Noting

with appreciation the work undertaken by the Chemicals Technical Options Committee and the Methyl Bromide Technical Options Committee in considering, in accordance with decision XVII/10, the relevance to laboratory and analytical critical uses of methyl bromide of the categories of uses listed in annex IV to the report of the Seventh Meeting of the Parties,

Acknowledging that in decision VII/11, adopted in 1995, Parties were encouraged to identify and review the use of ozone-depleting substances in order to adopt where possible ozone-depleting substance‑free technologies,

Noting that the aforementioned committees have reported that alternatives to methyl bromide are available for many laboratory and analytical critical uses, including methylating agent uses,

Noting that the aforementioned committees were not in favour of classifying field trials using methyl bromide as laboratory and analytical critical uses because of the impracticality and cost of using a large number of small containers of 99 per cent pure methyl bromide and that Parties wishing to carry out such field trials could submit critical-use nominations for that purpose,

Recognizing that some laboratory and analytical critical uses listed in the committees’ report are applicable to both quarantine and pre-shipment and to feedstock uses, which are not controlled under the Montreal Protocol,

1. To authorize, for Parties not operating under paragraph 1 of Article 5, the production and consumption of the controlled substance in Annex E of the Protocol necessary to satisfy laboratory and analytical critical uses and subject to the conditions established in paragraph 2 of the present decision;
2. Subject to the conditions applied to the exemption for laboratory and analytical uses contained in annex II to the report of the Sixth Meeting of the Parties , to adopt a category of laboratory and analytical critical use to allow methyl bromide to be used:
   1. As a reference or standard:
      1. To calibrate equipment which uses methyl bromide;
      2. To monitor methyl bromide emission levels;
      3. To determine methyl bromide residue levels in goods, plants and commodities;
   2. In laboratory toxicological studies;
   3. To compare the efficacy of methyl bromide and its alternatives inside a laboratory;
   4. As a laboratory agent which is destroyed in a chemical reaction in the manner of feedstock;
3. That any decision taken pursuant to the present decision does not preclude a Party from nominating a specific use under the critical use procedure described in decision IX/6.