Participants at INC-7 gathered to consider a series of issues that mark the "twilight zone" separating the Rotterdam Convention's adoption and its entry into force, a zone patrolled by transitional complexities surrounding discontinuation of the interim PIC procedure. In spite of a heavy agenda, a show of new faces and a tendency to seek further advice on complex questions, delegates dispensed with many agenda items ahead of schedule and, in a cooperative spirit, made measured progress on many of the issues at hand. With Convention ratifications now at eleven out of the required fifty, delegates left INC-7 satisfied with their progress but also cognizant that much work remains in the period leading up to the first Conference of the Parties.

See the ENB Summary and Analysis for a full report of INC-7

In closing remarks, Chair Rodrigues thanked delegates, the Secretariat and the Bureau for completing the work as scheduled. She wished participants a safe journey home and looked forward to seeing them at INC-8 in Rome. Chair Rodrigues gaveled INC-7 to a close at 1:10 pm.

Legal Drafting Group Chair Patrick Szell, UK, presented the report of the Group. He said the report was not final but reflected progress made by the Group, and that they only had time to cover rules of procedure, and not arbitration and conciliation procedures.

Chair Rodrigues thanks the members of the Legal Drafting Group and comments on their future work.

Nigeria, on behalf of the African Group, congratulated the Secretariat and participants for helping to achieve the goals of the meeting. He presented a African Group Declaration that: reaffirmed Africa's commitment with the Convention; noted the lack of an international legal framework to address illicit trafficking; underscored the need for assistance in building the region capacity for successful implementation; and invited other stakeholders from the private sector to implement UNEP and FAO's codes of conduct on international trade in chemicals and pesticides.