To enable Parties to the Convention to take measures to reduce or eliminate releases of POPs from intentional production and use, for which alternatives do not exist yet or are not readily available, the Convention allows Parties to register specific exemptions for a specific period of time as well as to register for acceptable purposes.
The difference between these provisions is that:
•In a specific exemption the Convention provides for a specific time frame when production and use will no longer be permitted when the Conference of the Parties has identified that alternatives are available but that more time is needed before all production or uses are eliminated;
•In an acceptable purpose the Conference of the Parties has determined that feasible alternatives are not yet available and permits on-going production and use until an alternative becomes available for that use.
To make use of a specific exemption or acceptable purpose, a Party needs to register it.
Annexes A and B to the Convention describe specific exemptions, as well as acceptable purposes, that are available with respect to the relevant POPs.