FCCC/SBI/1998/5

Distr.

GENERAL

FCCC/SBI/1998/5

27 April 1998

Original: ENGLISH

SUBSIDIARY BODY FOR IMPLEMENTATION

Eighth session

Bonn, 2-12 June 1998

Item 11 of the provisional agenda

INVOLVEMENT OF NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS

Mechanisms for consultation

Note by the secretariat

The issue of mechanisms for consultation with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) was on the agenda of the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI) throughout 1997. Two papers were prepared by the secretariat for the sixth session (FCCC/SBI/1997/14 and Add.1), but there was insufficient time for the SBI to deal fully with the issue. A further paper was prepared for the seventh session, including the views of Parties and NGOs (FCCC/SBI/1997/MISC.7). At the seventh session, the Chairman of the SBI proposed the formation of a contact group to formulate conclusions and recommendations. Given the shortage of time, it was not possible for the group to meet. Consequently, the SBI concluded that it would consider this agenda item at its eighth session (FCCC/SBI/1997/21, para. 33).
At its seventh session, the SBI also requested the secretariat to "advise the SBI on the elements in other United Nations procedures which could be relevant to the development of procedures for the participation of non-governmental organizations in the Convention process" (FCCC/SBI/1997/21, para. 33). A selection of such procedures is presented in the annex to the present note, which gives a brief overview of the process applied by certain United Nations organizations or bodies when dealing with NGOs. The information presented in the table is drawn from official sources. The following aspects were considered:
- Type of NGO accepted and the status accorded to them to differentiate the level of importance in the process;

GE.98-

Accreditation criteria of NGOs;

Type of review process applied; conditions for suspension; type of services that NGOs receive; financial support or fees that have to paid by NGOs to attend conferences/meetings.

It is hoped that, based on the previous papers submitted as well as on this additional paper, the SBI will finalize its consideration of this item and adopt conclusions.

Organization or body

Type of NGO accepted

Accreditation criteria for NGOs

Review process/suspension/ services/financial support or payment of fees

United Nations Economic and Social Council (Resolution 1996/31)

- National, subregional, and regional NGOs, including those affiliated to an international organization already in status, are eligible to accede to consultative status.

Two types of consultative status:

General: a status reserved for large international NGO:

- whose area of work covers most of the issues on the agenda of the Council and who:

- have the right to propose items for the agenda of the Council and its subsidiary bodies;

- have the right to address the Council.

Special: a status reserved for NGOs:

- that have competence in only a few of the fields of activity of the Council and

- can only address the Council in the absence of a subsidiary body dealing with the same topic.

NGOs that do not qualify for consultative status, or that have consultative status with a specialized agency, can be included on the Council roster. The NGOs on this list are considered to make occasional and useful contributions to the work of the Council or its subsidiary bodies. No provision is made for NGOs on the roster to address the Council.

NGOs in consultative status or on the The Council roster are as a rule accredited for participation on request, while other NGOs have to apply and submit information on the competence of the organization and the relevance of its activities to the work of the conference. NGOs in the latter situation will not have a negotiating role.

Services

- Official documents; press document services; arrangement of informal discussion on matters of special interest to groups or organizations; use of the library; provision of accommodation for conferences or smaller meetings; appropriate seating arrangements and facilities for obtaining documents during official meetings.

Suspension

- If an organization abuses its status by engaging in a pattern of acts contrary to the principles of the Charter of the United Nations, including unsubstantiated or politically motivated acts against Member States; if there exists substantiated evidence of influence from proceeds resulting from international recognized criminal activities such as the illicit drugs trade, money laundering or the illegal arms trade; and if, within the preceding three years, an organization has not made a positive or effective contribution to the work of the United Nations, in particular to The Council and its subsidiary bodies.

Organization or body

Type of NGO accepted

Accreditation criteria for NGOs

Review process/suspension/ services/financial support or payment of fees

United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)

Appropriate relations are established with those international and national non-governmental organizations and other organizations whose work is related to that of UNIDO, in order to provide the basis for cooperation between UNIDO and the organization in consultative status.

