Council
REPORT
Hundred and Thirty-first Session of the Council
(Rome, 20-25 November 2006)
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION - PROCEDURE OF THE SESSION
ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA AND TIMETABLE
WORLD FOOD AND AGRICULTURE SITUATION
PROGRAMME, BUDGETARY, FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS
PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTATION REPORT 2004-2005
Savings and Efficiencies in Governance
Other Matters Arising out of the Reports
FAO Audited Accounts 2004-2005 (Draft Resolution for the Conference)
Measures to Improve the Organization’s Cash Shortage Situation
Budgetary Performance 2004-2005
Other Matters Arising out of the Reports
IMPLEMENTATION OF CONFERENCE DECISIONS ON REFORMS AND PROPOSALS FROM THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL
PROGRESS ON THE INDEPENDENT EXTERNAL EVALUATION OF FAO
NEW INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENTS ON PESTICIDE MANAGEMENT
Annual Report of the WFP Executive Board on its Activities in 2005
Election of Six Members of the WFP Executive Board
CONSTITUTIONAL AND LEGAL MATTERS
Revised Statutes of the Western Central Atlantic Fishery Commission (WECAFC) (Resolution 1/131)
Streamlining of the Membership Rules of the Open Committees of the FAO Council (Draft Resolution for the Conference)
Representation of the Near East Region in the Finance Committee
Access by Members to Reports of the Office of the Inspector General
Personal Status for Purposes of Staff Entitlements
OTHER CONSTITUTIONAL AND LEGAL MATTERS
Invitations to Non-Member Nations to Attend FAO Sessions
Applications for Membership in the Organization
CALENDAR OF FAO GOVERNING BODIES AND OTHER MAIN
SESSIONS 2007-2008
TRIBUTE TO THE MEMORY OF MR FRANCOIS DAUPHIN AND MR RAFFAELE SUPPA, FORMER FAO STAFF MEMBERS
ADDRESS BY THE STAFF REPRESENTATIVE
APPENDICES
A Agenda for the Hundred and Thirty-first Session of the Council
B List of Delegates and Observers
C List of Documents
D Net salary scale for the General Service staff of the Rome-based United Nations system organizations (as of 1 November 2005) (Euros per annum)
E Calendar of FAO Governing Bodies and Other Main Sessions 2007-2008
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VERBS INDICATING DECISIONS, DIRECTIVES AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE COUNCIL ARE UNDERLINED |
1. The Hundred and Thirty-first Session of the Council was held in Rome from 20 to 25 November 2006 under the Chairpersonship of Mohammad Saeid Noori Naeini, Independent Chairperson of the Council.
2. The Director-General gave an introductory statement.
3. The Council noted the Declaration of Competence and Voting Rights presented by the European Community and adopted the Agenda and Timetable for the Session. The Agenda is attached to this report as Appendix A.
4. The Council welcomed the participation of the Russian Federation for the first time as a full Member of the Organization.
5. The Council elected three Vice-Chairpersons for its Session: Michael Tabong Kima (Cameroon), Guntram Freiherr von Schenck (Germany) and Hassane Abi Akar (Lebanon).
6. The Council elected Zohrab V. Malek (Armenia) as Chairperson of the Drafting Committee with the following membership: Angola, Armenia, Australia, Bangladesh, Brazil, Cameroon[3], Canada, Egypt, France, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Oman, Peru, Philippines and Sweden.
7. The Council expressed appreciation for the document CL 131/2, and generally concurred with its depiction of the current world food and agriculture situation. Many Members also provided additional information on the food, agriculture and food security situation in their respective countries.
8. The Council expressed its concern over the insufficient progress towards the World Food Summit target of halving the number of undernourished people by no later than 2015. It noted that some progress was being made towards Millennium Development Goal (MDG) One of halving the percentage of undernourished people by the same date. It also noted the wide variation in performance across the globe, with considerable progress in hunger reduction being made in some countries alongside stagnation, or even a deterioration, in several others. It underlined the urgent need for accelerating hunger reduction worldwide and for broadening the areas of progress, if the World Food Summit target was to be reached. The Council also noted with extreme concern the large number of food emergencies worldwide.
9. The Council recognized the central role of hunger reduction for the achievement of other MDGs and the need for implementing targeted programmes ensuring access to food for the most vulnerable and food insecure groups if accelerated progress towards the hunger and poverty reduction targets, as well as other MDG targets, was to be achieved.
10. The Council emphasized the strong negative repercussions of numerous armed conflicts, that exacerbated chronic food insecurity. It likewise took note of the critical role of climatic factors behind many food emergencies, as well as situations of chronic food insecurity and of the growing concerns over the possible negative impact of global climate change. It also referred with deep concern to the tragic and devastating effects of HIV/AIDS in numerous developing countries, with severe negative repercussions on food security.
11. The Council noted the recent tightening of the international market situation for many commodities, including certain basic foodstuffs. It also noted with concern the negative impact of rising prices on food import bills, especially of the Low-Income Food-Deficit Countries (LIFDCs), which were already experiencing a widening negative trade balance for agricultural products.
12. The Council stressed the crucial role of agriculture and rural development in order to achieve sustained reductions in undernourishment and poverty, particularly in the countries with the highest levels of food insecurity. In particular, the importance of focusing on the needs of smallholders was underlined. Enhanced investments in agriculture and rural development were stressed as crucial for success. The Council pointed to the importance both of governments increasing their own resources to agriculture and rural development at the national level and of expanding flows of external assistance directed towards the sector, especially towards the most food insecure countries. In this context, the Council stressed the multiple challenges and opportunities of bio-energy, which should be analyzed in more detail.
13. The Council noted the importance of international trade in agricultural products for promoting growth and food security and urged a rapid resumption of negotiations in the context of the Doha Round of the World Trade Organization (WTO) with a view to reaching a fair and balanced agreement. Several Members pointed out that the agricultural negotiations in the WTO should i) substantially increase market access and ii) remove trade-distorting subsidies that negatively affected exports. Several Members also emphasized the key role of FAO in assisting developing countries with technical assistance and capacity-building regarding trade and trade negotiations.
14. The Council referred to the negative effect of transboundary animal diseases, in particular Avian Influenza, on the growth of global livestock production, food security, as well as on the livelihood of small farmers. It commended FAO for its continuing important international role in effective Avian Influenza control.
