Conf. 12.1

Financing and budgeting of the Secretariat and of meetings
of the Conference of the Parties

RECALLING that the financial amendment to the Convention, adopted in Bonn in 1979, entered into force on 13 April 1987;

RECALLING Resolution Conf. 11.2 (Rev. CoP12) adopted at the 11th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (Gigiri, 2000) and revised at its 12th meeting (Santiago, 2002);

HAVING NOTED the report on actual expenditures for 2000 and 2001 presented by the Secretariat (CoP12 Inf. 2, Annexes 1 and 2);

HAVING NOTED the estimated expenditures for 2002 presented by the Secretariat (CoP12 Inf. 3);

HAVING REVIEWED the 2003–2005 budget estimates submitted by the Secretariat [document Doc. 9.1 (Rev. 1), Annex 1] and the report of the Budget Working Group (document CoP12 Com.II 5);

RECOGNIZING the continuing need for administrative and financial arrangements between the Parties and the Executive Director of UNEP;

NOTING the considerable increase in the number of Parties to the Convention; the need for greater assistance to the Parties to achieve more effective implementation; the necessity to implement the various Decisions and Resolutions of the Conference of the Parties; and the resulting increasing expenditure incurred by the Secretariat;

NOTING also the serious economic difficulties being experienced by certain Parties and stressing the need to allow for flexibility in application of the UN scale of assessment to the countries concerned;

THE CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES TO THE CONVENTION

ACCEPTS the expenditures for 2000–2001 and TAKES NOTE of the estimates of expenditure for 2002;

APPROVES the budget for the triennum 2003-2005 (Annex 2);

DECIDES that the budget for the triennium 2003–2005 shall be covered by average annual contributions from Parties that shall be increased by six per cent as compared to annual average contributions for the previous biennium;

REQUESTS the Secretariat to maintain an operating cash reserve of USD 700,000 to ensure financial liquidity and AUTHORIZES the Secretariat to draw additional funds from the CITES Trust Fund balance at the end of each year, provided that it is not reduced below USD 700,000 at the commencement of each year;

REQUESTS the Secretariat to identify, for review by the Standing Committee, items directed by the Conference of the Parties and the technical committees that are either insufficiently funded or will require external budgetary resources;

APPROVES the Terms of Reference for the Administration of the Trust Fund, attached to this Resolution, for the financial period beginning on 1 January 2003 and ending on 31 December 2005;

AGREES:

a) that contributions to the Trust Fund shall be based on the United Nations scale of assessment, as amended from time to time, adjusted to take account of the fact that not all members of the United Nations are Parties to the Convention;

b) that any other basis of assessment of contributions shall not be used without the consent of all Parties present and voting at a meeting of the Conference of the Parties;

c) that any change in the basic scale of contributions which would increase the liability of a Party to contribute, or would impose a new such liability, shall not apply to that Party without its consent, and that any proposal to change the basic scale of contributions from that currently in use shall only be considered by the Conference of the Parties if notice of such proposal has been communicated by the Secretariat to all Parties at least 90 days before the meeting; and

d) that Parties should pay their contributions to the Trust Fund in accordance with the agreed scale as in the Table attached to this Resolution and, whenever possible, should make special contributions to the Trust Fund above their assessed contributions;

REQUESTS all Parties to pay their contributions as far as possible during the year prior to the one to which they relate or, in any case, promptly by the beginning of the calendar year to which the contributions apply;

APPEALS strongly to those Parties which, for legal or other reasons, have so far been unable to contribute to the Trust Fund to do so;

URGES all Parties that have not yet done so to deposit as soon as possible an instrument of acceptance of the amendments to the Convention adopted on 22 June 1979 and 30 April 1983;

INVITES States not Parties to the Convention, other governmental, inter-governmental and non-governmental organizations, and other sources to consider contributing to the Trust Fund;

INVITES all Parties to support, through their representatives in UNEP, UNDP and the World Bank, the requests of the Secretariat for additional funding of CITES projects by the Global Environment Facility;

DECIDES that the standard participation charge for all observer organizations other than the United Nations and its specialized agencies shall be set at a minimum of USD 600 (except as otherwise decided by the Secretariat as required) and URGES such organizations to make a greater contribution if possible at least to meet their effective costs of participation;

REFERS the issue of a three-year budget cycle to the Standing Committee for its review and endorsement;