To acquire consultative status, the following criteria must be met:

- The aims and purposes of the organization must be in conformity with the spirit, purposes and principles of the constitution of UNIDO;

- The organization must be actively concerned with areas falling within the competence of UNIDO and have an established record in these areas;

- The organization must undertake to support actively the work of UNIDO;

- The organization must be of representative character and of recognized standing, with a policy-making body of international composition, an executive officer and an established headquarters. Its representative must have the authority to speak for its members who exercise voting rights in relation to the policies or activities of the organization.

- Review by the Board every four years of the list of organizations approved for consultative status;

- The Board may, in reviewing the list, conclude that an organization in consultative status which has not shown interest and goodwill in cooperating with UNIDO over a period of three years, may be deemed not to have sufficient interest to warrant the continuance of such a relationship.

Suspension

- The Board, upon the recommendation of the Director-General, may suspend the status if the organization no longer lives up to the criteria applied in the establishment of participating relations, or when such action is appropriate in the light of a change in the activities or programmes of UNIDO.

Organization or body

Type of NGO accepted

Accreditation criteria for NGOs

Review process/suspension/ services/financial support or payment of fees

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)

General - organizations which exercise functions and have a basic interest in most of the activities of the Trade and Development Board;

Special - organizations with special competence in and concerned with specific activities.

National NGOs of recognized standing which are deemed to have a significant contribution to make to the work of UNCTAD are place on the Register.

NGOs in status include development-related NGOs, global umbrella NGOs representing a wide range of national and international member organizations, chambers of commerce, trade unions and specialized non-governmental bodies in specific sectors such as trade, sustainable development, transport, banking, insurance, environment as well as professional associations working in the commodity field.

- Organization should be involved with matters of trade as related to development (to provide evidence);

- Participation of each organization in the activities of UNCTAD should only involve activities for which that organization has a special competence or in which it has a special interest;

- The aims and purposes of the organization should be in conformity with the spirit, purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations;

- The organization should undertake to support the work of UNCTAD and to promote knowledge of its principles and activities, in accordance with its own aims and purposes and the nature and scope of its competence and activities;

- The organization should have an established headquarters with an executive officer;

- The organization should have authority to speak for its members through its authorized representatives;

- The organization should be international in its structure, with members who exercise voting rights in relation to the policies or action of the international organizations. Any international organization which is not established by intergovernmental agreement is considered a NGO.

Services

- Distribution of notification of, and documentation for, conferences and meetings;

-Access to the press documentation of UNCTAD;

- Arrangements for informal discussions of matters of special interest to groups or organizations.

Financial support

Raise extrabudgetary resources to finance, in particular, developing country NGOs for participation at conferences and to cover costs of the UNCTAD/NGO consultations.

Organization or body

Type of NGO accepted

Accreditation criteria for NGOs

Review process/suspension/ services/financial support or payment of fees

United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification

Rule 7 of the rules of procedure of the Conference of the Parties provides that any body or agency, whether national or international, governmental or non-governmental, that is qualified in matters covered by the Convention, and that has informed the Permanent Secretariat of the Convention of its wish to be represented at a session of the COP as an observer, may be so admitted unless at least one third of the Parties present object. Rule 7 also provides that such observers may, upon the invitation of the President, participate without the right to vote in the proceedings of any session in matters of direct concern to the body or agency they represent, unless at least one third of the Parties present at the session object.

- Purpose of the organization must be relevant;

- Information as to the programmes and activities of the organization which demonstrates the organization's competence in, and relevance to, the work of the COP and in which country(ies) they are carried out;

- Proof that the organization is legally registered as a non-governmental, non-profit organization in the country in which it is based;

- Copies of the organization's annual substantive and financial reports and statutes of establishment;

- A listing of governing body members and their country of nationality;

- In respect of membership organizations, a description of membership, indicating total numbers and their geographical distribution.

Information not available

Organization or body

Type of NGO accepted

Accreditation criteria for NGOs

Review process/suspension/ services/financial support or payment of fees

Basel Convention (Rules 6 & 7)

Any body or agency, whether national or international, governmental or non-governmental, qualified in fields relating to the transboundary movement of hazardous wastes, as well as their management and disposal, is granted observer status.

