WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Conference of the Parties to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control
Third session Durban, South Africa, 17–22 November 2008 Provisional agenda item 6.3 FCTC/COP/3/20 5 September 2008
Next budget and workplan of the Conference of the Parties Note by the Convention Secretariat
1. According to Article 23(4) of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, at each ordinary session the Conference of the Parties “shall adopt a budget for the financial period until the next ordinary session”. The current budget and workplan, which were adopted by the Conference of the Parties at its second session in 2007 (decision FCTC/COP2(11)), already covers the period 2008–2009, so that the next budget will be considered at the fourth session. 2. In accordance with Rule 4 of the Rules of Procedure of the Conference of the Parties, the regular sessions of the Conference of the Parties will enter into a two-year cycle after the third session unless the Conference decides otherwise. Therefore, the fourth session of the Conference of the Parties should be held in 2010, the fifth in 2012, and so forth, each adopting a two-year budget, i.e. for 2011–2012, 2013–2014, and so forth. 3. In this regard, the Convention Secretariat wishes to bring to the attention of the Conference of the Parties the following two issues: (a) The above periods do not correspond to WHO’s biennial planning cycle (2010–2011, 2012–2013, and so forth). This might have a considerable effect, in view of the fact that the Convention Secretariat operates within WHO’s operational and managerial framework. (b) Adoption of the next budget at the fourth session of the Conference of the Parties, in 2010, would also require special arrangements, such as a decision of the third session to allocate and approve the budget for the first six months of 2010, which should later be included in the total budget for the period 2010–2011, to be submitted to the fourth session of the Conference. According to the estimate of the Convention Secretariat, such a six-month budget would total about US$ 4 million, out of which US$ 2 million will cover the fourth session of the Conference with the remaining US$ 2 million to be used for salaries and the start-up activities to implement the decisions of the fourth session.
FCTC/COP/3/20
4. The Conference of the Parties might therefore wish to consider convening its fourth session as early as possible in 2010 in order to allow for a relatively timely adoption of the 2010–2011 budget. Despite a short delay this would still allow for the operationalization of the new budget with no considerable disruption of activities of the Secretariat. Another option could be to advance the fourth session to the end of 2009 which would then allow adoption of the next biennal budget prior to the start of its implementation and would not require spending authorization; this option, however, would necessitate additional funds of about US$ 2 million not envisaged in the existing budget for the period 2008–2009. 5. Although the above options would provide a solution to the adoption of the next budget and workplan, a longer-term solution would still be needed to align the subsequent budgets of the Conference of the Parties to WHO’s planning cycle. One such solution that the Conference of the Parties may wish to consider is convening its fifth regular session in the last quarter of 2011, instead of 2012 (if the fourth session was to be convened in 2010), and thereafter every second year as envisaged by the Rules of the Procedure, with the adoption of two-year budgets and workplans synchronized with WHO’s biennial cycle. If the fourth session is convened in late 2009, aligning the two-yearly periodicity of the sessions to WHO planning cycle – with the fifth session in 2011 – would already be achieved. 6. To assist with medium-term and long-term planning, the Convention Secretariat, in consultation with the Bureau, requests the Conference of the Parties to take into account the above factors when considering the time and location of its fourth session, as well as to decide, in principle, on the desired timing for its fifth session if possible. A draft decision, reflecting the option retained by the Conference of the Parties and including the budgetary implications, will be submitted by the Convention Secretariat for consideration by the Conference.
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