15. The Council unanimously endorsed the Report of the Thirty-second Session of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS). It commended the Secretariat for the organization and conduct of the Special Forum which generated many interesting views on the hunger and poverty situation in the world, and raised concern regarding the lack of progress towards the World Food Summit goal. While some Members requested institutionalization of the Special Forum, others indicated they did not support such a proposal. Many Members requested that options for continued engagement of multi-stakeholders in future years be discussed at the next Session of the CFS.
16. The Council noted with satisfaction the steady progress with regard to the International Alliance Against Hunger (IAAH) and welcomed proposals for it to become increasingly self-financing in the future through mobilization of new resources, recognizing that FAO still had a significant catalytic role to play and that efforts should be undertaken to strengthen the dialogue and networking with other existing platforms also at regional and global level.
17. The Council recognized the “Initiative Latin America and Caribbean Without Hunger 2025” as an effort to promote the achievement of the objectives of the World Food Summit and the Millennium Development Goals.
18. The Council noted that emerging issues, that were at present intensively discussed internationally such as bio-fuels, agricultural biodiversity, climate change, as well as the use of the term “global public goods”, were raised in the CFS discussions.
19. The Council also noted that there were several countries calling for rapid implementation of the Voluntary Guidelines to Support the Progressive Realization of the Right to Adequate Food in the Context of National Food Security, but stressed the voluntary nature of the Guidelines.
20. While many Members requested the Secretariat to mainstream the Voluntary Guidelines its work programme, others opposed it.
21. Many Members invited FAO to increase its efforts to coordinate and cooperate with other United Nations organizations, especially with its sister organizations in Rome.
22. The Council welcomed the concise and more focused document and noted that the Programme Implementation Report (PIR) 2004-05 took due account of previous guidance from the Governing Bodies. In particular, it appreciated the clear reporting of achievements, including the integration of reporting on regional dimensions and extra-budgetary resources at the programme level.
23. The Council recalled that the PIR was an important accountability tool, covering both resource utilization and delivery of outputs in a given biennium. It took note of the reduction of programmatic fragmentation as demonstrated by the substantially-reduced number of planned biennial outputs compared with the previous biennium, and encouraged the Secretariat to continue this effort, contributing to efficiency and effectiveness, and to adopt a strategic approach leading to a more focused prioritization of objectives and activities. The Council recognized that an assessment of programme results and impacts was covered by auto-evaluation, and by independent programmatic and thematic evaluations.
24. The Council endorsed and elaborated upon the requests of the Programme and Finance Committees for further improvements in reporting on programme implementation in the next PIR:
- articulation of programme achievements or lack thereof in the context of planned and expected results, including more quantitative analysis of outputs produced and the results of auto-evaluations;
- more in-depth analysis on the contribution of TCP projects to areas within FAO’s mandate, including their overall catalytic role and relation to FAO’s programmes, including through support to capacity-building, as well as reporting on regional dimensions;
- inclusion of the contribution of collaboration with partners, in particular the Rome-based UN Agencies; and
- clearer presentation of the regional dimensions.
25. The Council was satisfied that the overall delivery under the Regular Programme had included full utilization of budgeted resources. It noted the record of achievements in the biennium and progress achieved on efficiency savings and coverage of certain languages. The Council recalled that the FAO Gender and Development Plan of Action provided a framework for mainstreaming of gender concerns in FAO’s programme entities and projects, that all programme entities planned their contributions to the Plan at output level, and that a separate biennial implementation report was provided to Conference.
26. While noting the improved gender balance and a more equitable geographic representation among the staff of the Organization, the Council encouraged the Secretariat to continue to pursue specific measures aimed at redressing the gender balance in the Professional and higher categories of staff and addressing the concerns regarding the variance in desirable ranges of geographic representation. It was, however, noted that the Secretariat should continue employing experts based primarily on their merit.
27. Many Members recalled the fundamental importance of the Technical Cooperation Programme, and requested the Secretariat to maintain the budget allocation and accelerate the delivery. In that respect, they requested the Secretariat to present proposals to strengthen the technical cooperation activities of the Organization.
28. The
Council received clarification on the initiation of consultative
multi-stakeholder processes to develop voluntary guidelines for planted forests
and for fire management. The Secretariat stressed the voluntary nature of these
guidelines. Some Members indicated that FAO had not been given a mandate to
develop legally-binding instruments in these areas. It was explained that this
work had been initiated at the request of countries and stakeholders in several
of the Organization’s Technical Committees. It was noted that this work was
ongoing and would be brought to the attention of the Eighteenth Session of the
FAO Committee on Forestry in
March 2007.
29. The Council endorsed the document for transmission to the Conference taking into consideration the above comments.
30. The Council recognized that, in accordance with operative paragraph 2 of Conference Resolution 7/2005 on the Budgetary Appropriations for the current biennium, the Joint Meeting of May 2006 had addressed proposals in the Revised PWB 2006-2007. It noted that the same document had also been examined at the individual sessions of the Committees, according to their respective mandates.
31. The Council was satisfied that the revised PWB had been approved by consensus by the Committees, thereby providing the basis for implementation of the Programme of Work in the current biennium. Some Members observed that subsequent to this endorsement, fuller appreciation had been possible of the extent of unbudgeted costs to be met by the Organization (Agenda Item 8), which would inevitably entail further adjustments in planned activities. The Council requested the Finance Committee at its May Session in 2007 to review the funding of such unbudgeted costs and to report the results to the Council.
32. The
Council recalled that the approval by the Committees was also based on guidance
to strengthen some areas, e.g. internal financial control and selected priority
programmes. The Council also noted that these had been incorporated in document
CL 131/18 and submitted
under Item 9: “Implementation of Conference Decisions and Further Proposals
from the
Director-General”.
33. In noting the guidance provided by the Programme Committee at its Session in May 2006, many Members called for greater programmatic and organizational visibility for work on sustainable development and on agrarian reform and rural development, and regretted its guidance that the Director-General find possible savings from programmes on advocacy and communications.
34. The Council endorsed the recommendation of the May 2006 Joint Meeting of the Programme and Finance Committees, which had also been reached at the respective sessions of the Committees, to postpone the issuance of the Medium-Term Plan 2008-13, also considering the outcome of the negotiations on the Report of the High-Level Panel on UN System-wide Coherence. It looked forward to the Independent External Evaluation of FAO (IEE) making proposals on the scope and modality of submission of the next Medium-Term Plan, as well as other major policy documents of the Organization.