- The Secretariat notifies the

United Nations and its specialized agencies, the IAEA and any State and political and/or economic integration organization not party to the Convention of any meeting so that they may be represented by observers;

- Such observers may, upon the invitation of the President, and if there is no objection from at least one third of the Parties present, participate without the right to vote in the proceedings of any meeting;

- The Secretariat notifies any body or agency, whether national or international, governmental or non-governmental, qualified in fields relating to the transboundary movement of hazardous wastes as well as their management and disposal, which has informed the Secretariat of its wish to be represented, of any meeting so that they may be represented by observers, subject to the condition that their admission to the meeting is not objected to by at least one third of the Parties present at the meeting;

- Such observers may, upon invitation by the President, and if there is no objection from at least one third of the Parties present, participate without the right to vote in the proceedings of any meeting in matters of direct concern to the body or agency they represent.

Information not available

Organization or body

Type of NGO accepted

Accreditation criteria for NGOs

Review process/suspension/ services/financial support or payment of fees

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)

Any body or agency technically qualified in protection, conservation or management of wild fauna and flora which is either:

a) An international agency or body, either governmental or non-governmental, or national governmental agency or body; or

b) A national non-governmental agency or body which has been approved for this purpose by the State in which it is located.

Any body or agency, as well as any State not a Party to the Convention, may be represented at the meeting by observers who shall have the right to participate in the plenary sessions and sessions of Committees I and II but not to vote.

Any body or agency technically qualified in the protection, conservation or management of wild fauna and flora and which is either:

a) An international agency or body, either governmental or non-governmental, or a national governmental agency or body; or

b) A national non-governmental agency or body which has been approved for this purpose by the State in which it is located and which has informed the Secretariat of the Convention of its desire to be represented at the meeting by observers, shall be permitted to be so represented in the plenary sessions or sessions of Committees I and II unless one third of the Parties present object. Once admitted, these observers have the right to participate but not to vote.

Payment of fees

At the 10^th meeting of the COP, each observer organization paid a standard participation fee of US$ 600 at the time of registration of its first representative. This amount entitled the organization to a set of conference documents. The registration fee for each additional participant from the same organization was US$ 300. This amount did not include a set of documents. Each additional set of documents cost the observer organization an extra US$ 300. Payment could be made in advance by cheque to the CITES Secretariat or at the time of registration.

Organization or body

Type of NGO accepted

Accreditation criteria for NGOs

Review process/suspension/ services/financial support or payment of fees

United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)

The Executive Board may invite, when it considers it appropriate, intergovernmental organizations and non-governmental organizations in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council to participate in its deliberations on questions that relate to their activities.

UNFPA, in its effort to strengthen the

For organizations that seek collaborative status, the following must be submitted to UNFPA for evaluation: copies of the NGO's bylaws or constitution; legal authority under which the organization operates; audit reports and names of external auditors; a copy of the most recent annual report.

Financial support

NGOs in collaborative status may be considered as possible recipients for grant funds from UNFPA.

