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OPCW | Conference of States Parties | ||
| Seventh Session | C-7/DEC.20 | |||
| 7 – 11 October 2002 | 11 October 2002 | |||
| Original: ENGLISH | ||||
| (Unofficial electronic version) | ||||
DECISION
PROCEDURES FOR UPDATING THE
LIST OF APPROVED EQUIPMENT
The Conference of the States Parties,
Recalling that, during its Fifteenth Session in April 1999, the Executive Council (hereinafter the “Council”) had received a proposal on the need to establish procedures for the procurement of inspection equipment;
Further recalling that, at its First Session, the Conference of the States Parties (hereinafter the "Conference") adopted the list of approved equipment with operational requirements, technical specifications and common evaluation criteria (C-I/DEC.71, dated 23 May 1997);
Recognising that the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction (hereinafter the “Convention”) requires the Conference to review scientific and technological developments that could affect the operation of the Convention;
Understanding that paragraph 27 of Part II of the Verification Annex to the Convention (hereinafter the “Verification Annex”) requires the Technical Secretariat (hereinafter the “Secretariat”) to prepare and, as appropriate, update a list of approved equipment for consideration and approval by the Conference;
Also understanding that the experience gained by the Organisation during the conduct of on-site inspections has provided, and will continue to provide, insight into the needs of inspectors, which may require the revision of the list of approved equipment;
Reaffirming that the Secretariat procures equipment using a transparent process, open to all States Parties according to the applicable Financial Regulations and Procurement Directives; and
Recognising that existing approved inspection equipment shall not be discarded before its full life is exhausted, or until it is unable to fulfil the requirements of conducting verification activities, or unless technological developments would enable more cost effective inspection operations;
Hereby:
Adopts the following procedures for updating the list of approved equipment:
1. the Director-General, on the basis of substantive and documented analysis (see the annex to this decision), shall recommend the revision of the list of approved equipment in order to demonstrably improve verification, to increase the efficiency of inspection teams, to protect health, to improve safety, or to directly reduce the operating costs of the Organisation. The items proposed for inclusion in the list shall be accompanied by requirements as specified by the annex to this decision, and shall be in accordance with the general and specific operational requirements. Items meeting these requirements shall be commercially available to States Parties to the Convention;
2. any such recommendations, together with the relevant analysis, shall be provided to States Parties and consultations shall be arranged amongst both experts designated by States Parties and representatives of the Secretariat in order to discuss the improvements, increased efficiencies, and/or reduced costs in question;
3. revisions of the list of approved equipment that are based on scientific and technological developments shall also be accompanied by observations from the Scientific Advisory Board;
4. this process shall be completed in an expeditious manner; and
5. the Director-General shall provide his/her recommendations, an accompanying analysis, and the results of review and consultations amongst experts designated by States Parties and representatives of the Secretariat to the Council for consideration and appropriate recommendation to the Conference for approval.
Annex: Outline of Requirements for New Items of Inspection Equipment