Noting with appreciation the work by the Technology and Economic Assessment Panel and its Methyl Bromide Technical Options Committee,

Recognizing the significant reductions made in critical-use nominations for methyl bromide in many parties,

Recalling paragraph 10 of decision XVII/9,

Recalling also that all parties that have nominated critical-use exemptions are to report data on stocks using the accounting framework agreed to by the Sixteenth Meeting of the Parties,

Recognizing that the production and consumption of methyl bromide for critical uses should be permitted only if methyl bromide is not available in sufficient quantity and quality from existing stocks of banked or recycled methyl bromide,

Recognizing also that parties operating under critical-use exemptions should take into account the extent to which methyl bromide is available in sufficient quantity and quality from existing stocks of banked or recycled methyl bromide in licensing,permitting or authorizing the production and consumption of methyl bromide for critical uses,

1. To permit, for the agreed critical-use categories for 2013 set forth in table A of the annex to the present decision for each party, subject to the conditions set forth in the present decision and in decision Ex.I/4 to the extent that those conditions are applicable, the levels of production and consumption for 2013 set forth in table B of the annex to the present decision which are necessary to satisfy critical uses, with the understanding that additional levels of production and consumption and categories of uses may be approved by the Meeting of the Parties in accordance with decision IX/6;
2. That parties shall endeavour to license, permit, authorize or allocate quantities of methyl bromide for critical uses as listed in table A of the annex to the present decision;
3. To recognize the continued contribution of the Methyl Bromide Technical Options Committee’s expertise and to agree that, in accordance with section 4.1 of the terms of reference of the Technology and Economic Assessment Panel, the Committee should ensure that it develops its recommendations in a consensus process that includes full discussion among all available Committee members and should ensure that members with relevant expertise are involved in developing its recommendations;
4. That each party that has an agreed critical-use exemption shall renew its commitment to ensuring that the criteria in paragraph 1 of decision IX/6, in particular the criterion laid down in paragraph 1 (b) (ii) of decision IX/6, are applied in licensing, permitting or authorizing critical uses of methyl bromide, with each party requested to report on the implementation of the present provision to the Ozone Secretariat by 1 February for the years to which the present decision applies;
5. To request the Technology and Economic Assessment Panel to ensure that its consideration of nominations analyse the impact of national, subnational, and local regulations and law on the potential use of methyl bromide alternatives, and include a description of the analysis in the critical use nomination report;
6. To urge parties operating under critical-use exemptions to put in place effective systems to discourage the accumulation of methyl bromide produced under the exemptions;

Annex to decision XXIII/4
Table A
Agreed critical-use categories for 2013 (metric tonnes)

Table B
Permitted levels of production and consumption for 2013 (metric tonnes)

* Minus available stocks.