CTOC/COP 4 Decisions

 

Decisions in Arabic - Chinese - French - Russian - Spanish (PDF)

 

At its fourth session, held in Vienna from 8 to 17 October 2008, the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime adopted the following decisions:

 

Decision 4/1. Possible mechanisms to review implementation of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and the Protocols thereto

Decision 4/2. Implementation of the provisions on international cooperation of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime

Decision 4/3. Implementation of the provisions on technical assistance of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime

Decision 4/4. Trafficking in human beings

Decision 4/5. Implementation of the Protocol against Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime

Decision 4/6. Implementation of the Protocol against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking on Firearms, Their Parts and Components and Ammunition, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime

Decision 4/7. Amendment of rule 18 of the rules of procedure for the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime

Decision 4/8. Reorganization of the work of the 5th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime

 

Decision 4/1

Possible mechanisms to review implementation of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and the Protocols thereto

The Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime:

(a) Reaffirmed that the purpose of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime [1] is to promote cooperation to prevent and combat transnational organized crime more effectively;

(b) Recalled article 32 of the Convention, pursuant to which, in particular, the Conference has the responsibility to improve the capacity of States parties to combat transnational organized crime and to promote and review the implementation of the Convention, and is to agree, inter alia, upon mechanisms for achieving its objectives;

(c) Also recalled articles 30 and 34 of the Convention, which set out the obligations of States parties with respect to the provision of cooperation and technical assistance and to the implementation of the Convention;

(d) Further recalled that at its third session the Conference had expressed concern, in its decision 3/1, about the low rate of response of States parties to the questionnaires on the implementation of the Convention and the Protocols thereto; [2]

(e) Took note with satisfaction of improved information-gathering efforts since its third session with regard to the implementation of the Convention and the Protocols thereto, particularly the decision of the Open-ended Interim Working Group of Government Experts on Technical Assistance to develop a user-friendly checklist and the ongoing efforts of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime to develop a computer-based self-assessment tool, and took note of the working paper prepared by the Secretariat [3] containing project ideas developed in consultation with interested parties and donors in this regard;

(f) Expressed its concern at the information contained in the report of the Secretariat on the development of tools to gather information from States on the implementation of the Convention and each of the Protocols thereto, [4] which showed persisting gaps in the implementation of the Convention and its Protocols;

(g) Took into account that the review of the implementation of the Convention was an ongoing and gradual process, and considered that it was necessary to explore options regarding an appropriate and effective mechanism to assist the Conference in the review of the implementation of the Convention and the Protocols thereto;

(h) Took note of the note by the Secretariat on possible mechanisms to review implementation of the United Nations Convention on Transnational Organized Crime and the Protocols thereto, [5] which contained examples of review mechanisms under instruments relevant to the Convention;

(i) Requested the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime to convene at least one open-ended intergovernmental meeting of experts, with interpretation, in Vienna by September 2009, said meeting to present a report to the Conference at its fifth session on mechanisms, as appropriate, for reviewing the implementation of the Convention and its Protocols;

(j) Requested Member States to submit to the Secretariat their comments and views for the purpose of the deliberations of the above-mentioned meeting, and also requested the Secretariat to organize the views and comments received so as to facilitate such deliberations;

(k) Requested the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime to assist interested States parties in assessing their implementation of the provisions of the Convention and the Protocols thereto, and invited interested States parties and financial institutions to provide resources to the United Nations Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Fund to finance such assistance.