35. The Council endorsed the recommendation made by the Joint Meeting at its Session of May 2006 that the back-to-back scheduling of CCP and COAG meetings should be continued since the arrangement had been satisfactory and since no further efficiency savings would be made by merging the two Committees. The Council also agreed with the recommendation that alternative arrangements could still be considered in the light of the outcome of the Independent External Evaluation. The Council acknowledged the call made by one Member for a review of the intergovernmental groups on commodities under the CCP by the Programme and Finance Committees for possible cost savings.
36. The Council noted that the May 2006 Joint Meeting had also examined possible options for improved planning and budgeting processes in FAO, and felt that the preliminary views provided on these options would constitute a useful input to the IEE.
37. The Council further recognized that the September 2006 Joint Meeting had discussed options for the funding of the General Service Salary Survey result (Item 8). It endorsed the unanimous recommendation that the contributions of the Russian Federation to the 2006-07 Programme of Work, amounting to US$ 7.5 million, be exceptionally treated as Miscellaneous Income in order to partially fund the unforeseen and unbudgeted General Service Salary Increase. The Council supported the Committees’ recommendation that the remaining US$ 6.4 million of the cost be charged to the Special Reserve Account, except for two Members who re-affirmed their opposition voiced at the time of the Joint Meeting. The Council looked forward to the Finance Committee’s separate submission of proposals on the possible replenishment of the Special Reserve Account, noting the opposition to replenishment by two Members.
38. In recalling the importance of strengthened cooperation among the Rome-based UN food and agriculture organizations, the Council looked forward to the consideration, by the May 2007 Joint Meeting, of a paper to be prepared by the Secretariat, exploring the extent to which closer and wider collaboration on “back-office” administrative and processing work could lead to overall savings in this area as a medium-term goal. The Council concurred with the identified need for Members to raise this matter in the other Rome-based UN organizations, as appropriate.
39. The Council endorsed the reports of the Joint Meetings, taking into consideration the above comments.
40. The Council recognized that, besides consideration at the September Session of the PIR 2004-05 and document CL 131/18 (covered separately under items 5 and 9, respectively), the Programme Committee was primarily engaged in a thorough examination at its May Session of the proposals in the Revised PWB 2006-07. As per established practice, the Committee also addressed at both sessions available evaluation reports in some depth.
41. The Council took note of the detailed observations made by the Programme Committee on the Revised PWB 2006-07. It appreciated the attention placed by the Committee on extra-budgetary programmes and resources. It looked forward to guidance from the Independent External Evaluation (IEE) on the provision of such information in future planning documents, with due regard to conciseness of such documentation.
42. As regards evaluation matters, the Council noted the comments made by the Committee in relation to important evaluation reports and management responses covering the following four areas: Partnerships and Alliances; Telefood; Strategic Objective D2 – Conservation, Rehabilitation and Development of Environments at Greatest Risk; and the 2003-05 Desert Locust Campaign (observing that the latter evaluation was of a multilateral character, hence of a broader scope than just covering FAO’s work).
43. The Council noted that the Committee was expecting to receive at its next meeting expanded management responses in relation to the Telefood and Desert Locust Campaign evaluations. These responses would address in more depth the issues and recommendations of the respective evaluations, as well as considerations identified during the Committee’s discussions. Several Members recalled their appreciation of the valuable contributions of Telefood projects to meeting the needs of vulnerable groups.
44. The Council took note of the Programme Committee recommendations, including the need to maintain adequate capacities in dealing with locust threats, both at local and global levels. The Council also stressed the need to ensure continuous dialogue among the Parties, including the donors, on measures needed for improving the performance on the future of desert locust management and control campaigns.
45. The Council endorsed the reports of the Programme Committee, taking into consideration the above comments.
46. The Council noted with satisfaction that the External Auditor had issued an unqualified opinion on the FAO Audited Accounts for the biennium 2004-2005. With reference to the External Auditor’s Report on the results of audit, the Council noted that, for most recommendations, the Organization had taken action and would report to the next Finance Committee Session on the status of implementation of all recommendations. It called for FAO to implement all the recommendations in the Report of the External Auditor.
47. The
Council, noting the comments and clarifications provided by the External
Auditor and the Secretariat to the Finance Committee, decided
to submit the Audited Accounts for the
2004-2005 biennium to the Conference for adoption.
48. The Council accordingly recommended the following draft Resolution for adoption by the Conference:
Draft Resolution for the Conference
FAO Audited Accounts 2004-05
THE CONFERENCE,
Having considered the Report of the 131st Session of the Council, and
Having examined the 2004-05 FAO Audited Accounts and the External Auditor’s Report thereon,
1.
Invites the
Secretariat to further implement the recommendations of the External Auditors,
and
2. Adopts the Audited Accounts.
49. The Council noted the proposals which had been discussed by the Finance Committee to improve the Organization’s cash shortage situation. The Council agreed that timely payment of Assessed Contributions by Member Nations was essential and urged Regional Groups to consult actively on these proposals in order to arrive at a consensus by the Council Session to be held in June 2007.
50. The Council took note of the proposals discussed in the Finance Committee about measures to improve the collection of Assessed Contributions and Arrears.
51. The Council considered the Status of Contributions and Arrears to the Organization as at 17 November 2006, and noted that the percentage of Current Assessments received was the lowest in recent history when compared to those for previous years at the same date. The Council further noted that over 29 percent of the Membership of the Organization had still made no payment towards their US$ portion of 2006 Assessments, and over 35 percent of the Membership had not made any payment towards their Euro portion of 2006 Assessments.
52. The Council expressed serious concern over the high level of outstanding Current Assessments and Arrears, noting that sixty Member Nations still had arrears outstanding from 2005 and previous years, and twenty-seven owed arrears in such amounts as would prejudice their Right to Vote in accordance with Article III.4 of the Constitution.
53. The Council expressed serious concern regarding the worsening financial situation, the large amounts of unbudgeted costs, unfunded and unrecorded liabilities and the increasing General Fund deficit, in particular the liquidity shortage caused by delays in payment by Members and Arrears. It also noted that the deterioration in the cash flow situation was critical as all reserves had been exhausted, forcing the Organization to resort to external borrowing for longer periods than in the past to meet cash disbursement obligations and incurring high interest costs of more than US$1 million for 2006. While recognizing the often-difficult financial situations of some countries, the Council urged all Member Nations, both large and small contributors, to pay their contributions in full and on time to enable the Organization to continue to fulfil its mandate.
