Roster of experts on biosafety
The Intergovernmental Committee for the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety,
I. STATUS AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ROSTER OF EXPERTS ON BIOSAFETY
Recognizing that the roster of experts will be most useful if there is sufficient detail to discern the particular areas of knowledge and specialization for each expert,
1. Requests the Executive Secretary to send to national focal points the latest version of the nomination form for the roster of experts, with a view to facilitating the process of updating information currently contained in the roster;
2. Urges Governments to update, or to request their nominated experts to update, the information currently contained in the roster, for each field of the new nomination form;
3. Requests the Executive Secretary to send the Interim Guidelines for the Roster of Experts on Biosafety to each expert currently listed in the roster;
4. Further urges Governments that have not yet done so to nominate relevant experts to the roster in accordance with the interim guidelines for the roster of experts on biosafety, preferably before the first meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Protocol;
II. PILOT PHASE OF THE VOLUNTARY FUND FOR THE ROSTER OF EXPERTS ON BIOSAFETY
Reaffirming the important role to be played by the voluntary fund in supporting developing country Parties, in particular the least developed and small island developing States among them, and Parties with economies in transition, to pay for the use of experts selected from the roster,
Noting and welcoming the decision of the Conference of the Parties, at its sixth meeting, to establish, pursuant to paragraphs 6 and 7, of recommendation 2/9 B of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, and on a pilot-phase basis, a trust fund, to be administered by the Secretariat, for voluntary contributions from Parties and Governments for the specific purpose of supporting developing country Parties, in particular the least developed and the small island developing States among them, and Parties with economies in transition to pay for the use of experts selected from the roster of experts on biosafety; and to request the Executive Secretary to seek submissions from Governments on the operation of this Fund, and report thereon to the first meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Protocol,
5. Recommends that the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Protocol adopt the Interim Guidelines for the Pilot Phase of the Voluntary Fund for the Roster of Experts on Biosafety annexed hereto;
6. Invites Parties and Governments to use the Interim Guidelines for the Pilot Phase of the Voluntary Fund for the Roster of Experts on Biosafety pending their adoption by the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Protocol;
7. Requests the Executive Secretary to administer the pilot phase of the voluntary fund according to the Interim Guidelines for the Pilot Phase of the Voluntary Fund for the Roster of Experts on Biosafety pending their adoption by the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Protocol;
8. Urges Governments and other donors to make contributions to the pilot phase of the fund.
Annex
INTERIM GUIDELINES FOR THE PILOT PHASE OF THE VOLUNTARY FUND FOR THE ROSTER OF EXPERTS ON BIOSAFETY
A. Purpose of the pilot phase of the Voluntary Fund
The pilot phase of the Voluntary Fund for the Roster of Experts is hereby established to support developing country Parties, in particular the least developed and small island developing States among them, and Parties with economies in transition, to pay for the use of experts selected from the roster.
B. Financing of the pilot phase of the Voluntary Fund
The pilot phase of the Voluntary Fund shall be financed from voluntary contributions. Annually, the Executive Secretary shall seek contributions to the Voluntary Fund from Governments, governmental, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, and other sources with the financial ability to do so, in accordance with the Financial Rules of the Convention and the Financial Regulations and Rules of the United Nations.
C. General administration of the Voluntary Fund
1. The pilot phase of the Fund shall be administered by the Executive Secretary in accordance with the interim guidelines for the roster of experts on biosafety annexed to recommendation 2/9 B of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, and in accordance with the Financial Rules of the Convention.
2. The Bureau of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety shall advise the Executive Secretary on administrative and operational matters relating to the activities of the pilot phase of the Voluntary Fund.
3. The Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity shall receive voluntary contributions and, upon request, distribute on a case-by-case basis, an agreed amount from the Voluntary Fund to eligible Parties in accordance with the eligibility criteria specified in section D below.
4. All administrative costs of the pilot phase of the Voluntary Fund shall be met by the Voluntary Fund. In accordance with the Financial Regulations and Rules of the United Nations, 13 per cent of the total amount disbursed shall be levied to cover the administrative costs.
5. The Secretariat shall prepare reports on the status, operation and use of the pilot phase of the Voluntary Fund for consideration by the Intergovernmental Committee for the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, as well as allocation reports and financial statements in accordance with the Financial Rules of the Convention. These reports shall be made available through the Biosafety Clearing-House.