 

Decision 4/2

Implementation of the provisions on international cooperation of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime

The Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime:

(a) Recalled its decision 3/2, in which it decided that an open-ended working group of Government experts on extradition, mutual legal assistance and international cooperation for purposes of confiscation would be a constant element of the Conference;

(b) Noted that the open-ended working group had been convened during the fourth session of the Conference and, working in an environment of cooperation and goodwill, had engaged in a detailed review of the implementation of the articles on international cooperation of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, [1] resulting in a fruitful exchange of ideas and experiences regarding implementation of those articles;

I

Substantive discussion of the working group

(c) Noted that the open-ended working group had discussed in depth the following matters:

(i) The different elements of article 16, on extradition, of the Organized Crime Convention, highlighting the potential of those provisions as a legal basis for extradition, different aspects of the issue of the extradition of nationals, and the principles of aut dedere aut judicare and dual criminality;

(ii) The comprehensive provisions contained in article 18, on mutual legal assistance, of the Convention, which were found by the working group to constitute an integral set of rules applicable in areas in which no other treaty applied; ways and means of requesting assistance, such as by e-mail and oral communication; and the use of working languages;

(iii) Article 13, on international cooperation for purposes of confiscation, of the Convention, including the diversity of confiscation schemes found in national legislation, such as conviction-based confiscation and non-conviction-based confiscation;

(d) Took note of the recommendation of the working group to consider the use of videoconferencing and the giving of evidence by video link, and its encouragement of States parties to provide in their domestic legal systems for that type of cooperation, which had various benefits, including its cost-effectiveness and potential for the protection of witnesses;

(e) Requested the Secretariat to seek ways to support such use of videoconferencing and assist States in overcoming technical and legal obstacles, and to report to the Conference, at its fifth session, on the provision of such assistance;

(f) Decided that an in-depth discussion on the application of articles 12, 13, 16 and 18 of the Convention should be held at the fifth session of the Conference, on the basis of clear, practical examples of the application of those articles, with a view to further facilitating the effective application of those articles;

(g) Requested the Secretariat to collect from States parties, prior to the fifth session of the Conference, examples of the application of the above-mentioned articles, in particular in the area of international cooperation for purposes of confiscation, including non-conviction-based confiscation;

II

Usefulness and use of the Convention as a basis for international cooperation in extradition, mutual legal assistance and international cooperation for
purposes of confiscation

 

(h) Emphasized that the Convention, as a global instrument with wide adherence, offered the broadest scope of cooperation to address existing and emerging forms of transnational organized crime;

(i) Noted that the Convention was being used successfully by an increasing number of States as a basis for granting requests for extradition, mutual legal assistance and international cooperation for purposes of confiscation;

(j) Encouraged States parties to continue to make use of the Convention as a legal basis for international cooperation in extradition and mutual legal assistance, including confiscation, taking into account the extended scope of cooperation available under its article 16, on extradition, and article 18, on mutual legal assistance, and the internal legal requirements of States parties for the application of the Convention;

(k) Also encouraged States parties to fully utilize the Convention and the Protocols thereto [2] when other bases for cooperation, such as bilateral agreements and domestic law, did not provide for effective extradition, mutual legal assistance or international cooperation for purposes of confiscation; and emphasized in particular that the multilateral character of the provisions contained in articles 16 and 18 was of great value to practitioners, because it allowed international cooperation with many States without the necessity of concluding additional bilateral agreements;

(l) Further encouraged States parties to promote awareness of the Convention and to facilitate training activities for central authorities, judges, prosecutors, law enforcement officers and officers of national central bureaux of the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) who were engaged in international legal cooperation in the fight against transnational organized crime through implementation of the Convention;

(m) Requested the Secretariat to support, when requested, the provision of such training and awareness-raising at the national level;

III

Development of tools to facilitate international cooperation

(n) Welcomed the Mutual Legal Assistance Request Writer Tool designed by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, which would assist criminal justice practitioners in drafting correct, complete and effective requests; encouraged central authorities to make use, as appropriate, of the tool and provide feedback to the Office on such use; and requested the Secretariat to use the tool in training delivered to central authorities and practitioners;

(o) Welcomed also the establishment of the online directory of central authorities for mutual legal assistance and authorities designated to deal with extradition, as well as authorities designated under article 8 of the Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime;

(p) Requested the Secretariat to further expand the directory to include authorities designated under article 13 of the Protocol against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Their Parts and Components and Ammunition, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime;

