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Decision COP 16/26
CBD/COP/DEC/16/26

Procedure for avoiding or managing conflicts of interest in expert groups

The Conference of the Parties,

Recalling decision 14/33 of 29 November 2018,

Having reviewed the report of the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity on the implementation of the procedure for avoiding or managing conflicts of interest in expert groups,

Taking into account the effective use of the procedure for avoiding or managing conflicts of interest in the selection of experts to serve in technical expert groups convened in processes under the Convention and its Protocols,

Operational Active

1. Approves the following amendments to the interest disclosure form contained in the appendix to the procedure:

Operational Active

(a) In the declaration sentence, at the end of the form, the following text is inserted: “If selected as a member of the expert group, I undertake to carry out my duties and responsibilities with all objectivity and, in the event that a conflict of interest is established, I undertake to recuse myself from relevant discussions or decision-making, as appropriate”;

Operational Active

(b) A “Name or description of the expert group” field is added at the beginning of the interest disclosure form, above the “Name” field, and a “Job title” field is added after the “Current employer” field;

Operational Active Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity

2. Requests the Executive Secretary to integrate the amendments referred to in paragraph 1 above into the interest disclosure form and replace the original form with the amended version;

Operational Active Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity Parties SBSTTA

3. Also requests the Executive Secretary to take measures, as appropriate, to enhance the application of the procedure, in consultation with the Bureau of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice or of the Conference of the Parties, including by: 

Operational Active Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity Parties SBSTTA

(a) Without prejudice to item (b) of paragraph 4.4 of the procedure, disclosing to other members of the expert group and at the beginning of any meeting of an expert group significant interests that have been declared by a particular member;

Operational Active Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity Parties SBSTTA

(b) Publishing a summary of all declarations made and actions taken to manage any actual or potential conflicts of interest in the report on a meeting and any other outcome of work or product of an expert group;

Operational Active Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity SBI

4. Further requests the Executive Secretary to prepare a report on the implementation of the procedure and, if necessary, to propose updates and amendments to the procedure for consideration by the Subsidiary Body on Implementation at a meeting held before the nineteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties;

Operational Active SBI

5. Requests the Subsidiary Body on Implementation to consider the report and any proposed amendments referred to in paragraph 4 above and to submit a recommendation for consideration by the Conference of the Parties at its nineteenth meeting.

Body
Conference of the Parties (COP)

Meeting
COP-16
Sixteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity
21 Oct - 1 Nov, 2024
Cali, Colombia

Related decisions / recommendations
14/33
Procedure for avoiding or managing conflicts of interest in expert groups