Decision
IV/
25.
Essential
uses
1.
To
apply
the
following
criteria
and
procedure
in
assessing
an
essential
use
for
the
purposes
of
control
measures
in
Article
2
of
the
Protocol:

(
a)
That
a
use
of
a
controlled
substance
should
qualify
as
"
essential"
only
if:

(
i)
It
is
necessary
for
the
health,
safety
or
is
critical
for
the
functioning
of
society
(
encompassing
cultural
and
intellectual
aspects);
and
(
ii)
There
are
no
available
technically
and
economically
feasible
alternatives
or
substitutes
that
are
acceptable
from
the
standpoint
of
environment
and
health;

(
b)
That
production
and
consumption,
if
any,
of
a
controlled
substance
for
essential
uses
should
be
permitted
only
if:

(
i)
All
economically
feasible
steps
have
been
taken
to
minimize
the
essential
use
and
any
associated
emission
of
the
controlled
substance;
and
(
ii)
The
controlled
substance
is
not
available
in
sufficient
quantity
and
quality
from
existing
stocks
of
banked
or
recycled
controlled
substances,
also
bearing
in
mind
the
developing
countries'
need
for
controlled
substances;

(
c)
That
production,
if
any,
for
essential
use,
will
be
in
addition
to
production
to
supply
the
basic
domestic
needs
of
the
Parties
operating
under
paragraph
1
of
Article
5
of
the
Protocol
prior
to
the
phase­
out
of
the
controlled
substances
in
those
countries;

2.
To
request
each
of
the
Parties
to
nominate,
in
accordance
with
the
criteria
approved
in
paragraph
1
(
a)
of
the
present
decision,
any
use
it
considers
"
essential",
to
the
Secretariat
at
least
six
months
for
halons
and
nine
months
for
other
substances
prior
to
each
Meeting
of
the
Parties
that
is
to
decide
on
this
issue;

3.
To
request
the
Technology
and
Economic
Assessment
Panel
and
its
Technical
and
Economic
Options
Committee
to
develop,
in
accordance
with
the
criteria
in
paragraphs
1
(
a)
and
1
(
b)
of
the
present
decision,
recommendations
on
the
nominations,
after
consultations
with
experts
as
necessary,
regarding:

(
a)
The
essential
use
(
substance,
quantity,
quality,
expected
duration
of
essential
use,
duration
of
production
or
import
necessary
to
meet
such
essential
use);

(
b)
Economically
feasible
use
and
emission
controls
for
the
proposed
essential
use;

(
c)
Sources
of
already
produced
controlled
substances
for
the
proposed
essential
use
(
quantity,
quality,
timing);
and
(
d)
Steps
necessary
to
ensure
that
alternatives
and
substitutes
are
available
as
soon
as
possible
for
the
proposed
essential
use;

4.
To
request
the
Technology
and
Economic
Assessment
Panel,
while
making
its
recommendations
to
take
into
account
the
environmental
acceptability,
health
effects,
economic
feasibility,
availability,
and
regulatory
status
of
alternatives
and
substitutes;

5.
To
request
the
Technology
and
Economic
Assessment
Panel
to
submit
its
report,
through
the
Secretariat,
at
least
three
months
before
the
Meeting
of
the
Parties
in
which
a
decision
is
to
be
taken.
The
subsequent
reports
will
also
consider
which
previously
qualified
essential
uses
should
no
longer
qualify
as
essential;

6.
To
request
the
Open­
ended
Working
Group
of
the
Parties
to
consider
the
report
of
the
Technology
and
Economic
Assessment
Panel
and
make
its
recommendations
to
the
Fifth
Meeting
of
the
Parties
for
halons
and
at
the
Sixth
Meeting
for
all
other
substances
for
which
an
essential
use
is
proposed;

7.
That
essential
use
controls
will
not
be
applicable
to
Parties
operating
under
paragraph
1
of
Article
5
of
the
Protocol
until
the
phase­
out
dates
applicable
to
those
Parties;
