. Programme budget for the costs of the secretariat services for and the biosafety work programme of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety for the biennium 2009 2010

BS-IV/7. Programme budget for the costs of the secretariat services for and the biosafety work programme of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety for the biennium 2009 2010

The Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety

1. Welcomes the annual contribution of US$ 1,040,400, to be increased by 2 per cent per year, from the host country Canada and the Province of Quebec to the operation of the Secretariat, of which 16.5 per cent has been allocated per annum to offset contributions from the Parties to the Protocol for the biennium 2009-2010;

2. Approves a core programme budget (BG) of US$ 2,611,800 for the year 2009 and of US$ 2,880,900 for the year 2010, for the purposes set out in table 1 below;

3. Approves a drawing of US$ 740,000 from unspent balances or contributions (carry over) from previous financial periods which was US$ 1,497,777 as of the end of 2005-2006 biennium to cover part of the 2009–2010 core programme budget;

4. Authorises the Executive Secretary to enter into commitments up to the level of the approved budget, drawing on available cash resources, including unspent balances, contributions from previous financial periods and miscellaneous income;

5. Approves Secretariat staffing as set out in table 2 below, and requests that all vacant staff positions be filled expeditiously;

6. Agrees to share the costs for secretariat services between those that are common to the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Protocol on an 85:15 ratio for the biennium 2009-2010;

7. Adopts the scale of assessments for the apportionment of the costs under the Protocol for 2009 and 2010 set out in table 5 below;

8. Decides to set the working capital reserve at a level of 5 per cent of the core programme budget (BG) expenditure, including programme support costs;

9. Invites all Parties to the Protocol to note that contributions to the core programme budget (BG) are due on 1 January of the year in which these contributions have been budgeted for, and to pay them promptly, and urges Parties in a position to do so, to pay by 1 October of the year 2008 for the calendar year 2009 and by 1 October 2009 for the calendar year 2010, the contributions set out in table 5 and in this regard requests Parties be notified of the amount of their contributions by 1 August of the year preceding the year in which the contributions are due;

10. Notes with concern that a number of Parties have not paid their contributions to the core budget (BG Trust Fund) for 2007 and prior years;

11. Urges Parties that have still not paid their contributions to the core budget (BG Trust Fund) for 2007 and prior years; to do so without delay and requests the Executive Secretary to publish and regularly update information on the status of contributions to the Protocol's Trust Funds (BG, BH and BI);

12. Decides that with regard to contributions due from 1 January 2005 onwards, Parties whose contributions are in arrears for two (2) or more years will not be eligible to become a member of the bureau of the Protocol; this will only apply in the case of Parties that are not least developed countries or small island developing states;

13. Authorizes the Executive Secretary to enter into arrangements with any Party whose contributions are in arrears for two or more years to mutually agree on a 'schedule of payments' for such a Party, to clear all outstanding arrears, within six years depending on the financial circumstances of the Party in arrears and pay future contributions by the due date, and report on the implementation of any such arrangement to the next meeting of the Bureau and to the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety;

14. Decides that a Party with an agreed arrangement in accordance with paragraph 13 above and that is fully respecting the provisions of that arrangement will not be subject to the provisions of paragraph 12 above;

15. Takes note of the funding estimates for activities under the Protocol to be financed from:

(a) The Special Voluntary Trust Fund (BH) for Additional Voluntary Contributions in Support of Approved Activities for the biennium 2009-2010, as specified by the Executive Secretary (see resource requirements in table 3 );

(b) The Special Voluntary Trust Fund (BI) for Facilitating Participation of the Developing Country Parties, in particular the least developed countries and small island developing States, and Parties with Economies in Transition, for the biennium 2009-2010, as specified by the Executive Secretary (see resource requirements in table 4 ); and urges Parties to make contributions to these funds;

