C-III/DEC.8

	OPCW	Conference of the States Parties
Third Session			C-III/DEC.8
16 - 20 November 1998				17 November 1998
				Original: ENGLISH

DECISION

COSTS OF VERIFICATION UNDER ARTICLES IV AND V

The Conference

Recalling paragraph 2 of decision C-II/DEC.17*, dated 5 December 1997, of the Conference of the States Parties at its Second Session;

Recalling the Article IV and V reimbursement criteria contained in decision C-I/DEC.74*, dated 23 May 1997, of the Conference of the States Parties at its First Session, as modified by the Conference of the States Parties at its Second Session;

Taking note of the deliberations on the above subject at the Tenth and Eleventh Sessions of the Executive Council;

Further taking note of comments by the States Parties (EC-X/NAT.4, dated 19 June 1998, EC-X/NAT.8, also dated 19 June 1998, EC-XI/NAT.1, dated 29 July 1998, and EC-XI/NAT.2, dated 7 August 1998) and of documentation provided by the Technical Secretariat (EC-XI/DG.5, dated 3 August 1998, and Corr.1 and Corr.2, dated 13 August 1998 and 1 September 1998 respectively), addressing the issue of reducing the financial burden of the inspected States Parties where possible;

Recognising that the efforts by the Technical Secretariat in cooperation with the States Parties have already led to substantial savings for verification, and requesting the Technical Secretariat to continue such efforts in cooperation with the States Parties, while safeguarding effective verification under the Convention;

Noting decision EC-XI/DEC.1, dated 4 September 1998, of the Executive Council adopted ad referendum at its Eleventh Session (paragraph 12 of EC-XI/2, dated 4 September 1998) and confirmed at it its Twelfth Session (subparagraph 16.5 of EC-XII/3, dated 9 October 1998) and the recommendations to the Conference at its Third Session contained therein;

Hereby:

Decides to apply the reimbursement criteria for 1998 as contained in the section entitled "Costs of verification. Understanding for implementation of Article IV and Article V" of the decision C-I/DEC.74* and subparagraph 2(c) of decision C-II/DEC.17* and, with respect to "salary", as contained in EC-XI/DEC.1 (see footnote below), also for future budgets, starting with the 1999 OPCW budget;

Decides, with respect to "Cost Elements to be further evaluated" as contained in chapter 2 of C-I/DEC.74*, section entitled "Costs of verification. Understanding for implementation of Article IV and Article V", paragraphs 4, 5, and 6:

(a) to include reimbursement for the involvement of members of an inspection team in inspection planning before and in inspection report generation after an inspection on the following basis:

(i) for CW storage and production facilities: for inspection planning - a three-day planning period for two inspection team members prior to departure, and for inspection report generation - two days for two inspection team members; and

(ii) for CW destruction facilities: for inspection planning - a two-day planning period for two inspection team members prior to departure, and for inspection report generation - two days for two inspection team members;

(b) not to consider further other such cost elements;

Decides that the use of on-site monitoring instruments at CW facilities, in particular in CWDFs, to reduce the costs of verification, could be applied, where consistent with the requirements for effective verification.

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