6. Once a year, the Secretariat will report in its Quarterly Report for the fourth quarter the status of the use of the pilot phase of the Voluntary Fund, listing the value, purpose, and timing of approved requests and completed assignments. A summary of use of the Voluntary Fund by region will also be included. This report will be in the same Quarterly Report as the report required on use of the roster itself, specified in section J, paragraph 2, of the interim guidelines for the roster of experts annexed to recommendation 2/9 B of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety.
D. Eligibility criteria
The eligibility criteria are defined as follows:
(a) Eligible countries: Funding requests will only be considered from developing country Parties, in particular the least developed and small island developing States among them, and Parties with economies in transition;
(b) Eligible activities: Funding requests shall be related to the use of experts from the roster, for purposes defined by decision EM-I/3 and the interim guidelines for the roster of experts on biosafety, annexed to recommendation 2/9 B of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. These purposes include providing advice and support to Parties to conduct risk assessment, make informed decisions, develop national human resources, promote institutional strengthening, associated with transboundary movements of living modified organisms, or perform other functions approved by the Intergovernmental Committee in future, particularly in the field of capacity-building;
(c) Eligible costs:
(i) Eligible costs include professional fees, travel expenses, and other costs directly related to the use of experts. The pilot phase of the Voluntary Fund shall not be used to support broader activities or projects that comprise anything other than the use of experts;
(ii) The general United Nations daily rate for professional fees for experts shall apply, as appropriate. In cases where the normal daily rate for an expert from a particular country exceeds the United Nations daily rate, higher rates may be approved.
(d) Criteria for assessment of funding requests: The requests made by the eligible Parties shall be assessed on the basis of the following criteria:
(i) Regional balance: Preference shall be given to requests from Parties in regions where the Voluntary Fund has been underutilized;
(ii) Satisfactory compliance for previous grants: Consideration of new funding requests shall be conditional upon satisfactory compliance with outstanding reporting requirements for previous grants to the same Party under the Voluntary Fund;
(iii) Timing of receipt of the request: Requests will be assessed on a first-come-first-served basis. However, if the number and value of requests is high in relation to the funds available, the Bureau of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety may advise the Secretariat to gather all requests over a specified time period so that all can be assessed simultaneously;
(iv) Any other criteria that may be approved by the Intergovernmental Committee.
(e) Maximum amount per funding request: Subject to the availability of funds, the maximum amount to be requested from the Fund shall not exceed US$20,000.00;
(f) Maximum disbursement per Party per year: The maximum amount to be disbursed from the Fund to any one Party shall not exceed US$50,000.00 in a calendar year;
E. Procedures for application, processing of requests, disbursement of funds, and reporting
The following shall be the steps related to application for funding by Parties, processing of requests, disbursement of funds, and reporting:
(a) Funding requests from eligible Parties shall be endorsed by the competent national authority and submitted by the national focal point to the Executive Secretary. Each funding request shall be prepared using the attached funding request form (appendix A), and shall be submitted to the Secretariat at least 60 days prior to the intended date on which the assignment is to commence;
(b) The Secretariat shall acknowledge receipt of the funding application within two weeks of receipt of a completed funding request form;
(c) The funding request shall be evaluated by the Secretariat, in consultation with the Bureau of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Cartagena Protocol, according to the eligibility criteria defined in section D above, and a decision on the request shall be communicated within 30 days of receipt of the application;
(d) If funding is approved, the Secretariat shall prepare a memorandum of understanding, based on the template attached as appendix B, which specifies the purpose and extent of the assignment to be undertaken, the date of completion for the assignment, the reporting requirements and the obligations of the recipient Party regarding the use of the funds. This memorandum of understanding shall be signed by the Secretariat and delivered to the recipient Party for signature within 30 days of receipt of the application;
(e) The recipient Party shall return the signed memorandum of understanding to the Secretariat within 30 days;
(f) The Secretariat shall disburse 50 per cent of the approved funds, to the bank account nominated by the Party, within 30 days of receiving the signed memorandum of understanding from the recipient Party;
(g) Each recipient Party shall be required to submit to the Executive Secretary a copy of the final report of the expert(s), immediately upon completion of the assignment but not later than three months after completion of the assignment, and to report on the assignment using the reporting form attached as appendix C;
(h) Upon receipt of the final experts report from the recipient Party, the Secretariat shall transfer the outstanding balance;
(i) The Secretariat shall make all submitted reports on assignments available through the Biosafety Clearing-House.