54. The Council discussed the worrying level of reserves, mainly the Working Capital Fund and the Special Reserve Account. As these reserves were practically depleted, the majority of Members would be ready to discuss possible remedies. In that respect, some Members looked forward to proposals to replenish the reserves, although two Members were opposed to any option that would entail additional contributions to replenish them, stating that payment of Arrears should precede the replenishment. In this connection, the Council endorsed the request of the Finance Committee that the Secretariat develop a cashflow analysis with all financial demands on the budget for the remainder of 2006-07 and submit an appropriate financial proposal aimed at restoring the financial health and long-term sustainability of the Organization.
55. The
Council expressed serious concern over the fact
that the implementation of the
2006-2007 Regular Programme would be affected by unbudgeted costs tentatively
estimated at US$27 million. The Council requested
the Finance Committee at its May Session in 2007 to review the funding of such
unbudgeted costs and to report the result to the Council.
56. The Council reviewed the Director-General's Annual Report on Budgetary Performance and Programme and Budgetary Transfers in the 2004-2005 biennium, as well as the report of the discussions of the Finance Committee at its Hundred and Thirteenth Session in May 2006.
57. The Council took note that US$ 22.8 million in unbudgeted costs related to an unfavourable staff cost variance, redeployment and separation costs, and security costs, had been managed within the approved appropriation and that transfers between budgetary chapters fell within the levels previously approved by the Finance Committee at its Session in September 2005.
Adoption of International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS)
58. The Council took note of the Finance Committee’s approval that FAO adopt International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) in accordance with the High-Level Committee on Management (HLCM) decision and, as approved by the General Assembly in July 2006, that FAO proceed with an implementation project.
Recommendations and Decisions of the ICSC and UN Joint Staff Pension Board to the General Assembly and Change in Salary Scales and Allowances
59. The Council approved the recommendations made by the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC) pursuant to the findings of the Salary Survey conducted in Rome, including the increase in the Salary Scale of the General Service category by 12.16 percent, effective 1 November 2005. The revised General Service Salary Scale and allowances are reflected in Appendix D to this Report.
Report on Support Costs Expenditure and Recoveries
60. The Council noted that the Finance Committee had considered the Report on Support Costs Expenditure and Recoveries and was satisfied that Project Support Costs (PSC) rates for the period under review were applied within the approved policy.
61. The Council reaffirmed the principle that extra-budgetary activities should cover the indirect variable support costs that they incur. It noted that the Finance Committee had considered a proposal to increase the Project Support Cost (PSC) rate for projects in direct support to the Regular Programme so as to fully recover the indirect variable support, in light of the overall results of the 2004 and 2005 FAO cost measurement studies and the practice of the United Nations and the other main Specialized Agencies. Accordingly, the Council endorsed the Finance Committee’s consensus recommendation that the PSC rate for projects in direct support to the Regular Programme be increased from 6 percent to 13 percent.
62. In addressing this matter and following the expression of initial views at the Council, the Independent Chairperson of the Council undertook consultations with all interested delegations to explore the scope of possible common conclusions.
Conclusions of the Council
63. The Council noted the terms of the decisions already taken by the Conference through Resolution 6/2005 on reforms and took note of the process of intergovernmental consultations in 2006, including the cycle of FAO Regional Conferences. It noted, in particular, the Conference decision to authorize the implementation of the recommendations of the Independent Evaluation of Decentralization and the management response, which included the transfer of the Regional Office for Europe. It further noted the Conference decision to establish the Shared Services Centre as a means of achieving further efficiency gains. The Council concurred with the assessment of the Programme and Finance Committees that the proposals of the Director-General[19] met the spirit of the earlier decisions taken by the Governing Bodies in connection thereto[20]. The Council further authorized the Director-General to implement the restructuring at Headquarters as described in section V of document CL 131/18, noting that some Members expressed reservations about the need for restructuring at the present time.
64. The Council approved in principle the establishment of a new Sub-regional Office in Central America; the modalities of implementation to be addressed by a working group to be convened by the Secretariat with the participation of the interested countries, these modalities to be submitted for a final decision by Council in 2007.
65. The Council noted the desire of the Gulf Cooperation Council States and Yemen to establish a Sub-regional Office for the region, and stressed the need for further examination so as to present a concrete proposal to Council.
66. The Council emphasized that the overarching objective of reforms was to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the Organization and its capacity to provide services to the Membership. It reiterated that the ongoing reform process in FAO and the outcome of the IEE be mutually supportive, and that implementation of reforms should not prejudice the implementation of the outcome of the IEE.
67. The Council looked forward to progress in the implementation of the above decisions within the approved budget and in the context of a financial plan.
68. The Council welcomed the Progress Report of the Committee of the Council for the IEE (CC-IEE). The Council agreed with the CC-IEE that the IEE had been proceeding well and in a timely manner, in line with its terms of reference as approved by the Council and the Conference. Members further emphasised that the IEE was commissioned by the Governing Bodies on behalf of the Membership as a whole. Members felt a strong sense of ownership in the evaluation which must be preserved through the continued neutrality, independence, transparency and professional objectivity of the evaluation process.
69. The Council was informed of the timetable for the CC-IEE and future reports of the IEE core team, beginning with an emerging issues paper in April 2007, and a draft final report in July of that year.
70. The Council expressed its appreciation to the IEE core team. In thanking the former Team Leader, Mr. Keith Bezanson, for his major contribution to the start-up of the IEE, the Council also extended its best wishes for his early recovery from ill health and welcomed his continued contribution to the evaluation as a member of the core team. The Council thanked Mr. Leif Christoffersen for taking up the demanding task of Team Leader, and noted his high level of qualifications for the appointment.
71. The Council noted that the CC-IEE had performed a demanding task which would not have been possible without the guiding hand of its Chair, Ambassador Flávio Perri, who had now been transferred from his position as Permanent Representative of Brazil to FAO. The Council very much welcomed his agreement, and the support extended by the Brazilian Government, for him to continue as Chair. The Council also expressed its appreciation for the support provided by the Evaluation Service as Secretariat to the CC-IEE.
72. The Council appreciated the progress made in raising the necessary extra-budgetary contributions to fund the IEE from a wide cross-section of the Membership, coordinated by the Working Group of the CC-IEE Bureau, chaired by Ambassador Romualdo Bettini of Italy. It took note of the additional budgetary requirements to cover unforeseen costs of US$ 380,000, arising largely for transition from one Team Leader to another. It urged an additional effort by Members to cover the remaining budgetary shortfall which, taking account of additional pledges received during the Council session, was of the order of US$ 500,000.
