Notification 2015-035

Dear Madam/Sir, In its decision NP-1/2, paragraph 2, the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Nagoya Protocol (COP-MOP) established an informal advisory committee (IAC) to assist the Executive Secretary with the implementation of the Access and Benefit-sharing Clearing-House (ABS Clearing-House) and to provide technical guidance with respect to the resolution of technical and practical issues arising from the ongoing development of the ABS Clearing-House. The decision provides that the IAC shall be composed of 15 experts, primarily from Parties, selected on the basis of nominations provided by Parties. Pursuant to the above decision, by notification 2014-127 of 4 November 2014, Parties to the Nagoya Protocol were invited to nominate one expert for the IAC and a reminder was sent out on 3 December 2014. Given the small number of nominations received by the original deadline of 15 December 2014, the deadline for nominations was extended to 30 January 2015 through notification 2014-140 of 17 December 2014. Based on the nominations received from Parties to the Protocol, participants were selected taking into account regional balance, relevant experience and engagement in the ABS Clearing-House in accordance with decision NP-1/2, paragraph 2. I am therefore pleased to convey herewith, for your information, the list of the selected experts. Due to the small number of nominations received from Parties from the regions of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and the Group of Latin American and Caribbean Countries (GRULAC), only two members from each of these regions could be selected. With a view to ensuring that the IAC has adequate regional representation and to extending its membership as additional countries become Parties to the Protocol, a second call for nominations for GRULAC and CEE Parties will be sent at a later stage. The COP-MOP also decided that the IAC will hold at least one meeting in the coming intersessional period, as well as informal online discussions as needed, and address technical issues related to feedback received, including issues related to the internationally recognized certificate of compliance and checkpoint communiqué, and report on the outcomes of its work to the second meeting of the COP MOP. Two meetings of the IAC are foreseen for the next biennium (tentative dates: October 2015 and June 2016) as well as informal discussions. A letter of invitation to the first meeting of the IAC, to be held in Montreal, Canada in October 2015, will be sent to the selected experts together with relevant information concerning the meeting. Documents for the meeting will be posted in due course on the Secretariat’s web site. Please accept, Madam/Sir, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Executive Secretary

To: ABS National Focal Points, CBD National Focal Points (where ABS focal points have not yet been designated)