During the conference, the European Union presented a Proposal to amend annexes A and B to the Minamata convention on Mercury, expanding the list of mercury-added products and their alternatives. The proposal is to be considered at the in-person segment of the conference (COP4.2). For its part, Indonesia tabled a draft non-legally binding Declaration for endorsement at COP4.2 by Parties’ Heads of Delegations and other countries on the need to promote regional and international cooperation to better monitor worldwide illegal trade of mercury. It is anticipated that EU and its Member States will, in principle, support such a declaration.

After a week of intense work, outcomes of the meeting were evaluated as very positive, considering the challenges of the virtual format.

Parties stressed the importance of effectiveness evaluation as a crucial element in meeting the main objective of protecting human health and the environment from toxic mercury. A review of the Convention’s effectiveness in eradicating anthropogenic mercury emissions and releases will begin in 2023. The need to provide a robust framework for the review, based on scientific evidence and data transparency, is an issue that will be discussed intensively in the coming months, so as to be consolidated in the next segment of the COP.

Another milestone for the parties will be the first full cycle of national reports on the implementation of the Convention, which are due for submission by 31 December 2021. The meeting applauded the extensive rating response received from the first short reporting cycle in 2019, with 89% compliance and a draft guidance prepared by the Secretariat to support parties in the preparation of the reports, which should be adopted during the COP-4 face-to-face session. Parties are already using the online reporting platform developed by the Secretariat, which has been accompanied by several virtual sessions to provide clarity and facilitate the preparation of the reports.

The COP-4 agenda also referred to the eighth replenishment of the Global Environment Facility (GEF), which will conclude early next year. Delegates unanimously supported the GEF's key role as one of the financial mechanisms of the Minamata Convention and its direct contribution to capacity building for treaty implementation in developing countries and countries with economies in transition.

In less than five months, the Conference of the Parties will meet again, this time in person, to continue the negotiation process by strengthening commitments to build a future free from the toxic effects of mercury.