73. The Council recalled that Conference Resolution 6/2005 – Reforms in the Organization – had stressed that the IEE and the reform proposals of the Director-General should be mutually supportive. In this context and in line with the suggestion in Annex V of the CC-IEE Progress Report (CL 131/3), it invited its Independent Chairperson to informally convene, as he considered necessary between Council sessions, Friends of the Chair to discuss issues pertaining to follow-up to the IEE in preparation for Council sessions. Meetings of the Friends of the Chair would be open to all Members of the Organization with a core group of representatives per region. It was stressed by the Chair of the CC-IEE that, as stated in Annex V of the CC-IEE report, the Friends of the Chair could play an important role in building consensus on the complementary efforts underway in the reforms in FAO as proposed by the Director-General; the forthcoming findings and recommendations of the IEE; and the associated reforms in the UN System, including the outcome of the negotiations on the recommendations of the High-Level Panel on UN System-wide Coherence.
74. The Council offered its thanks and congratulations to the Government of Brazil and to the Secretariat of FAO for hosting and organizing the International Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development (ICARRD).
75. The Council recognized that FAO had a significant role in building capacities and in providing policy advice for agrarian reform and rural development at national level. It also recognized the importance of agrarian reform and rural development for achieving the goal of eradicating hunger and poverty. Many Members stressed that the FAO Reform process should not compromise FAO’s role, institutional capacity and visibility in agrarian reform and rural development.
76. Concerning ICARRD follow-up, many Members supported the recommendations outlined in the Council document, while many others stated that they could not support them. These Members cautioned against the allocation of scarce resources to new mechanisms that could lead to duplication of efforts and called for reporting on a voluntary basis as a part of the Committee on World Food Security’s (CFS) regular reporting mechanism, and for the avoidance of initiatives that would absorb existing, limited Regular Programme resources.
77. In light of the diversity of positions put forward, the Council agreed that further consideration was required on appropriate follow-up for ICARRD, including in relation to the proposed Special Initiative on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development, platforms for dialogue, the mechanisms and guidelines for monitoring and reporting and the expansion of the database.
78. The Council endorsed the conclusion of the Thirty-second Session of the CFS that COAG, at its next Session, consider the ICARRD recommendations and submit to the CFS, if appropriate, relevant recommendations for consideration at its Thirty-third Session in 2007.
79. The Council noted the relevance of pesticides in agricultural production and their impact on food safety. It commended FAO’s ongoing activities on pesticide management and emphasized the Organization’s key role in this area. In particular, it noted the work on Integrated Pest Management, the Africa Stockpiles Programme, the International Code of Conduct on the Distribution and Use of Pesticides and the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade.
80. The Council expressed its appreciation for the work of Mr Niek Van der Graaff, former Chief of Plant Protection Service and FAO-appointed Joint Executive Secretary to the Convention for his exemplary work.
81. The Council expressed its continued support for the operation of the Rotterdam Convention and its Secretariat. Some Members welcomed the resources and technical assistance that FAO had made available to Parties in support of the Convention.
82. The Council agreed on the importance of the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) in assisting countries to meet the goals of the World Summit on Sustainable Development in 2002 and its contribution to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. In line with the International Conference on Chemicals Management, it recognized the importance of Agencies such as FAO incorporating SAICM into their programmes, consistent with their mandate. It was also noted that the International Code of Conduct on the Distribution and Use of Pesticides was to be considered as an important element of the SAICM process.
83. The Council recognised that the successfull implementation of SAICM depended on the smooth interdisciplinary cooperation at national, regional and UN level, and stressed the need for the agricultural sector to be fully involved in the SAICM process.
84. The Council endorsed SAICM and recognized FAO’s role in the implementation of SAICM to the extent possible within existing resources. Some Members recommended that the Organization make full use of extra-budgetary resources that would be mobilized for that purpose.
85. The Council also noted the importance of the Quick Start Programme (QSP) to facilitate implementation of SAICM by increasing awareness on the links between poverty eradication and sound chemicals management.
86. In view of the broad range of activities envisaged within SAICM, the Council suggested that the activities of FAO could include risk reduction, including the progressive ban on highly hazardous pesticides, promoting good agricultural practices, ensuring environmentally-sound disposal of stock-piles of obsolete pesticides and capacity-building in establishing national and regional laboratories.
87. The Council commended the work of the World Food Programme, as reflected in the Annual Report presented to the WFP Executive Board at its First Regular Session in February 2006, and in the opening statement made by Ms Sheila Sisulu, its Deputy Executive Director for Policy and External Affairs. Members also expressed appreciation for the leadership of its Executive Director, Mr James Morris, as well as for the work of all WFP staff in 2005. They thanked Mr Morris for his dedication and welcomed the appointment of Ms Josette Sheeran, who would succeed him in 2007 as the WFP Executive Director.
88. The Council endorsed the Report, which had also been endorsed by the WFP Executive Board at its Session in February 2006.
89. Members commended WFP's achievements in 2005, especially its interventions in the Tsunami, the South Asia earthquake, Sudan, Lebanon and Central America. They acknowledged WFP's work in both emergency and development situations, especially with regard to refugees, Internally Displaced People (IDPs), HIV/AIDS and education. The Ending the Child Hunger and Under-nutrition Initiative was also welcomed.
90. Many Members appreciated the importance of enhanced cooperation between WFP and other UN Agencies and NGOs to achieve MDG 1. Some Members stressed the importance of advocacy efforts. While appreciating FAO and WFP's enhanced cooperation in needs assessments, emergency response and food security analyses, many Members noted the recommendation of the Report of the High-Level Panel of the UN System-wide Coherence that “to build long-term food security and break the cycle of recurring famines, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, the World Food Programme, Food and Agriculture Organization and International Fund for Agricultural Development should review their respective approaches and enhance inter-agency coordination. Complementary strategies should be further developed to strengthen local capacity and resilience to mitigate and cope with consequences of famines.”
91. In
accordance with Resolution 6/99 adopted by the Thirtieth Session of the FAO
Conference on 13 November 1999, the Council was required to elect six Members
of the WFP Executive Board from among FAO Member Nations for the period 1
January 2007 to
31 December 2009.
92. The Council elected the following Members from the respective lists to the WFP Executive Board for a term of office of three years (1 January 2007 to 31 December 2009):
List Members
A Zambia
B Pakistan
Philippines
C Peru
D Netherlands
United States of America
93. The Council was informed of the resignation of Algeria from its List A seat as from 1 January 2007, and elected Sudan for the remaining period of office, to 31 December 2008.
94. The Council considered the Report of the Eightieth Session of the Committee on Constitutional and Legal Matters (CCLM).