REQUESTS the Standing Committee to develop future budget containment strategies as follows:

a) facilitate the collection of arrears through innovative payment strategies and develop an approach for dealing with non-payment of contributions;

b) consider inviting bids for the relocation of the Secretariat to a lower cost location;

c) negotiate a reduction in the programme support costs from 13 per cent with the Executive Director of UNEP;

d) review overall travel costs and identify means to reduce expenditures;

e) review any CoP agenda items not requested by the Parties to ensure they are relevant to the meeting Agenda;

f) consider increasing the minimum contribution to the CITES Trust Fund;

g) investigate options regarding a Host Country Agreement with Switzerland; and

h) review possible cost-saving measures related to translation and interpretation;

APPROVES the Secretariat’s reports; and

DECIDES that:

a) in respect of the review of activities in any work unit, the Secretary-General shall have the authority to make staffing decisions as necessary to implement the priorities of the Parties within the overall budget and in accordance with the UN rules; and

b) any work of the Secretariat deriving from a new resolution or decision shall only be undertaken if additional funds are approved or if existing work carried out under the Trust Fund is reprioritized at the time such a resolution or decision is adopted by the Conference of the Parties.

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Annex 1

Terms of Reference for the Administration of the Trust Fund for the Convention
on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora

1. The Trust Fund for the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (hereinafter referred to as the Trust Fund) shall be further continued for a period of three years (1 January 2003–31 December 2005) to provide financial support for the aims of the Convention.

2. Pursuant to the Financial Regulations and Rules of the United Nations, the Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), with the approval of the Governing Council of UNEP and the Secretary-General of the United Nations, shall continue the Trust Fund for the administration of the Convention.

3. The Trust Fund shall cover the financial period of three calendar years which begins on 1 January 2003 and ends on 31 December 2005.

4. The appropriations of the Trust Fund for the first financial period shall be financed from:

a) the contributions made by the Parties by reference to the attached Table including contributions from any new Parties which are to be added to the Table;

b) contributions from States not Parties to the Convention, other governmental, inter-governmental and non-governmental organizations and other sources; and

c) any uncommitted appropriations from any of the financial periods prior to 1 January 2003.

5. The budget estimates covering the income and expenditure for each of the calendar years constituting the financial period to which they relate, prepared in US dollars, shall be submitted for approval to the regular meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention.

6. The estimates for each of the calendar years covered by a financial period shall be specified according to objects of expenditure and shall be accompanied by such information as may be required by, or on behalf of, the contributors and such further information as the Executive Director of UNEP may deem useful and advisable.

7. The proposed budget, including all the necessary information, shall be dispatched by the Secretariat to all Parties at least 90 days before the date fixed for the opening of the regular meeting of the Conference of the Parties.

8. The budget shall be adopted by a 3/4 majority of the Parties present and voting at the regular meeting.

9. In the event that the Executive Director of UNEP expects that there might be a shortfall in resources, over the year as a whole, he shall consult with the Secretary-General of the Convention, who shall seek the advice of the Standing Committee as to its priorities for expenditure.

10. The Secretary-General of the Convention is authorized, to the extent consistent with the Financial Regulations and Rules of the United Nations, to make transfers from one budget line to another up to a maximum of 20 per cent over and above the annual amount foreseen in the budget under any budget sub-component (e.g. 11, 12, 13, etc.) provided that such action does not negatively affect any high-priority items. When any such transfers are made, these shall be reported to the Standing Committee at its following meeting. Any budget adjustments on a specific budget sub-component over and above the 20 per cent flexibility mentioned above may be made only after they have been agreed by the Standing Committee. However, the total budget approved by the Parties for that financial period shall not be exceeded unless this is specifically sanctioned in writing by the Standing Committee.

11. Commitments against the resources of the Trust Fund may be made only if they are covered by the necessary income of the Convention.

12. All contributions shall be paid in any convertible currency. The amount of any payment, however, shall be at least equal to the amount payable in US dollars on the day the contribution is made. Contributions from States that become Parties after the beginning of the financial period should be made on a pro-rata basis for the balance of the financial period.

13. At the end of each calendar year of a financial period, the Executive Director of UNEP shall submit to the Parties the accounts for the year. He shall also submit, as soon as practicable, the audited accounts for the financial period.

14. The Secretary-General of the Convention shall provide the Standing Committee with an estimate of proposed expenditure over the coming calendar year simultaneously with, or as soon as possible after, distribution of the accounts and reports referred to in the preceding paragraphs.