(q) Noted that a growing number of States parties had provided to the Secretariat information on their designated authorities; and urged all States parties to do so and update that information, which was vital for efficient cooperation;

(r) Welcomed the collection of examples of cases of extradition, mutual legal assistance and other forms of international legal cooperation on the basis of the Convention;

(s) Urged States parties to continue to provide the Secretariat with data concerning their reliance on provisions of the Convention and the Protocols thereto in order to effect extradition, mutual legal assistance or other forms of international legal cooperation; and requested the Secretariat to update the catalogue of cases and disseminate it to the States parties;

IV

Strengthening of central authorities

(t) Took note of the conclusions and recommendations of the series of regional workshops organized by the Secretariat pursuant to Conference decision 3/2, held in Bogota, Cairo, Dakar, Kuala Lumpur and Vienna in 2007 and 2008, for central authorities, liaison magistrates, judges, prosecutors and practitioners responsible for handling extradition and mutual legal assistance;

(u) Welcomed the holding of those regional workshops and other training seminars, which proved useful for strengthening close working contacts between authorities and facilitating exchanges among counterparts;

(v) Requested the Secretariat to pursue such activities in regions not yet covered by the previous workshops and to follow them up at the subregional and interregional levels, in response to the specific cooperation needs identified;

(w) Encouraged central authorities for mutual legal assistance and the competent authorities for extradition requests to make full use of existing regional networks; and requested the Secretariat to provide its support to strengthening networking among authorities at the interregional level and to explore ways to facilitate communication and problem-solving among such authorities by considering the establishment of a discussion forum on a secure network and by ensuring the greatest possible participation by experts and practitioners in the relevant fields, by seeking funding for participation by experts from developing countries, in the deliberations of the working group at future sessions of the Conference;

(x) Recommended that, in accordance with Conference decision 3/4, assistance to States parties should be provided for the implementation of the provisions of the Convention on extradition, mutual legal assistance and international cooperation for purposes of confiscation;

(y) Reiterated that international cooperation was one of the priority areas for technical assistance to support and promote the implementation of the Convention and the Protocols, as stated in the recommendations contained in paragraph 2 of Conference decision 3/4;

(z) Requested the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, in its activities in support of international cooperation in extradition, mutual legal assistance and cooperation for purposes of confiscation under various United Nations instruments, in particular the United Nations Convention against Corruption, [3] to take into account work carried out in other forums in order to avoid duplication of work, giving due regard to the specificity of each instrument.

 

Decision 4/3

Implementation of the provisions on technical assistance of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime

The Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, recalling articles 29 and 30 of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, [1] which set forth the obligation of States parties to promote technical assistance and training, and recalling Conference decisions 2/6 and 3/4:

(a) Took note with appreciation of the information on and proposals for technical assistance activities developed by the Secretariat contained in the working paper prepared by the Secretariat on proposals for technical assistance activities designed to meet the needs identified in the priority areas determined by the Conference, [2] following the five priority areas determined by the Conference at its third session;

(b) Noted the discussion at the round table of technical assistance providers held in Vienna on 14 October 2008 [3] to facilitate the exchange of information on technical assistance being provided and the promotion of closer coordination in the delivery of such assistance;

(c) Noted that the Open-ended Interim Working Group of Government Experts on Technical Assistance had been convened during the fourth session of the Conference and, working in an environment of cooperation and goodwill, had engaged in a detailed review of the implementation of the articles on technical assistance of the Organized Crime Convention, resulting in a fruitful exchange of ideas and experiences;

(d) Decided that the Open-ended Interim Working Group of Government Experts on Technical Assistance should be a constant element of the Conference;

(e) Urged donor countries and technical assistance providers, including the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, to take into consideration the needs identified in the analytical reports [4] in the formulation of technical assistance activities, in conjunction with recipient Governments, and in particular the need for legislative assistance and training of criminal justice practitioners;