95. The
Council took note of the process leading to the proposed revision of the
Statutes of the Western Central Atlantic Fishery Commission and adopted
the following resolution approving revised Statutes of the Commission:
Revised Statutes of the Western Central Atlantic Fishery Commission (WECAFC)
THE COUNCIL,
Recalling Resolution 4/61 of 1973 by which it established the Western Central Atlantic Fishery Commission (WECAFC) under Article VI-1 of the FAO Constitution and promulgated its Statutes,
Further recalling Resolution 3/74 of 1978 by which it amended the Statutes of the Western Central Atlantic Fishery Commission (WECAFC),
Taking into consideration that the Western Central Atlantic Fishery Commission (WECAFC), at its Twelfth Session (Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, October 2005), unanimously agreed on a revised text of its Statutes and invited the Council to approve it with a view to strengthening WECAFC to promote effective conservation, management and development of living marine resources throughout the Western Central Atlantic region,
Decides to approve the revised Statutes of the Western Central Atlantic Fishery Commission (WECAFC), as follows:
1. General Objective of the Commission
Without prejudice to the sovereign rights of coastal States, the Commission shall promote the effective conservation, management and development of the living marine resources of the area of competence of the Commission, in accordance with the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries, and address common problems of fisheries management and development faced by Members of the Commission.
2. General Principles
a. The Commission shall have due regard for and promote the application of the provisions of the FAO Code of Conduct on Responsible Fisheries and its related instruments, including the precautionary approach and the ecosystem approach to fisheries management.
b. The Commission shall ensure adequate attention to small-scale, artisanal and subsistence fisheries.
c. The Commission shall coordinate and cooperate closely with other relevant international organizations on matters of common interest.
3. Area of Competence
The Commission's area of competence shall be all marine waters of the Western Central Atlantic bounded by a line drawn as follows:
From a point on the coast of South America at 10o 00'S latitude in a northerly direction along this coast past the Atlantic entry to the Panama Canal; thence continue along the coasts of Central and North America to a point on this coast at 35o 00'N latitude; thence due east along this parallel to 42o 00' W longitude; thence due north along this meridian to 36o 00'N latitude; thence due east parallel to 40o 00'W longitude; thence due south along this meridian to 5o 00'N latitude; thence due east along this parallel to 30o 00'W longitude; thence due south along this meridian to the Equator; thence due east along the Equator to 20o 00’W longitude; thence due south along this meridian to 10o 00'S latitude; thence due west along this parallel to the original point at 10o 00'S latitude on the coast of South America.
4. Species
The Commission shall cover all living marine resources, without prejudice to the management responsibilities and authority of other competent fisheries and other living marine resources management organizations or arrangements in the area.
5. Membership
The Commission shall be composed of such Members and Associate Members of the Organization that are coastal States, whose territories are situated wholly or partly within the area of the Commission or States whose vessels engage in fishing in the area of competence of the Commission and that notify in writing to the Director-General of the Organization of their desire to be considered as Members of the Commission.
6. Functions of the Commission
The Commission shall have the following functions and responsibilities:
a. to contribute to improved governance through institutional arrangements that encourage cooperation amongst Members;
b. to assist its Members in implementing relevant international fisheries instruments, in particular the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries and its related International Plans of Action;
c. to help fishery managers in the development and implementation of fishery management systems that take due account of environmental, social, economic and cultural concerns;
d. to keep under ongoing review the state of the fishery resources in the area and the related industries and promote the interchange of related information;
e. to promote, coordinate and, as appropriate, organize or undertake research related to the living marine resources in the area of competence of the Commission, including on the interactions between fisheries and the ecosystem, and design programmes required for this purpose;
f. to promote, coordinate and, as appropriate, undertake the collection, exchange and dissemination of statistical, biological, environmental and socio-economic data and other marine fishery information as well as its analysis or study;
g. to provide the necessary support and advice to enable Members to ensure that fishery management decisions are based on the best available scientific evidence;
h. to provide advice on management measures to Member Governments and competent fisheries organizations;
i. to provide advice on monitoring, control and surveillance, and to promote cooperation on these matters, including joint activities, especially as regards issues of a regional or sub-regional nature;
j. to promote, coordinate and, as appropriate, strengthen the development of institutional capacity and human resources, particularly through education, training and extension activities in the areas of competence of the Commission;
k. to promote and encourage the utilization of the most appropriate fishing craft, gear, fishing techniques and post harvesting technologies in accordance with the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries;
l. to facilitate trade in fish and fish products by promoting the implementation of internationally-accepted sanitary and phytosanitary standards;
m. to promote and facilitate harmonizing of relevant national laws and regulations, and compatibility of conservation and management measures;
n. to assist its Members in and facilitate, as appropriate and upon their request, the conservation, management and development of transboundary and straddling stocks under their respective national jurisdictions;
o. to assist, as appropriate, its Members in preventing and, upon request of the interested parties, resolving fisheries disputes;
p. to promote liaison between its Members and all competent institutions within the area served by the Commission and adjacent waters;
q. to seek funds and other resources to ensure the long-term operations of the Commission and establish, as appropriate, a trust fund for voluntary contributions to this end;
r. to serve as a conduit of independent funding to its Members for initiatives related to conservation, management and development of the living resources in the area of competence of the Commission;
s. to draw up its plan of work;
t. to carry out such other activities as may be necessary for the Commission to achieve its objectives, as defined above.
7. Institutions
1) Meetings of the Commission shall be held at least once every two years.
2) The Commission may establish, on an ad hoc basis, such subsidiary bodies as it deems necessary for the accomplishment of its task, and in particular to deal with special problems arising in subdivisions of its area of competence.
3) The establishment of any subsidiary body shall be subject to the determination by the Director-General that the necessary funds are available in the relevant chapter of the budget of the Organization. Before taking any decision involving expenditure in connection with the establishment of subsidiary bodies, the Commission must have before it a report from the Director-General on the administrative and financial implications thereof.
4) The Secretary of the Commission shall be appointed by the Director-General and shall be administratively responsible to him.
5) Any financial operations relating to the Commission and its subsidiary bodies shall be governed by the appropriate provisions of the Financial Regulations of the Organization. Expenses incurred by representatives of Members of the Commission, their alternates or advisers, when attending sessions of the Commission or its subsidiary bodies, as well as the expenses incurred by observers at sessions, shall be borne by the respective governments or organizations.
