Decision COP 14/33

Recognizing the critical importance of taking decisions on the basis of the best available expert advice,

Recognizing also the need to avoid or manage, in a transparent manner, conflicts of interest by members of expert groups established from time to time to develop recommendations,

1. Approves the procedure for avoiding or managing conflicts of interest contained in the annex to the present decision;

2. Requests the Executive Secretary to ensure the implementation of the Procedure for Avoiding or Managing Conflicts of Interest in Expert Groups contained in the annex to the present decision, in consultation with the Bureau of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice or the Bureau of the Conference of the Parties, as appropriate;

3. Also requests the Executive Secretary to prepare a report on: (a) the implementation of the procedure; and (b) relevant developments in avoiding or managing conflicts of interest in other multilateral environmental agreements, intergovernmental initiatives or organizations, and, if appropriate, propose updates and amendments to the current procedure for consideration by the Subsidiary Body on Implementation at a meeting held prior to the sixteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties;

4. Requests the Subsidiary Body on Implementation to consider the report referred to in paragraph 3 above and to submit recommendations, as appropriate, for consideration by the Conference of the Parties at its sixteenth meeting.