(f) Welcomed the analysis by the Secretariat of the technical assistance needs based on the questionnaires and the needs and priorities of requesting States;

(g) Noted with appreciation the specialized expertise of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the network of experts upon which it could call in areas such as legal assistance;

(h) Stressed the need to ensure that the technical assistance provided made the maximum impact, in accordance with the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness, and avoided duplication and overlap;

(i) Recognized that the following principles should underpin mechanisms for ensuring coordination and should be taken into account:

(i) The importance of recipient States carrying out needs analyses, taking into account information given in response to questionnaires and the discussions and views expressed at the sessions of the Conference;

(ii) The importance of technical assistance providers taking such needs analyses into account when designing programmes of assistance, which should preferably be provided in a language agreed to by the receiving State;

(iii) The need for a partnership approach, common goals and commitment on the part of those receiving and providing technical assistance, and the need to take into account the activities of other bodies, such as civil society and international or regional organizations;

(iv) The need for effective coordination within States providing and receiving assistance;

(v) The need for coordination between donors, building on existing local, regional and multilateral mechanisms;

(j) Emphasized the importance of maintaining a continuous flow of information to the Office, including through responses to questionnaires authorized by the Conference, in order to ensure the reflection of the latest information on technical assistance activities and needs;

(k) Recalled the need for technical assistance providers to raise awareness and to emphasize the importance of the Organized Crime Convention and the Protocols thereto [5] and the role of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in implementing those instruments;

(l) Stressed the importance of sharing the results of evaluation of technical assistance provided so that there is a greater common understanding of what works and what does not;

(m) Requested the Secretariat and other technical assistance providers to take into account ongoing regional and bilateral technical assistance efforts with a view to creating areas of synergy and leveraging resources;

(n) Invited providers of technical assistance, together with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and, as appropriate, its field offices, to strengthen coordination efforts in host countries, noting, in particular, the potential for the Office to act as a coordinator and facilitator of requests for and the provision of technical assistance, in order to ensure the effectiveness of such assistance;

(o) Invited technical assistance providers to partner, where appropriate, with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime when providing assistance for the purpose of building the capacity of recipient States to implement the Convention and its Protocols, and to raise awareness of those instruments;

(p) Requested the Open-ended Interim Working Group of Government Experts on Technical Assistance, taking as a basis the above-mentioned recommendations as well as the proposals contained in the working paper prepared by the Secretariat on proposals for technical assistance activities designed to meet the needs identified in the priority areas determined by the Conference, to further reflect on ways and means to strengthen and better coordinate the scheme of technical assistance for the implementation of the Convention and its Protocols, and submit recommendations in that regard to the Conference at its fifth session;

(q) Requested the Secretariat to organize an intersessional meeting of the Working Group before the end of 2009;

(r) Encouraged donor countries and relevant organizations to allocate funds to the United Nations Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Fund in order to improve its capacity as a provider and coordinator of technical assistance;

(s) Invited States parties and States signatories to the Convention to provide voluntary contributions to the Office for its technical assistance activities in order to further the implementation of the Convention and its Protocols, in particular with respect to the above-mentioned recommendations as well as the proposals contained in the working paper prepared by the Secretariat.

 

Decision 4/4

Trafficking in human beings

The Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, recalling the functions assigned to it in article 32 of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, [1] recalling also its decision 3/3 and General Assembly resolutions 61/144 of 19 December 2006 and 61/180 of 20 December 2006, having considered the report and notes by the Secretariat concerning the fight against trafficking in human beings [2] and taking into account the thematic debate held in the Assembly in June 2008:

(a) Welcomed the results of the consultations of Government experts held during its fourth session;

(b) Recalled the Organized Crime Convention and, in particular, the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, [3] and other relevant international instruments;

(c) Underlined the need to continue to work towards a comprehensive and coordinated approach to address the problem of trafficking in persons through the appropriate national, regional and international mechanisms;

(d) Acknowledged that the Trafficking in Persons Protocol was the principal legally binding global instrument to combat trafficking in persons;