15. The general procedures governing the operations of the Fund of UNEP and the Financial Regulations and Rules of the United Nations shall govern the financial operations of the Trust Fund for the Convention.

16. These Terms of Reference shall be effective for the financial period of 1 January 2003 to 31 December 2005 subject to amendments at the 13th meeting of the Conference of the Parties.

 

Table

Trust Fund for the Convention on International Trade in Endangered
Species of Wild Fauna and Flora

SCALE OF CONTRIBUTIONS FOR THE TRIENNIUM 2003-2005
in United States Dollars (USD)

Party	UN scale for 2003	CITES adjusted scale	2003-2005 contributions	Annual contribution
	%	%	USD	USD
Afghanistan	0.00900	0.00892	1,265	422
Algeria	0.07000	0.06941	9,843	3,281
Antigua and Barbuda	0.00200	0.00198	281	94
Argentina	1.14900	1.13927	161,560	53,853
Australia	1.62700	1.61322	228,771	76,257
Austria	0.94700	0.93898	133,157	44,386
Azerbaijan	0.00400	0.00397	562	187
Bahamas	0.01200	0.01190	1,687	562
Bangladesh	0.01000	0.00992	1,406	469
Barbados	0.00900	0.00892	1,265	422
Belarus	0.01900	0.01884	2,672	891
Belgium	1.12900	1.11944	158,748	52,916
Belize	0.00100	0.00099	141	47
Benin	0.00200	0.00198	281	94
Bhutan	0.00100	0.00099	141	47
Bolivia	0.00800	0.00793	1,125	375
Botswana	0.01000	0.00992	1,406	469
Brazil	2.39000	2.36976	336,056	112,019
Brunei Darussalam	0.03300	0.03272	4,640	1,547
Bulgaria	0.01300	0.01289	1,828	609
Burkina Faso	0.00200	0.00198	281	94
Burundi	0.00100	0.00099	141	47
Cambodia	0.00200	0.00198	281	94
Cameroon	0.00900	0.00892	1,265	422
Canada	2.55800	2.53634	359,678	119,893
Central African Republic	0.00100	0.00099	141	47
Chad	0.00100	0.00099	141	47
Chile	0.21200	0.21020	29,809	9,936
China	1.53200	1.51903	215,413	71,804
Colombia	0.20100	0.19930	28,262	9,421
Comoros	0.00100	0.00099	141	47
Congo	0.00100	0.00099	141	47
Costa Rica	0.02000	0.01983	2,812	937
Côte d'Ivoire	0.00900	0.00892	1,265	422
Croatia	0.03900	0.03867	5,484	1,828
Cuba	0.03000	0.02975	4,218	1,406
Cyprus	0.03800	0.03768	5,343	1,781
Czech Republic	0.20300	0.20128	28,544	9,515
Democratic Republic of the Congo	0.00400	0.00397	562	187
Denmark	0.74900	0.74266	105,316	35,105
Djibouti	0.00100	0.00099	141	47
Dominica	0.00100	0.00099	141	47
Dominican Republic	0.02300	0.02281	3,234	1,078
Ecuador	0.02500	0.02479	3,515	1,172
Egypt	0.08100	0.08031	11,389	3,796
El Salvador	0.01800	0.01785	2,531	844
Equatorial Guinea	0.00100	0.00099	141	47
Eritrea	0.00100	0.00099	141	47
Estonia	0.01000	0.00992	1,406	469
Ethiopia	0.00400	0.00397	562	187
Fiji	0.00400	0.00397	562	187
Finland	0.52200	0.51758	73,398	24,466
France	6.46600	6.41125	909,179	303,060
Gabon	0.01400	0.01388	1,969	656
Gambia	0.00100	0.00099	141	47
Georgia	0.00500	0.00496	703	234
Germany	9.76900	9.68628	1,373,611	457,870
Ghana	0.00500	0.00496	703	234
Greece	0.53900	0.53444	75,788	25,263
Grenada	0.00100	0.00099	141	47
Guatemala	0.02700	0.02677	3,796	1,265
Guinea	0.00300	0.00297	422	141
Guinea-Bissau	0.00100	0.00099	141	47
Guyana	0.00100	0.00099	141	47
Honduras	0.00500	0.00496	703	234
Hungary	0.12000	0.11898	16,873	5,624
Iceland	0.03300	0.03272	4,640	1,547
India	0.34100	0.33811	47,948	15,983
Indonesia	0.20000	0.19831	28,122	9,374
Iran (Islamic Republic of)	0.27200	0.26970	38,246	12,749
Ireland	0.29400	0.29151	41,339	13,780
Israel	0.41500	0.41149	58,353	19,451
Italy	5.06475	5.02186	712,150	237,383