8. Reporting
The Commission shall submit to the Director-General reports on its activities and recommendations at such appropriate intervals as to enable the Director-General to take them into consideration when preparing the draft Programme of Work and Budget of the Organization and other submissions to the Conference, Council or Committees of the Council. The Director-General shall bring to the attention of the Conference through the Council recommendations adopted by the Commission which have policy implications or which affect the programme or finances of the Organization. Copies of each report of the Commission shall be circulated to Members of the Commission and to other Member Nations and Associate Members of the Organization and international organizations for their information, as soon as they become available.
9. Observers
i) Any Member Nation or Associate Member of the Organization that is not a member of the Commission may, upon its request, be represented in an observer capacity at meetings of the Commission and of its subsidiary bodies, as appropriate.
ii) States which, while not Members of the Organization, are members of the United Nations, any of its Specialized Agencies or the International Atomic Energy Agency may, upon their request, and with the approval of the Commission, be represented in an observer capacity in accordance with the provisions adopted by the Conference of the Organization relating to the granting of observer status to Nations.
iii) The Commission shall provide for the participation in its meetings, as observers, and in accordance with its Rules of Procedure, of intergovernmental and international non-governmental organizations having special competence in the field of activity of the Commission.
iv) Participation of international organizations in the work of the Commission and relations between the Commission and such organizations shall be governed by the relevant provisions of the Constitution and General Rules of the Organization as well as the rules on relations with international organizations adopted by the Conference and Council of the Organization.
10. Rules of Procedure
The Commission may adopt and amend its own rules of procedure, which shall be in conformity with the Constitution and General Rules of the Organization and with the Statement of Principles Governing Commissions and Committees adopted by the Conference. The rules of procedure and amendments thereto shall come into force upon approval by the Director-General.
11. Cooperation with International Organizations
Cooperation between the Commission and other international organizations on matters of mutual interest shall be carried out in accordance with relevant Rules and Procedures of the Organization.
23 November 2006
96. The Council concurred with the view of the CCLM that the current biennial requirement of notification of Membership of the Open Committees of the FAO Council resulted in cumbersome and time-consuming administrative processes, without offering added value to the substantive work of the Committees. The Council welcomed the proposal that the General Rules of the Organization be amended to the effect that Members would submit notifications to the Director-General of their intention to participate in the work of one or more “Open Committee(s)” of the Council, and that their Membership of a specified Committee would remain valid as long as the concerned Member did not fail to attend two consecutive sessions of the Committee or notify its intention to withdraw.
97. Therefore, the Council agreed to recommend to the Conference, for adoption at its Thirty-fourth Session in November 2007, the following draft Conference Resolution approving amendments to the relevant Rules of the General Rules of the Organization.
Draft Resolution for the Conference
Amendment to Rule XXIX.2, Rule XXX.2, Rule XXXI.2, Rule XXXII.2, and Rule XXXIII.2 of the General Rules of the Organization
THE CONFERENCE,
Having taken note of the views of the Committee on Constitutional and Legal Matters, at its Eightieth Session (Rome, 2-3 October 2006), on the proposed amendments to Rule XXIX.2 (Members of the Committee on Commodity Problems), Rule XXX.2 (Members of the Committee on Fisheries), Rule XXXI.2 (Members of the Committee on Forestry), Rule XXXII.2 (Members of the Committee on Agriculture), and Rule XXXIII.2 (Members of the Committee on World Food Security) of the General Rules of the Organization;
Considering that the Council, at its Hundred and Thirty-first Session (Rome, 20‑25 November 2006), agreed to transmit to the Conference, for approval, the proposed amendments to the above mentioned Rules XXIX.2, XXX.2, XXXI.2, XXXII.2, and XXXIII.2 of the General Rules of the Organization;
Having noted that these Rules that require biennial notification of Membership to the “Open Committees” of the Council resulted in cumbersome and time-consuming administrative processes, without offering any added value to the substantive work of such Committees, and that the proposed amendment to the above Rules dealing with Membership to these Committees would allow streamlining administrative procedures with respect to participation of Members;
Having further noted that there has to be formal recognition of the effective presence of Members at the meetings of the above Committees to avoid the validity of the deliberations being questioned, but that it is equally evident that the present system based on expiry of Membership at the end of each biennium places an administrative burden on Permanent Representatives, Government Offices and the Secretariat, and that reducing this burden would significantly contribute to efficiency savings in governance;
Recalling that the principle of loss of Membership after failure to attend two consecutive sessions of one of the Governing Bodies of the Organization is already contained in Rule XXII.7 of the General Rules of the Organization governing Membership of the FAO Council, which provides that “A Member of the Council shall be considered to have resigned if ... it has not been represented at two consecutive sessions of the Council”;
Decides:[27]
to amend Rule XXIX.2, Rule XXX. 2, Rule XXXI.2, Rule XXXII.2, and Rule XXXIII.2 of the General Rules of the Organization as follows:
“2. The notification...
may be made at any time and Membership acquired on the basis thereof shall
be for a biennium considered valid unless the Member has not been
represented at two consecutive sessions of the Committee, or has notified its
withdrawal from it. The Director-General shall circulate, at the
beginning of each session of the Committee, a document listing the Members of
the Committee.”
98. The Council noted that informal consultations among regional groups were initiated, but that further time was needed to reach a common position and that, therefore, the CCLM had postponed consideration of the matter.
99. The Council noted that the CCLM had examined the matter in detail on the basis, inter alia, of criteria for modifying or withholding reports issued by the Office of the Internal Oversight Systems of the United Nations and had proposed “Interim Criteria for Modifying or Withholding Reports issued by the Office of the Inspector General”. However, in consideration of the fact that a recently-concluded “Comprehensive Review of the Governance and Oversight within the United Nations, Funds, Programmes and Specialized Agencies” had not yet been examined at the United Nations, and notwithstanding the interim nature of the proposed criteria, the Council postponed consideration of the issue and requested the CCLM to review the matter again at its Spring 2007 Session.
100. The Council noted the observations of the CCLM on the issue of “Personal Status for Purposes of Staff Entitlements” and agreed that the CCLM should review the matter again at its Spring Session of 2007.
101. The Council was informed that Mr. Luis M. Bombín, Secretary of the CCLM from February 1995, would be retiring from the Organization. The Council wished to place on record its appreciation for the outstanding services provided by Mr. Bombín and wished him the greatest success in his future endeavours.
102. The Council was also informed that since its Hundred and Thirtieth Session, the Director-General, having been so requested, had extended an invitation to the Republic of Montenegro to attend as an observer the Twenty-first Session of the Intergovernmental Group on Meat and Dairy Products (Rome, 13-17 November 2006).
