The Council of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) will discuss a proposal from Norway & Switzerland to introduce in the draft decision on mercury, further international long-term actions. The upcoming "Governing Council" will be held in Nairobi from 21-25 Feb/05. Many options for further action in the long-term were part of the UNEP Global Mercury Assessment. Several of these actions were not incorporated in the Mercury Programme that was established in February 2003, but governments & other relevant organisations were asked to submit views on further international actions on heavy metals, including a legally binding instrument. The draft decision by Norway & Switzerland incorporates action to undertake the first steps for developing such a legally binding instrument.
