The Advisory Committee of the General Trust Fund for Financing Activities on Research and Systematic Observations Relevant to the Vienna Convention (General Trust Fund) was established in response to paragraph 2 of decision X/3, adopted by the Conference of the Parties to the Vienna Convention at its tenth meeting (COP10) in 2014.

The mandate of the Advisory Committee is:

(a) To develop a long-term strategy and implementation objectives and priorities in the light of the four overarching goals identified by the Ozone Research Managers at their ninth meeting;

(b) To develop a short-term action plan that takes into account the most urgent needs of the Global Ozone Observing System and which will make the best possible use of the resources available in the Trust Fund;

(c) To ensure quality control of the individual project proposals developed under the General Trust Fund, striving for regional balance in the projects supported by this Fund and identifying possibilities for complementary funding to maximize its resources.

The Committee’s long-term strategy and short-term plan of action were presented at COP11 in 2017, followed by progress reports and relevant considerations brought by the Committee to the attention of the parties in subsequent meetings of the COPs. In subsequent COP decisions, the Committee was requested to implement its long-term strategy and short-term plan of action with the assistance of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the Ozone Secretariat.

In decision XIII/2, adopted at COP13 in 2024, the Advisory Committee was requested to continue to implement its long-term strategy and short-term plan of action, ensuring that activities relevant to enhancing monitoring of substances controlled under the Montreal Protocol are taken into account.

The Advisory Committee consisted originally of 10 members, including two Co-Chairs of the Scientific Assessment Panel, the two Co-Chairs of the Ozone Research Managers, up to five scientists and experts in ozone observations and one representative of the Ozone Secretariat, as well as one WMO representative as an observer.

In response to paragraph 3 (a) of decision XIII/2, the Advisory Committee has been expanded to include additional experts in the monitoring of Montreal Protocol-controlled substances. The Committee currently consists of 15 members and one WMO representative as an observer.

The Committee convenes electronically or in the margins of relevant meetings.