103. The Council was informed of the application for Membership received from the Republic of Montenegro.
104. Pending a decision by the Conference on this application and pursuant to Rule XXV.11 of the General Rules of the Organization and paragraphs B-1, B-2 and B-5 of the "Statement of Principles Relating to the Granting of Observer Status to Nations", the Council authorized the Director-General to invite the applicant country to participate, in an observer capacity, to the present Council session, as well as regional and technical meetings of the Organization of interest to it.
105. The Council approved the Calendar for 2007, as reproduced in Appendix E to this Report, while noting that the dates for 2008 were for information. The Calendar of FAO Governing Bodies and Other Main Sessions for 2008 would be approved by the Hundred and Thirty-fourth Session of the Council in November 2007, on the basis of a Provisional Calendar for 2008-2009 to be examined at that Session.
106. The Council noted that, as a savings and efficiency measure and on an experimental basis, the Hundred and Thirty-second Session of the FAO Council be held over five days, i.e. Monday 18 to Friday 22 June 2007. At its Hundred and Thirty-fourth Session in November 2007 the Council would be invited to take stock of this five-day Council session and, in the light of its conclusions, decide whether its Hundred and Thirty-fifth Session (November 2008) should be held over five or six days.
107. The
Council paid tribute to the memory of Mr Francois Dauphin and Mr Raffaele
Suppa, former FAO Staff Members, who lost their lives in a car accident on 18
November 2006 in
El Minia, Egypt, where they were evaluating a project on behalf of FAO. Two
Egyptian government officials also lost their lives in the same accident.
108. The Council observed one minute of silence in commemoration.
109. The Chairperson of the Field Staff Association spoke on behalf of the three Staff Representative Bodies focusing his intervention on the FAO reform. He stated that the Staff hoped that the changes implemented so far would strengthen FAO’s ability to assist Members in providing access to nutritionally-adequate and safe food, to reduce poverty and to foster agricultural development.
110. He pointed out various shortcomings in the reform process, regarding the timing, lack of communication, rationale and scope of possible reforms. He expressed the anxiety and frustrations of the Staff about the reform proposals, as well as the negative effects of insufficient resources on the quality of the services they would like to offer, even in priority areas. He stated that a viable reform to improve the service that FAO provided must be driven by a clear vision of the role of FAO within the international community; there should be a realistic strategy and sufficient resources to meet the challenges placed on the Organization by its Members, especially in assisting countries to achieve the Millennium Development Goals and thanked the Council for the opportunity to address them.
111. Members expressed their appreciation for the information and comments given by the Staff and indicated that Council Members realized their responsibility for them. The Council took note of the significant impact that institutional changes could have on the moral well-being and the work of the Staff. Some Members recalled that the proposed changes of the Organization, such as decentralization, were requested by the Members for the benefits of the world, in particular for the developing countries.
112. The Council stressed that reforms and changes be conceived and implemented in consultation with the stakeholders, including the Staff, recognizing also that the final decision rested with the Members in consultation with Senior Management.
113. The Council recognized the value of the experienced Staff and reiterated that the men and women of FAO working at Headquarters and in the field were the Organization’s key strength and saluted again their dedication and service.
114. The Council recommended that FAO, as the Chair of the Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF), work in close collaboration with the United Nations Forum on Forests and other Members of CPF for the International Year of Forests (2011), within its mandate and in accordance with the decision that the Sixty-first Session of the United Nations General Assembly was expected to take on the matter. In that respect, the Council invited the FAO Secretariat to start planning the activities for the International Year, and to report to the Council and Conference, in due time, on its programme of implementation.
115. The Secretariat indicated that the implementation of the International Year of Forests would need to be carried out largely through extra-budgetary resources.
[1] CL 131/1-Rev.1; CL 131/INF/1; CL 131/INF/6; CL 131/PV/1; CL 131/PV/11.
[2] CL 131/PV/1; CL 131/PV/11.
[3] Cameroon was replaced by Côte d'Ivoire after the first meeting of the Drafting Committee.
[4] CL 131/2; CL 131/PV/1; CL 131/PV/2; CL 131/PV/11.
[5] CL 131/6; CL 131/PV/2; CL 131/PV/11.
[6] C 2007/8; CL 131/PV/5; CL 131/PV/6; CL 131/PV/11.
[7] CL 131/13; CL 131/14; CL 131/PV/3; CL 131/PV/11.
[8] CL 131/PV/3; CL 131/PV/11.
[9] CL 131/PV/3; CL 131/PV/11.
[10] CL 131/PV/3; CL 131/PV/11.
[11] CL 131/11; CL 131/12; CL 131/PV/3; CL 131/PV/11.
[12] CL 131/7; CL 131/8; CL 131/9; CL 131/10; CL 131/19; CL 131/PV/4; CL 131/PV/11.
[13] C 2007/5 A; C 2007/5 B; CL 131/PV/4; CL 131/PV/11.
[14] CL 131/PV/4; CL 131/PV/11.
[15] CL 131/LIM/1; CL 131/PV/4; CL 131/PV/11.
[16] CL 131/PV/4; CL 131/PV/11.
[17] CL 131/PV/4; CL 131/PV/11.
[18] CL 131/18; CL 131/18 Corr. 1; CL 131/18 Add. 1; CL 131/18 Add. 1 Corr. 1; CL 131/PV/10; CL 131/PV/11.
[19] CL 131/18.
[20] CL 131/7, paragraph 67, and CL/131/12, paragraph 19.
[21] CL 131/3; CL 131/PV/5; CL 131/PV/11.
[22] CL 131/15; CL 131/PV/2; CL 131/PV/11.
[23] CL 131/17; CL 131/PV/6; CL 131/PV/11.
[24] C 2007/INF/10; CL 131/PV/7; CL 131/PV/11.
[25] CL 131/4; CL 131/4-Sup.1; CL 131/PV/7; CL 131/PV/11.
[26] CL 131/5; CL 131/PV/8; CL 131/PV/11.
[27] Words struck out to be deleted, words underlined to be added.
[28] CL 131/PV/1; CL 131/PV/11.
[29] CL 131/16; CL 131/PV/1; CL 131/PV/11.
[30] CL 131/LIM/2; CL 131/PV/6; CL 131/PV/11.
[31] CL 131/PV/1; CL 131/PV/11.
[32] CL 131/PV/8; CL 131/PV/11.
[33] CL 131/PV/1; CL 131/PV/8; CL 131/PV/11.