C-IV/DEC.11

	OPCW	Conference of the States Parties
Fourth Session			C-IV/DEC.11
28 June - 2 July 1999				29 June 1999
Agenda Item 11				Original: ENGLISH

DECISION

CERTIFICATION PROCEDURE FOR THE

CENTRAL OPCW ANALYTICAL DATABASE AND ON-SITE DATABASES

The Conference of States Parties

Recalling that at its First Session, the Conference of the States Parties adopted the document entitled "Procedure for the provisional certification of the Central OPCW Analytical Database" (C-I/DEC.63, dated 22 May 1997), and that that decision referred to a number of bodies that were established under the Preparatory Commission;

Recalling further that the Director-General has now established a validation group for the evaluation of new spectra proposed for inclusion in the Central OPCW Analytical Database, and that at its third meeting on 11 - 12 January 1999 (S/97/99, dated 16 February 1999), the validation group requested that the Director-General forward a revised version of the procedure, entitled "Certification procedure for the Central OPCW Analytical Database and on-site databases" to the Executive Council for its consideration and approval;

Recalling also that the Director-General has forwarded the revised document "Certification procedure for the Central OPCW Analytical Database and on-site databases" to the Executive Council for consideration at its Fifteenth Session (EC-XV/DG.2/Rev.1, dated 28 April 1999), to be recommended for consideration and adoption by the Conference of the States Parties at its Fourth Session;

Recalling also that the Executive Council at its Fifteenth Session (EC-XV/DEC.4, dated 29 April 1999) recommended the document for consideration and adoption by the Conference of the States Parties at its Fourth Session;

Hereby:

Adopts the certification procedure for the Central OPCW Analytical Database and on-site databases annexed hereto.

Annex:

Certification procedure for the Central OPCW Analytical Database and on-site databases

Annex

CERTIFICATION PROCEDURE FOR THE

CENTRAL OPCW ANALYTICAL DATABASE AND ON-SITE DATABASES

1. The certification of each new version of the Central OPCW Analytical Database will be the result of a series of fully documented tests of the data and processes along with any guidance provided by the Executive Council, and using ISO 9000 as a guide. The additions to the Central OPCW Analytical Database will have been approved by the Executive Council in accordance with the mechanism proposed in EC-IV/DEC.2, dated 5 September 1997, which was adopted by the Conference of the States Parties at its Second Session (subparagraph 11.2(c) of C-II/8, dated 5 December 1997).

2. The certification of each new version of the Central OPCW Analytical Database shall be carried out as follows:

(a) the contents of the four components of database in terms of chemicals and analytical data shall be indicated in the certificates for each technique (IR, MS, NMR, GC);and

(b) the chairman of the validation group and the coordinators for each analytical technique (IR, MS, NMR, GC) shall sign the certificates for authentication for the respective technique for the Central OPCW Analytical Database.

3. The on-site analytical databases to be contained in the on-site analytical instrumentation shall be certified as follows:

(a) data shall be extracted from the Central OPCW Analytical Database, in accordance with appropriate OPCW Standard Operating Procedures (available to States Parties) approved by the Director-General;

(b) the contents of the on-site database in terms of chemicals and analytical data shall be indicated in the certificates, one for each technique (IR, MS, NMR, GC) sent on-site; and

(c) the head of the Technical Support Branch, on behalf of the Director-General, shall sign the certificate for authentication.

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