16. Requests the Secretariat to remind the Parties on the need for contributions to the BI Trust Fund at least six month prior to the meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Protocol reflecting on the financial need and urges Parties in the position to do so to ensure that the contributions are paid at least three months before the meeting;

17. Invites all States not Parties to the Protocol, as well as governmental, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations and other sources, to contribute to the trust funds for the Protocol (BH, BI) to enable the Secretariat to implement approved activities in a timely manner especially capacity-building priorities and activities identified by developing countries and small island developing States, and Parties with economies in transition in respect of risk assessment and risk management and the effective operation of the Biosafety Clearing-House;

18. Reaffirms the importance of full and active participation of the developing country parties, in particular the least developed countries and small island developing States, as well as Parties with Economies in Transition in the activities of the Protocol and, with the aim of improving the legitimacy of Protocol decisions, authorises the Executive Secretary in agreement with the Bureau to draw upon the savings and or surplus of the BG Trust Fund up to a maximum of US$ 150,000 to cover the costs incurred with the facilitation of the participation in the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Protocol of the developing country Parties, in particular the least developed countries and small island developing States, and Parties with economies in transition, if there are not sufficient funds available in the BI Trust Fund three months before the meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Protocol; 19. Decides that the trust funds for the Protocol (BG, BH, BI) shall be extended for a period of two years, beginning 1 January 2010 and ending 31 December 2011;

20. Requests the Executive Secretary to prepare and submit a programme budget for secretariat services and the biosafety work programme of the Protocol for the biennium 2011-2012 to the fifth meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Protocol, and to provide 3 alternatives for the budget based on:

(a) The Executive Secretary will make assessment of the required rate of growth for the programme budget;

(b) Increasing the core programme budget (BG Trust Fund) from the 2009 – 2010 level by 10 per cent in nominal terms;

(c) Maintaining the core programme budget (BG Trust Fund) from the 2009 – 2010 level in nominal terms;

21. Requests the Executive Secretary to report on income and budget performance, unspent balances and the status of surplus and carry-overs, including the status of implementation of paragraph 19 as well as any adjustments made to the Protocol budget for the biennium 2009-2010 and to provide to the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Protocol and biosafety focal points all financial information regarding the budget for the Convention on Biological Diversity at the same time as it is provided to Parties to the Convention;

22. Requests the Executive Secretary, in presenting the proposed programme budget for the biennium 2011-2012 to the fifth meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Protocol, to use the modality and tracking mechanism to review the ratio specified in paragraph 6 above;

23. Reconfirms the importance of applying the procedure set out in annex I of decision VIII/10 of the Conference of the Parties to priority setting to guide the allocation of financial resources by the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Protocol, but agrees that the mid-meeting report to the plenary of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Protocol should be made available after the initial consideration of draft decisions by working groups;

24. Requests the Executive Secretary drawing on, inter alia, the Joint Inspection Unit recommendations contained in General Assembly document A/45/130, the experience of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification and the work done by the Secretariat of the Rotterdam Convention in response to decisions RC 3/7 and RC 1/17 paragraph 23, to explore the advantages and disadvantages of using the host country currency or the US$ as the currency of the account and budget of the Protocol and to report and if appropriate make proposals for decision at the fifth meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Protocol;

25. Notes with appreciation the decision of the Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme to finance the post of Fund Management Officer of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety through the programme support costs and requests the Executive Secretary to negotiate with the Executive Director additional support to the Protocol for the 2009-2010 biennium from this source and to report to the fifth meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety;

26. Invites the Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme to report to the fifth meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety on the use of the programme support cost (PSC) in support of the functioning of the Secretariat;

27. Welcomes the efforts of the Executive Secretary in greening activities by the Secretariat such as the carbon-offsetting of travel of staff and funded participants to the meetings under the Convention on Biological Diversity.

