Decision Ex.I/5: Review of the working procedures and terms of reference of the Methyl Bromide Technical Options Committee
The First Extraordinary Meeting of the Parties decided in Dec. Ex.I/5:
Acknowledging with appreciation the important and valuable work undertaken so far by the Methyl Bromide Technical Options Committee,
Reaffirming the need for the Methyl Bromide Technical Options Committee to sustain an optimum level of expertise to be able to address diverse types of alternatives to methyl bromide and the desirability of having a reasonable term of membership of the Methyl Bromide Technical Options Committee to ensure continuity;
Noting decision XIII/11, which requests the Technology and Economic Assessment Panel to engage suitably qualified agricultural economists to assist in reviewing nominations,
Recognizing the desirability of ensuring that some members of the Methyl Bromide Technical Options Committee have knowledge of alternatives that are used in commercial practice, and practical experience in technology transfer and deployment,
Recognizing the need to strengthen the Methyl Bromide Technical Options Committee and to enhance the transparency and efficiency of the Committee’s process relating to the evaluation of nominations for critical-use exemptions,
Noting the terms of reference for the Technology and Economic Assessment Panel and its technical options committees adopted at the Eighth Meeting of the Parties,
Mindful that those terms of reference state that the overall goal is to achieve a representation of about 50 per cent for Article 5 Parties and noting that current Article 5 representation within the Methyl Bromide Technical Options Committee is only about 30 per cent,
Recalling decision XV/54 on categories of assessment to be used by the Technology and Economic Assessment Panel when assessing critical uses of methyl bromide,
- To establish a process to review the working procedures and terms of reference of the Methyl Bromide Technical Options Committee as they relate to the evaluation of nominations for critical use exemptions;
- That such a review shall consider, in particular:
- The need to enhance the transparency and efficiency of the analysis and reporting by the Methyl Bromide Technical Options Committee on critical-use nominations, including the communication between the nominating Party and the Methyl Bromide Technical Options Committee;
- The timing and structure of the Methyl Bromide Technical Options Committee reports on critical-use nominations;
- The duration and rotation of membership, taking into account the need to provide for a reasonable turnover of members while also ensuring continuity;
- The conflict-of-interest documents which must be completed by members of the Methyl Bromide Technical Options Committee;
- The expertise required in the Methyl Bromide Technical Options Committee, taking into account among other things that the composition of the Methyl Bromide Technical Options Committee should ensure that some members have practical and first-hand experience which should relate, in particular, to replacing methyl bromide with alternatives, and that within that composition reflected the appropriate skills and expertise required to perform the work of Methyl Bromide Technical Options Committee, including expertise in the field of agricultural economy, technology transfer and regulatory processes of registration;
- The criteria and procedure for selecting the experts, including ensuring a balance between experts from Article 5 and non-Article 5 Parties, pursuant to the qualification requirements as set forth in subparagraph (e) above;
- Further guidance on the application of the criteria set forth in decision IX/6;
- The modalities for the Methyl Bromide Technical Options Committee to submit annual work plans to the Meeting of the Parties;
- The instances where the Methyl Bromide Technical Options Committee should seek the guidance of the Meeting of the Parties in conducting its work;
- Modalities for the Methyl Bromide Technical Options Committee to provide the Meeting of the Parties with budget proposals for the conduct of the Committee’s work through the Secretariat;
- To establish to that end an ad hoc working group which shall meet for three days immediately prior to the twenty-fourth meeting of the Open-ended Working Group and shall comprise 12 representatives of Article 5 Parties and 12 representatives of non-Article 5 Parties;
- To invite the co-chairs of the Methyl Bromide Technical Options Committee to participate in the meeting of the ad hoc working group;
- That the ad hoc working group should base its discussions on the Methyl Bromide Technical Options Committee-related elements and issues set forth in paragraph 2 above and shall report its findings and recommendations to the Open-ended Working Group at its twenty-fourth session;
- To request the Open-ended Working Group at its twenty-fourth session to formulate recommendations for the consideration and approval of the Sixteenth Meeting of the Parties and to identify which elements, if any, could be used on an interim basis pending approval by the Sixteenth Meeting of the Parties;
- That the Methyl Bromide Technical Options Committee should continue to assess the nominations as “recommended”, “not recommended” or “unable to assess”.
- That the reports of the Technology and Economic Assessment Panel and its Methyl Bromide Technical Options Committee, to be published following those bodies’ initial assessment of nominations submitted in 2004 and following the subsequent assessment of any additional information submitted by nominating Parties, should include:
- If the Panel and Committee do not recommend any part of a nomination, a clear description of the nominating Party’s request for an exemption and of the reasons why the Panel and Committee did not accept it, including references to the relevant studies, wherever available, used as the basis for such a decision;
- If the Panel and Committee require additional information, a clear description of the information required.