Organization or body	Type of NGO accepted	Accreditation criteria for NGOs	Review process/suspension/ services/financial support or payment of fees
United Nations Economic and Social Council (Resolution 1996/31)	- National, subregional, and regional NGOs, including those affiliated to an international organization already in status, are eligible to accede to consultative status. Two types of consultative status: General: a status reserved for large international NGO: - whose area of work covers most of the issues on the agenda of the Council and who: - have the right to propose items for the agenda of the Council and its subsidiary bodies; - have the right to address the Council. Special: a status reserved for NGOs: - that have competence in only a few of the fields of activity of the Council and - can only address the Council in the absence of a subsidiary body dealing with the same topic. NGOs that do not qualify for consultative status, or that have consultative status with a specialized agency, can be included on the Council roster. The NGOs on this list are considered to make occasional and useful contributions to the work of the Council or its subsidiary bodies. No provision is made for NGOs on the roster to address the Council.	NGOs in consultative status or on the The Council roster are as a rule accredited for participation on request, while other NGOs have to apply and submit information on the competence of the organization and the relevance of its activities to the work of the conference. NGOs in the latter situation will not have a negotiating role.	Services - Official documents; press document services; arrangement of informal discussion on matters of special interest to groups or organizations; use of the library; provision of accommodation for conferences or smaller meetings; appropriate seating arrangements and facilities for obtaining documents during official meetings. Suspension - If an organization abuses its status by engaging in a pattern of acts contrary to the principles of the Charter of the United Nations, including unsubstantiated or politically motivated acts against Member States; if there exists substantiated evidence of influence from proceeds resulting from international recognized criminal activities such as the illicit drugs trade, money laundering or the illegal arms trade; and if, within the preceding three years, an organization has not made a positive or effective contribution to the work of the United Nations, in particular to The Council and its subsidiary bodies.
Organization or body	Type of NGO accepted	Accreditation criteria for NGOs	Review process/suspension/ services/financial support or payment of fees
United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)	Appropriate relations are established with those international and national non-governmental organizations and other organizations whose work is related to that of UNIDO, in order to provide the basis for cooperation between UNIDO and the organization in consultative status.	To acquire consultative status, the following criteria must be met: - The aims and purposes of the organization must be in conformity with the spirit, purposes and principles of the constitution of UNIDO; - The organization must be actively concerned with areas falling within the competence of UNIDO and have an established record in these areas; - The organization must undertake to support actively the work of UNIDO; - The organization must be of representative character and of recognized standing, with a policy-making body of international composition, an executive officer and an established headquarters. Its representative must have the authority to speak for its members who exercise voting rights in relation to the policies or activities of the organization.	- Review by the Board every four years of the list of organizations approved for consultative status; - The Board may, in reviewing the list, conclude that an organization in consultative status which has not shown interest and goodwill in cooperating with UNIDO over a period of three years, may be deemed not to have sufficient interest to warrant the continuance of such a relationship. Suspension - The Board, upon the recommendation of the Director-General, may suspend the status if the organization no longer lives up to the criteria applied in the establishment of participating relations, or when such action is appropriate in the light of a change in the activities or programmes of UNIDO.
Organization or body	Type of NGO accepted	Accreditation criteria for NGOs	Review process/suspension/ services/financial support or payment of fees
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)	General - organizations which exercise functions and have a basic interest in most of the activities of the Trade and Development Board; Special - organizations with special competence in and concerned with specific activities. National NGOs of recognized standing which are deemed to have a significant contribution to make to the work of UNCTAD are place on the Register. NGOs in status include development-related NGOs, global umbrella NGOs representing a wide range of national and international member organizations, chambers of commerce, trade unions and specialized non-governmental bodies in specific sectors such as trade, sustainable development, transport, banking, insurance, environment as well as professional associations working in the commodity field.	- Organization should be involved with matters of trade as related to development (to provide evidence); - Participation of each organization in the activities of UNCTAD should only involve activities for which that organization has a special competence or in which it has a special interest; - The aims and purposes of the organization should be in conformity with the spirit, purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations; - The organization should undertake to support the work of UNCTAD and to promote knowledge of its principles and activities, in accordance with its own aims and purposes and the nature and scope of its competence and activities; - The organization should have an established headquarters with an executive officer; - The organization should have authority to speak for its members through its authorized representatives; - The organization should be international in its structure, with members who exercise voting rights in relation to the policies or action of the international organizations. Any international organization which is not established by intergovernmental agreement is considered a NGO.	Services - Distribution of notification of, and documentation for, conferences and meetings; -Access to the press documentation of UNCTAD; - Arrangements for informal discussions of matters of special interest to groups or organizations. Financial support Raise extrabudgetary resources to finance, in particular, developing country NGOs for participation at conferences and to cover costs of the UNCTAD/NGO consultations.