Table 1. Biosafety Protocol resource requirements from the core budget (BG Trust Fund) for the biennium 2009-2010

Expenditures

		2009 (US$ thousands)	2010 (US$ thousands)	2009-2010 (US$ thousands)
A	Staff costs*	1,541.5	1,587.3	3,128.8
B	Biosafety Bureau meetings	50.0	60.0	110.0
C	COP-MOP	0.0	400.0	400.0
D	Consultants/subcontracts	25.0	25.0	50.0
E	Travel on official business	60.0	60.0	120.0
F	Liaison Group meetings on Capacity Building	35.0	35.0	70.0
G	Biosafety Clearing House advisory meetings	40.0	40.0	80.0
H	Compliance committee meetings (1/year)	47.5	47.5	95.0
I	AHTEG- risk assessment	90.0	0.0	90.0
J	Temporary assistance/Overtime	20.0	20.0	40.0
K	General operating expenses	248.1	254.6	502.8
L	Translation of BCH website	20.0	20.0	40.0
M	Meeting of Friends of the Co-Chairs on Liability and Redress	100.0	0.0	100.0
	Sub-total (I)	2,277.1	2,549.50.0	100.0
II	Programme support charge 13%	296.0	331.4	627.5
III	Working capital reserve**	38.6		38.6
	GRAND TOTAL (I + II + III)	2,611.8	2,880.9	5,492.7
	Less contribution from the host country	175.1	178.6	353.7
	TOTAL (I + II + III)	2,436.7	2,702.3	5,139.0
	Less savings from previous years	470.0	270.0	740.0
	NET TOTAL (amount to be shared by Parties)	1,966.7	2,432.3	4,399.0

* Includes 15% costs for 1P-5, 3 P-4, 6 P-3 and 3 G-S staff funded mainly by the Convention.

Table 2. Biosafety Protocol staffing requirements from the core budget (BG Trust Fund) for the biennium 2009-2010

		2009	2010
A	Professional category
	P-5	1	1
	P-4	3	3
	P-3	2	2
	P-2	1	1
	Total professional category	7	7
B	Total General Service category	4	4
	TOTAL (A + B)	11	11

Table 3. Special Voluntary Trust Fund (BH) for Additional Voluntary Contributions in Support of Approved Activities of the Cartagena Protocol for the biennium 2009-2010

I.	Description	2009/2010
	Meetings/Workshops	(USD Thousands)
	Meeting of the Friends of the Co-chairs on Liability and Redress	210.0
	Participation in the Green Customs Initiative	120.0
	Coordination meetings for Governments and organizations involved in the biosafety capacity building	160.0
	AHTEG on Risk Assessment	90.0
	Consultants
	Study of users and potential users of the BCH	10.0
	Assess the effectiveness of various approaches to capacity-building used and lessons learned	20.0
	Prepare a synthesis of different risk assessment methods	15.0
	Activities
	Assessment and Review (Article 35)	25.0
	Organize on-line conference on handling, packaging and transport practices (Publication)	20.0
	Voluntary Fund for the Roster of Experts	100.0
	Develop training modules on risk assessment and risk management of LMOs	584.2
	Publication of scientific reviews on risk assessment in the CBD Technical Series	10.0
	Public awareness and participation-Information materiel/publications	14.0
	Translation of Protocol website into Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish	50.0
	Translation of reports on risk assessment and risk management in 5 UN languages	107
	Outreach activities for the fifth anniversary of the Protocol and the settings up of exhibits during the International Year of Biodiversity and other events.	50.0
	Subtotal I	1,585.2
II	Programme support charges (13%)	206.1
	Total Cost (I + II)	1,791.3

Table 4. Special Voluntary Trust Fund (BI) for Facilitating Participation of Parties in the Protocol for the biennium 2009-2010

(Thousands of United States dollars)

	Description	2009	2010
I.	Meetings
	Meetings of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Protocol		600.0
	Subtotal I	0.0	600.0
II.	Programme support charges (13%)		78.0
	Total Cost (I + II)	0.0	678.0

Table 5. Contributions to the Trust Fund for the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety for the biennium 2009-2010