Jamaica	0.00400	0.00397	562	187
Japan	19.51575	19.35050	2,744,094	914,698
Jordan	0.00800	0.00793	1,125	375
Kazakhstan	0.02800	0.02776	3,937	1,312
Kenya	0.00800	0.00793	1,125	375
Kuwait	0.14700	0.14576	20,670	6,890
Latvia	0.01000	0.00992	1,406	469
Liberia	0.00100	0.00099	141	47
Liechtenstein	0.00600	0.00595	844	281
Lithuania	0.01700	0.01686	2,390	797
Luxembourg	0.08000	0.07932	11,249	3,750
Madagascar	0.00300	0.00297	422	141
Malawi	0.00200	0.00198	281	94
Malaysia	0.23500	0.23301	33,043	11,014
Mali	0.00200	0.00198	281	94
Malta	0.01500	0.01487	2,109	703
Mauritania	0.00100	0.00099	141	47
Mauritius	0.01100	0.01091	1,547	516
Mexico	1.08600	1.07680	152,702	50,901
Monaco	0.00400	0.00397	562	187
Mongolia	0.00100	0.00099	141	47
Morocco	0.04400	0.04363	6,187	2,062
Mozambique	0.00100	0.00099	141	47
Myanmar	0.01000	0.00992	1,406	469
Namibia	0.00700	0.00694	984	328
Nepal	0.00400	0.00397	562	187
Netherlands	1.73800	1.72328	244,379	81,460
New Zealand	0.24100	0.23896	33,887	11,296
Nicaragua	0.00100	0.00099	141	47
Niger	0.00100	0.00099	141	47
Nigeria	0.06800	0.06742	9,561	3,187
Norway	0.64600	0.64053	90,834	30,278
Pakistan	0.06100	0.06048	8,577	2,859
Panama	0.01800	0.01785	2,531	844
Papua New Guinea	0.00600	0.00595	844	281
Paraguay	0.01600	0.01586	2,250	750
Peru	0.11800	0.11700	16,592	5,531
Philippines	0.10000	0.09915	14,061	4,687
Poland	0.37800	0.37480	53,150	17,717
Portugal	0.46200	0.45809	64,961	21,654
Qatar	0.03400	0.03371	4,781	1,594
Republic of Korea	1.85100	1.83533	260,268	86,756
Republic of Moldova	0.00200	0.00198	281	94
Romania	0.05800	0.05751	8,155	2,718
Russian Federation	1.20000	1.18984	168,731	56,244
Rwanda	0.00100	0.00099	141	47
Saint Kitts and Nevis	0.00100	0.00099	141	47
Saint Lucia	0.00200	0.00198	281	94
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	0.00100	0.00099	141	47
Sao Tome and Principe	0.00100	0.00099	141	47
Saudi Arabia	0.55400	0.54931	77,897	25,966
Senegal	0.00500	0.00496	703	234
Serbia and Montenegro	0.02000	0.01983	2,812	937
Seychelles	0.00200	0.00198	281	94
Sierra Leone	0.00100	0.00099	141	47
Singapore	0.39300	0.38967	55,259	18,420
Slovakia	0.04300	0.04264	6,046	2,015
Slovenia	0.08100	0.08031	11,389	3,796
Somalia	0.00100	0.00099	141	47
South Africa	0.40800	0.40455	57,369	19,123
Spain	2.51875	2.49742	354,159	118,053
Sri Lanka	0.01600	0.01586	2,250	750
Sudan	0.00600	0.00595	844	281
Suriname	0.00200	0.00198	281	94
Swaziland	0.00200	0.00198	281	94
Sweden	1.02675	1.01806	144,370	48,123
Switzerland	1.27400	1.26321	179,136	59,712
Thailand	0.29400	0.29151	41,339	13,780
The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia	0.00600	0.00595	844	281
Togo	0.00100	0.00099	141	47
Trinidad and Tobago	0.01600	0.01586	2,250	750
Tunisia	0.03000	0.02975	4,218	1,406
Turkey	0.44000	0.43627	61,868	20,623
Uganda	0.00500	0.00496	703	234
Ukraine	0.05300	0.05255	7,452	2,484
United Arab Emirates	0.20200	0.20029	28,403	9,468
United Kingdom	5.53600	5.48912	778,413	259,471
United Republic of Tanzania	0.00400	0.00397	562	187
United States of America	22.00000	21.81371	3,093,402	1,031,134
Uruguay	0.08000	0.07932	11,249	3,750
Uzbekistan	0.01100	0.01091	1,547	516
Vanuatu	0.00100	0.00099	141	47
Venezuela	0.20800	0.20624	29,247	9,749
Viet Nam	0.01600	0.01586	2,250	750
Yemen	0.00600	0.00595	844	281
Zambia	0.00200	0.00198	281	94
Zimbabwe	0.00800	0.00793	1,125	375
Total	100.85400	100.00000	14,181,000	4,727,000

