NOTE BY THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL

INVITATION TO MEMBER STATES TO APPLY FOR SUPPORT

FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF TECHNICAL COMPETENCE

AT NATIONAL CHEMICAL ANALYTICAL LABORATORIES

1. The Secretariat has been mandated (C-I/DEC.74, dated 23 May 1997, subparagraph 4.3.4) to launch a support programme to facilitate the improvement of national laboratories which are, or are intended to be, involved in chemical analyses relevant to the Convention. The Director- General accordingly invites States Parties, through their National Authorities, to apply for such support.

2. The support is intended primarily for national laboratories which already have an adequate infrastructure, but which could benefit from a level of technical competence increased sufficiently for them to carry out off-site analyses relevant to the Convention or which would better suit them for such work.

3. The support for the laboratory of a State Party could, for example, consist of:

(a) contributions to the costs of participation by laboratory personnel in seminars, workshops, symposia, etc. or in courses on advanced analytical techniques being held outside the State Party;

(b) contributions to the costs of internships at laboratories outside the State Party where advanced analytical techniques are used;

(c) contributions to the costs of bringing lecturers to the laboratory to lecture on advanced analytical techniques; and

(d) contributions to the cost of and practical assistance for arranging courses on advanced analytical techniques at the laboratory.

4. A prerequisite for support relating to a certain analytical technique is that the equipment required for such a technique already is, or very soon will be, available at the laboratory. No support can be given for the acquisition of such equipment.

5. An application for support may be submitted at any time. The application should contain:

(a) a brief description of the laboratory for which support is being sought, including information on the types of chemical analysis, relevant to the Convention, that might be undertaken at the laboratory now or when its technical competence has been improved;

(b) a specification of the kind of support being sought;

(c) cost estimates (travel costs will normally be supported only at the lowest available special fare rate);

(d) in support of a specific person, her or his curriculum vitae;

(e) in support of a course at the laboratory, an estimate of the number of participants and their technical level, as well as information on whether practical assistance from the Secretariat is required to arrange the course;

(f) in support of internship, information on whether a recipient laboratory has already been identified or on whether the Secretariat is requested to locate such a laboratory; and

(g) any other information which would facilitate the evaluation of the application by the Secretariat.

6. Support for a course to be arranged at a laboratory will be granted only if participants from other States Parties are also accepted and if any course fee does not exceed a nominal amount.

7. Laboratories seeking support may obtain further information from the International Cooperation and Assistance Division, either directly or through their respective National Authorities. Applications will, however, be accepted only when submitted through a National Authority. Applications should be sent to the Director, International Cooperation and Assistance Division, Technical Secretariat, OPCW, Laan van Meerdervoort 51, NL-2514 AE The Hague, The Netherlands, fax +31-70-360 0944, e- mail webmaster@opcw.nl

8. Normally, a response to any such application may be expected within three weeks of it being received by the Secretariat. Any such response will advise of whether an application for support has been accepted, as well as of the extent of the support, if any, that will be provided.

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