Party	UN scale of assessments 2009 (per cent)	Scale with 22% ceiling, no LDC paying more than 0.01 % (per cent)	Contributions per 1 Jan. 2009 (US$)	UN scale of assessments 2009 (per cent)	Scale with 22% ceiling, no LDC paying more than 0.01 % (per cent)	Contributions per 1 Jan. 2010 (US$)	Total contributions 2009-2010 (US$)
Albania	0.006	0.009	167	0.006	0.009	207	374
Algeria	0.085	0.120	2,369	0.085	0.120	2,930	5,299
Antigua and Barbuda	0.002	0.003	56	0.002	0.003	69	125
Armenia	0.002	0.003	56	0.002	0.003	69	125
Austria	0.887	1.257	24,722	0.887	1.257	30,575	55,296
Azerbaijan	0.005	0.007	139	0.005	0.007	172	312
Bahamas	0.016	0.023	446	0.016	0.023	552	997
Bangladesh	0.010	0.010	197	0.010	0.010	243	440
Barbados	0.009	0.013	251	0.009	0.013	310	561
Belarus	0.020	0.028	557	0.020	0.028	689	1,247
Belgium	1.102	1.562	30,714	1.102	1.562	37,986	68,700
Belize	0.001	0.001	28	0.001	0.001	34	62
Benin	0.001	0.001	28	0.001	0.001	34	62
Bhutan	0.001	0.001	28	0.001	0.001	34	62
Bolivia	0.006	0.009	167	0.006	0.009	207	374
Botswana	0.014	0.020	390	0.014	0.020	483	873
Brazil	0.876	1.241	24,415	0.876	1.241	30,196	54,611
Bulgaria	0.020	0.028	557	0.020	0.028	689	1,247
Burkina Faso	0.002	0.003	56	0.002	0.003	69	125
Cambodia	0.001	0.001	28	0.001	0.001	34	62
Cameroon	0.009	0.013	251	0.009	0.013	310	561
Cape Verde	0.001	0.001	28	0.001	0.001	34	62
Chad	0.001	0.001	28	0.001	0.001	34	62
China	2.667	3.780	74,332	2.667	3.780	91,931	166,263
Colombia	0.105	0.149	2,926	0.105	0.149	3,619	6,546
Congo	0.001	0.001	28	0.001	0.001	34	62
Costa Rica	0.032	0.045	892	0.032	0.045	1,103	1,995
Croatia	0.050	0.071	1,394	0.050	0.071	1,723	3,117
Cuba	0.054	0.077	1,505	0.054	0.077	1,861	3,366
Cyprus	0.044	0.062	1,226	0.044	0.062	1,517	2,743
Czech Republic	0.281	0.398	7,832	0.281	0.398	9,686	17,518
Dem. Republic of Congo	0.003	0.004	84	0.003	0.004	103	187
Denmark	0.739	1.047	20,597	0.739	1.047	25,473	46,070
Djibouti	0.001	0.001	28	0.001	0.001	34	62
Dominica	0.001	0.001	28	0.001	0.001	34	62
Dominican Republic	0.024	0.034	669	0.024	0.034	827	1,496
Ecuador	0.021	0.030	585	0.021	0.030	724	1,309
Egypt	0.088	0.125	2,453	0.088	0.125	3,033	5,486
El Salvador	0.020	0.028	557	0.020	0.028	689	1,247
Eritrea	0.001	0.001	28	0.001	0.001	34	62
Estonia	0.016	0.023	446	0.016	0.023	552	997
Ethiopia	0.003	0.004	84	0.003	0.004	103	187
European Community	2.500	2.500	49,167	2.500	2.500	60,808	109,974
Fiji	0.003	0.004	84	0.003	0.004	103	187
Finland	0.564	0.799	15,719	0.564	0.799	19,441	35,160
France	6.301	8.930	175,615	6.301	8.930	217,195	392,810