Appendix A
REQUEST FOR FUNDING FROM THE PILOT PHASE OF THE VOLUNTARY FUND FOR THE ROSTER OF EXPERTS ON BIOSAFETY
Requesting Party:
Name(s) and organization(s) of expert(s):
Purpose of assignment:
Specific activities of the assignment:
Start date: ________________________ End date: ________________________
Expected costs (US dollars) (attach more details if necessary):
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Item
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Rate and # Units
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Total
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Professional fees1
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___ days @ $_______ /day
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Travel
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Accommodation and subsistence2
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___ nights @ $_______ /night
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Other (specify):
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Other (specify):
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TOTAL
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1 Standard UN rates should be used; other rates must be justified and are subject to approval by the Executive Secretary
2 Standard UN rates will apply
Representative of Competent National Authority
Name: ________________________ Organization: ________________________
Signature: ________________________ Date: _________
National Focal Point
Name: ____________________________ Signature: ________________________ Date: _________
Appendix B
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING FOR SUPPORT FROM THE PILOT PHASE OF THE VOLUNTARY FUND FOR THE ROSTER OF EXPERTS ON BIOSAFETY
1. This Memorandum of Understanding is made between
The Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (the Secretariat), and
Agency: ______________________________, of
Country: ______________________________ (the Recipient), which is the competent national authority with respect to implementation of the recommendations of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the Convention on Biological Diversity.
2. This memorandum of understanding addresses the responsibilities of both the Secretariat and the Recipient regarding the use of the pilot phase of the Voluntary Fund for the Roster of Experts on Biosafety to fund the use of the following expert(s) for the following period:
Name(s) and organization(s) of expert(s): ______________________________
Start date: ______________________________ End date: ______________________________
3. The attached request for funding specifies additional details including the purpose of the assignment, the specific activities of the assignment, and the costs and value of the request.
4. The Secretariat agrees to fulfil its obligations with respect to the modalities for application, processing of requests, disbursement of funds, and reporting as specified in the interim guidelines for the pilot phase of the Voluntary Fund for the Roster of Experts on Biosafety.
5. The Recipient agrees to fulfil its obligations with respect to the modalities for application, processing of requests, disbursement of funds, and reporting as specified in the interim guidelines for the pilot phase of the Voluntary Fund for the Roster of Experts on Biosafety.
6. It is the responsibility of the Recipient, in discussion with the expert, to ensure that the expectations and terms of reference of the Party are clear, that these have been understood by the expert, and provided in written form to the expert at the outset of the assignment.
7. Specific conditions agreed to for this memorandum of understanding are the following:
Signatures
For the Secretariat
Name: ________________________ Signature: ________________________ Date: _______________
For the Recipient
Name: ________________________ Signature: ________________________ Date: _______________
Bank account details for transfer of funds:
Bank name: ________________________
Branch ID/Number: ________________________
Swift/Sort code: ________________________
Complete mailing and street address: ________________________________________________
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
Account holder: ________________________________________________
Account number: ________________________________________________
Currency: ________________________
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Appendix C
REPORTING FORM FOR WORK SUPPORTED BY THE PILOT PHASE OF THE VOLUNTARY FUND FOR THE ROSTER OF EXPERTS ON BIOSAFETY
Party:
Competent National Authority:
A. Specifications of the assignment
Name(s) and organization(s) of expert(s):
Purpose of assignment:
Specific activities of the assignment:
Start date: End date:
B. Assessment
Is the final report(s) of the work of the expert(s) attached? Yes No
Was the work finished in the time specified? If no, why not?
Did the work and associated products fulfil the purpose of the assignment? If no, why not?
Please report on the quality and standard of work performed by the expert(s).
C. Signatures
Representative of Competent National Authority
Name: ________________________ Organization: ________________________
Signature: ________________________ Date: _______________
National Focal Point
Name: ________________________ Signature: ________________________ Date: _______________