 

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Annex 2

Trust Fund for the Convention on International Trade in Endangered
Species of Wild Fauna and Flora

BUDGET FOR THE TRIENNIUM 2003-2005
(expressed in USD)

Description	2003	2004*	2005
	USD	USD	USD
Personnel costs
Professional staff	2,000,000	2,020,000	2,040,000
Support staff	692,000	699,000	706,000
Temporary assistance/overtime	15,000	16,000	16,000
Staff travel	140,000	142,000	144,000
Total	2,847,000	2,877,000	2,906,000
Office maintenance costs
Office supplies	30,000	31,000	31,000
Non-expendable equipment	51,000	51,000	52,000
Maintenance of the office**	0	0	0
Maintenance of office equipment	40,000	41,000	41,000
Communications (telephone, fax, mail)**	85,000	85,000	87,000
Bank charges	7,000	7,000	7,000
Hospitality	5,000	5,000	5,000
Total	218,000	220,000	223,000
CoP meeting
External translation of CoP documents	0	51,000	0
Salary/travel of Conference staff to CoP	0	286,000	0
Travel of Secretariat's staff to CoP	0	204,000	0
CoP-related documents	0	90,000	0
Logistics for CoP	0	102,000	0
African Elephant Panel of Experts	0	26,000	0
Total	0	759,000	0
SC meeting
External translation of documents	5,000	5,000	5,000
Salary/travel of Conference staff to SC mtg	25,000	26,000	26,000
Travel of SC members	25,000	26,000	26,000
Logistics for SC mtg	10,000	10,000	10,000
Total	65,000	67,000	67,000
AC meeting
External translation of documents	10,000	11,000	11,000
Salary/travel of Conference staff to AC mtg	18,000	20,000	18,000
Travel of AC members	26,000	28,000	26,000
Logistics for AC mtg	10,000	11,000	10,000
Travel of Secretariat's staff	0	12,000	0
Total	64,000	82,000	65,000
PC meeting
External translation of documents	10,000	11,000	11,000
Salary/travel of Conference staff to PC mtg	18,000	20,000	18,000
Travel of PC members	26,000	28,000	26,000
Logistics for PC mtg	10,000	11,000	10,000
Travel of Secretariat's staff		12,000	0
Total	64,000	82,000	65,000
Publications
Identification manual	30,000	31,000	31,000
CITES, Checklist w/annot. Append. and reserv.	44,000	0	45,000
Newsletter	15,000	15,000	15,000
In-house printing	20,000	20,000	21,000
Other publications/documents	30,000	31,000	31,000
Total	139,000	97,000	143,000
Other activities
Significant trade	73,000	73,000	74,000
Assistance to Scientific Authorities	143,000	145,000	146,000
CITES website	61,000	61,000	62,000
Training courses/seminars	59,000	59,000	60,000
Trade monitoring and support	106,000	133,000	108,000
Legislation, compliance and enforcement	10,000	10,000	10,000
Consultants	35,000	36,000	36,000
Total	487,000	517,000	496,000
TOTAL DIRECT COSTS	3,884,000	4,701,000	3,965,000
Programme support costs (13%)	505,000	611,000	515,000
GRAND TOTAL	4,389,000	5,312,000	4,480,000

* CoP year

** No provision was made by the Conference of the Parties for office maintenance costs, including Internet connection, of USD 100,000 annually.