Gabon	0.008	0.011	223	0.008	0.011	276	499
Gambia	0.001	0.001	28	0.001	0.001	34	62
Germany	8.577	12.155	239,049	8.577	12.155	295,648	534,698
Ghana	0.004	0.006	111	0.004	0.006	138	249
Greece	0.596	0.845	16,611	0.596	0.845	20,544	37,155
Grenada	0.001	0.001	28	0.001	0.001	34	62
Guatemala	0.032	0.045	892	0.032	0.045	1,103	1,995
Guinea	0.001	0.001	28	0.001	0.001	34	62
Guyana	0.001	0.001	28	0.001	0.001	34	62
Hungary	0.244	0.346	6,801	0.244	0.346	8,411	15,211
India	0.450	0.638	12,542	0.450	0.638	15,511	28,053
Indonesia	0.161	0.228	4,487	0.161	0.228	5,550	10,037
Iran	0.180	0.255	5,017	0.180	0.255	6,205	11,221
Ireland	0.445	0.631	12,403	0.445	0.631	15,339	27,742
Italy	5.079	7.198	141,557	5.079	7.198	175,073	316,629
Japan	16.624	22.000	432,666	16.624	22.000	535,106	967,772
Jordan	0.012	0.017	334	0.012	0.017	414	748
Kenya	0.010	0.014	279	0.010	0.014	345	623
Kiribati	0.001	0.001	28	0.001	0.001	34	62
Korea, Democratic Republic	0.007	0.010	195	0.007	0.010	241	436
Kyrgyzstan	0.001	0.001	28	0.001	0.001	34	62
Lao People's Dem. Rep.	0.001	0.001	28	0.001	0.001	34	62
Latvia	0.018	0.026	502	0.018	0.026	620	1,122
Lesotho	0.001	0.001	28	0.001	0.001	34	62
Liberia	0.001	0.001	28	0.001	0.001	34	62
Libya	0.062	0.088	1,728	0.062	0.088	2,137	3,865
Lithuania	0.031	0.044	864	0.031	0.044	1,069	1,933
Luxembourg	0.085	0.120	2,369	0.085	0.120	2,930	5,299
Madagascar	0.002	0.003	56	0.002	0.003	69	125
Malaysia	0.190	0.269	5,295	0.190	0.269	6,549	11,845
Maldives	0.001	0.001	28	0.001	0.001	34	62
Mali	0.001	0.001	28	0.001	0.001	34	62
Malta	0.017	0.024	474	0.017	0.024	586	1,060
Marshall Islands	0.001	0.001	28	0.001	0.001	34	62
Mauritania	0.001	0.001	28	0.001	0.001	34	62
Mauritius	0.011	0.016	307	0.011	0.016	379	686
Mexico	2.257	3.199	62,905	2.257	3.199	77,799	140,703
Mongolia	0.001	0.001	28	0.001	0.001	34	62
Montenegro	0.001	0.001	28	0.001	0.001	34	62
Mozambique	0.001	0.001	28	0.001	0.001	34	62
Myanmar	0.005	0.007	139	0.005	0.007	172	312
Namibia	0.006	0.009	167	0.006	0.009	207	374
Nauru	0.001	0.001	28	0.001	0.001	34	62
Netherlands	1.873	2.654	52,202	1.873	2.654	64,562	116,764
New Zealand	0.256	0.363	7,135	0.256	0.363	8,824	15,959
Nicaragua	0.002	0.003	56	0.002	0.003	69	125
Niger	0.001	0.001	28	0.001	0.001	34	62
Nigeria	0.048	0.068	1,338	0.048	0.068	1,655	2,992
Niue	0.001	0.001	28	0.001	0.001	34	62
Norway	0.782	1.108	21,795	0.782	1.108	26,955	48,751
Oman	0.073	0.103	2,035	0.073	0.103	2,516	4,551
Palau	0.001	0.001	28	0.001	0.001	34	62
Panama	0.023	0.033	641	0.023	0.033	793	1,434
