Decision COP VII/33

Recalling its decision VI/27 B on operations of the Convention,

Recalling also paragraph 1 of decision IV/17 by which the Conference of the Parties endorsed the administrative arrangements between the United Nations Environment Programme and the Secretariat of the Convention, contained in the annex to that decision,

Further recalling paragraph 5 of decision V/20 by which it made a number of changes to rule 21 of the rules of procedure regarding the election and terms of office of members of the Bureau of the Conference of the Parties,

Recalling also paragraph 6 of decision V/20 by which it decided to review the effectiveness of these changes, in light of experience, at its seventh meeting,

Noting that there has not been enough experience with the operation of the new arrangements to enable the Conference of the Parties to reach a firm conclusion with respect to the effectiveness of the changes to rule 21 of the rules of procedure,

1.Decides to retire the decisions and elements of decisions adopted at its third and fourth meetings listed in the annex to the present decision;

3.Requests the Executive Secretary to make proposals to the eighth meeting of the Conference of the Parties regarding the retirement of decisions and elements of decisions taken at its fifth and sixth meetings and to communicate such proposals to Parties, Governments and relevant international organizations at least sixth months prior to its eighth meeting;

4.Requests the Executive Secretary, under the guidance of the Bureau, to propose draft consolidated decisions in the areas of forest biological diversity; access to genetic resources and benefit sharing; and guidance to the financial mechanism for the consideration of the Conference of the Parties at its eighth meeting and to communicate the proposed draft consolidated decisions to Parties, Governments and relevant international organizations for their review and comments at least six months prior to its eighth meeting;

5.Invites Parties, Governments and relevant international organizations to submit to the Executive Secretary written comments on the proposals referred to in paragraphs 3 and 4 above, at least three months prior to its eighth meeting;

6.Invites the Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme and the Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity to review and revise the administrative arrangements between the United Nations Environment Programme and the Secretariat of the Convention and report thereon to the Conference of the Parties at its eighth meeting.

7.Decides to review the effectiveness of the changes to rule 21 of the rules of procedure at its eighth meeting;

8.Decides also to review rule 4 of the rules of procedure relating to the periodicity of its ordinary meetings at its eighth meeting and, at that occasion, if needed, make the necessary adjustments in the multi-year programme of work of the Conference of the Parties up to 2010 regarding the periodicity of its meetings;

9.Requests the Executive Secretary to seek the views of Parties on options for a mechanism for setting priorities during the consideration of agenda items by the Conference of the Parties with a view to providing the budget group with clear guidance on how to address activities with financial implications, and report thereon to the Conference of the Parties at its eighth meeting;