contributions, co-signed with other Medical Industry Associations, trying to avoid negative consequences on legitimate activities of repair, refurbishment and failure analysis of used medical devices.

In May 2015, the Conference of Parties (COP 12) adopted the Guidelines which contains a set of criteria that do no impose excessive burden on manufacturers of medical devices. Nonetheless it can be expected that Parties will introduce new requirements in their national legislation which may affect shipments of used medical devices according to the indication of the guidelines.

International Basel Convention

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