Papua New Guinea	0.002	0.003	56	0.002	0.003	69	125
Paraguay	0.005	0.007	139	0.005	0.007	172	312
Peru	0.078	0.111	2,174	0.078	0.111	2,689	4,863
Philippines	0.078	0.111	2,174	0.078	0.111	2,689	4,863
Poland	0.501	0.710	13,963	0.501	0.710	17,269	31,233
Portugal	0.527	0.747	14,688	0.527	0.747	18,166	32,854
Qatar	0.085	0.120	2,369	0.085	0.120	2,930	5,299
Republic of Korea	2.173	3.080	60,564	2.173	3.080	74,903	135,467
Republic of Moldova	0.001	0.001	28	0.001	0.001	34	62
Romania	0.070	0.099	1,951	0.070	0.099	2,413	4,364
Rwanda	0.001	0.001	28	0.001	0.001	34	62
Saint Kitts and Nevis	0.001	0.001	28	0.001	0.001	34	62
Saint Vincent & Gren.	0.001	0.001	28	0.001	0.001	34	62
Samoa	0.001	0.001	28	0.001	0.001	34	62
Saudi Arabia	0.748	1.060	20,847	0.748	1.060	25,783	46,631
Senegal	0.004	0.006	111	0.004	0.006	138	249
Serbia	0.021	0.030	585	0.021	0.030	724	1,309
Seychelles	0.002	0.003	56	0.002	0.003	69	125
Slovakia	0.063	0.089	1,756	0.063	0.089	2,172	3,927
Slovenia	0.096	0.136	2,676	0.096	0.136	3,309	5,985
Solomon Islands	0.001	0.001	28	0.001	0.001	34	62
South Africa	0.290	0.411	8,083	0.290	0.411	9,996	18,079
Spain	2.968	4.206	82,721	2.968	4.206	102,307	185,028
Sri Lanka	0.016	0.023	446	0.016	0.023	552	997
St. Lucia	0.001	0.001	28	0.001	0.001	34	62
Sudan	0.010	0.010	197	0.010	0.010	243	440
Suriname	0.001	0.001	28	0.001	0.001	34	62
Swaziland	0.002	0.003	56	0.002	0.003	69	125
Sweden	1.071	1.518	29,850	1.071	1.518	36,917	66,767
Switzerland	1.216	1.723	33,891	1.216	1.723	41,915	75,807
Syria	0.016	0.023	446	0.016	0.023	552	997
Tajikistan	0.001	0.001	28	0.001	0.001	34	62
The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia	0.005	0.007	139	0.005	0.007	172	312
Thailand	0.186	0.264	5,184	0.186	0.264	6,411	11,595
Togo	0.001	0.001	28	0.001	0.001	34	62
Tonga	0.001	0.001	28	0.001	0.001	34	62
Trinidad and Tobago	0.027	0.038	753	0.027	0.038	931	1,683
Tunisia	0.031	0.044	864	0.031	0.044	1,069	1,933
Turkey	0.381	0.540	10,619	0.381	0.540	13,133	23,752
Uganda	0.003	0.004	84	0.003	0.004	103	187
Ukraine	0.045	0.064	1,254	0.045	0.064	1,551	2,805
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland	6.642	9.413	185,119	6.642	9.413	228,949	414,068
United Republic of Tanzania	0.006	0.009	167	0.006	0.009	207	374
Venezuela	0.200	0.283	5,574	0.200	0.283	6,894	12,468
Viet Nam	0.024	0.034	669	0.024	0.034	827	1,496
Yemen	0.007	0.010	195	0.007	0.010	241	436
Zambia	0.001	0.001	28	0.001	0.001	34	62
Zimbabwe	0.008	0.011	223	0.008	0.011	276	499
TOTAL	72.405	100.000	1,966,662	72.405	100.000	2,432,301	4,398,963