Organization or body	Type of NGO accepted	Accreditation criteria for NGOs	Review process/suspension/ services/financial support or payment of fees
United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification	Rule 7 of the rules of procedure of the Conference of the Parties provides that any body or agency, whether national or international, governmental or non-governmental, that is qualified in matters covered by the Convention, and that has informed the Permanent Secretariat of the Convention of its wish to be represented at a session of the COP as an observer, may be so admitted unless at least one third of the Parties present object. Rule 7 also provides that such observers may, upon the invitation of the President, participate without the right to vote in the proceedings of any session in matters of direct concern to the body or agency they represent, unless at least one third of the Parties present at the session object.	- Purpose of the organization must be relevant; - Information as to the programmes and activities of the organization which demonstrates the organization's competence in, and relevance to, the work of the COP and in which country(ies) they are carried out; - Proof that the organization is legally registered as a non-governmental, non-profit organization in the country in which it is based; - Copies of the organization's annual substantive and financial reports and statutes of establishment; - A listing of governing body members and their country of nationality; - In respect of membership organizations, a description of membership, indicating total numbers and their geographical distribution.	Information not available
Organization or body	Type of NGO accepted	Accreditation criteria for NGOs	Review process/suspension/ services/financial support or payment of fees
Basel Convention (Rules 6 & 7)	Any body or agency, whether national or international, governmental or non-governmental, qualified in fields relating to the transboundary movement of hazardous wastes, as well as their management and disposal, is granted observer status.	- The Secretariat notifies the United Nations and its specialized agencies, the IAEA and any State and political and/or economic integration organization not party to the Convention of any meeting so that they may be represented by observers; - Such observers may, upon the invitation of the President, and if there is no objection from at least one third of the Parties present, participate without the right to vote in the proceedings of any meeting; - The Secretariat notifies any body or agency, whether national or international, governmental or non-governmental, qualified in fields relating to the transboundary movement of hazardous wastes as well as their management and disposal, which has informed the Secretariat of its wish to be represented, of any meeting so that they may be represented by observers, subject to the condition that their admission to the meeting is not objected to by at least one third of the Parties present at the meeting; - Such observers may, upon invitation by the President, and if there is no objection from at least one third of the Parties present, participate without the right to vote in the proceedings of any meeting in matters of direct concern to the body or agency they represent.	Information not available
Organization or body	Type of NGO accepted	Accreditation criteria for NGOs	Review process/suspension/ services/financial support or payment of fees
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)	Any body or agency technically qualified in protection, conservation or management of wild fauna and flora which is either: a) An international agency or body, either governmental or non-governmental, or national governmental agency or body; or b) A national non-governmental agency or body which has been approved for this purpose by the State in which it is located.	Any body or agency, as well as any State not a Party to the Convention, may be represented at the meeting by observers who shall have the right to participate in the plenary sessions and sessions of Committees I and II but not to vote. Any body or agency technically qualified in the protection, conservation or management of wild fauna and flora and which is either: a) An international agency or body, either governmental or non-governmental, or a national governmental agency or body; or b) A national non-governmental agency or body which has been approved for this purpose by the State in which it is located and which has informed the Secretariat of the Convention of its desire to be represented at the meeting by observers, shall be permitted to be so represented in the plenary sessions or sessions of Committees I and II unless one third of the Parties present object. Once admitted, these observers have the right to participate but not to vote.	Payment of fees At the 10^th meeting of the COP, each observer organization paid a standard participation fee of US$ 600 at the time of registration of its first representative. This amount entitled the organization to a set of conference documents. The registration fee for each additional participant from the same organization was US$ 300. This amount did not include a set of documents. Each additional set of documents cost the observer organization an extra US$ 300. Payment could be made in advance by cheque to the CITES Secretariat or at the time of registration.
Organization or body	Type of NGO accepted	Accreditation criteria for NGOs	Review process/suspension/ services/financial support or payment of fees
United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)	The Executive Board may invite, when it considers it appropriate, intergovernmental organizations and non-governmental organizations in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council to participate in its deliberations on questions that relate to their activities. UNFPA, in its effort to strengthen the	For organizations that seek collaborative status, the following must be submitted to UNFPA for evaluation: copies of the NGO's bylaws or constitution; legal authority under which the organization operates; audit reports and names of external auditors; a copy of the most recent annual report.	Financial support NGOs in collaborative status may be considered as possible recipients for grant funds from UNFPA.