(e) Affirmed that a primary purpose of the Conference was to improve the capacity of States parties to combat trafficking in persons and that the Conference should spearhead international efforts in that regard;

(f) Urged States that had not yet done so to consider ratifying or acceding to the Organized Crime Convention and, in particular, the Trafficking in Persons Protocol;

(g) Called upon States parties to continue to strengthen their national legislations and policies for the implementation of the Trafficking in Persons Protocol;

(h) Encouraged Member States to continue to strengthen their national policies and their cooperation with the United Nations system to combat human trafficking;

(i) Invited States to take measures to discourage the demand that fostered all forms of exploitation consistent with the Trafficking in Persons Protocol;

(j) Invited Member States to take measures to alleviate the factors that made persons vulnerable to trafficking, consistent with the Trafficking in Persons Protocol;

(k) Urged States parties to take or strengthen measures, including through bilateral or multilateral cooperation, to improve the ability of law enforcement agencies to cooperate in investigations of trafficking in persons;

(l) Requested States parties to develop, if necessary, tools to improve cooperation between law enforcement agencies, inter alia, in the areas of data collection and communications;

(m) Requested the Secretariat to make available to Member States information on successful practices and measures in relation to victim support, witness protection and the facilitation of the participation of victims in the criminal justice system;

(n) Decided to establish an open-ended interim working group, in accordance with article 32, paragraph 3, of the Organized Crime Convention, and rule 2, paragraph 2, of the rules of procedure for the Conference, to be chaired by a member of the Bureau, to advise and assist the Conference in the implementation of its mandate with regard to the Trafficking in Persons Protocol;

(o) Decided also that the working group should perform the following functions:

(i) Facilitate implementation of the Trafficking in Persons Protocol through the exchange of experience and practices between experts and practitioners in this area, including by contributing to the identification of weaknesses, gaps and challenges;

(ii) Make recommendations to the Conference on how States parties can better implement the provisions of the Trafficking in Persons Protocol;

(iii) Assist the Conference in providing guidance to its secretariat on its activities relating to the implementation of the Trafficking in Persons Protocol;

(iv) Make recommendations to the Conference on how it can better coordinate with the various international bodies combating trafficking in persons with respect to implementing, supporting and promoting the Trafficking in Persons Protocol;

(p) Decided further that the working group should meet during the fifth session of the Conference and should hold at least one intersessional meeting before that session;

(q) Requested the Secretariat to inform the working group on the activities of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, including on its coordinating role for the Inter-Agency Cooperation Group against Trafficking in Persons and on coordination carried out with the secretariats of relevant international and regional organizations to promote and support implementation of the Trafficking in Persons Protocol;

(r) Also requested the Secretariat to assist the working group in the performance of its functions;

(s) Decided that the chairman of the working group should submit a report on the activities of the working group to the Conference;

(t) Decided to review and take a decision on the effectiveness and future of the working group at its sixth session, in 2012.

 

 

Decision 4/5

Implementation of the Protocol against Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime

The Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, recalling the functions assigned to it in article 32 of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, [1] reminding States parties of all their obligations under the Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, [2] recalling its decision 3/3 and taking note of the growing complexity of the issue of the smuggling of migrants:

(a) Welcomed the results of the consultations of Government experts held during its fourth session;

(b) Urged Member States that had not yet done so to consider ratifying or acceding to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and, in particular, the Migrants Protocol;

(c) Welcomed the fact that the majority of the States parties that had provided information on national implementation to the Secretariat had adopted legislative and institutional frameworks to ensure the implementation of the Migrants Protocol;

(d) Requested the Secretariat, in consultation with States parties, to develop, if necessary, tools to improve the cooperation between law enforcement agencies, inter alia, in the area of communication and data collection and analysis;

(e) Requested the Secretariat to make available to Member States information on successful practices and measures with the aim of facilitating the participation of witnesses in the criminal justice system;

(f) Took note with appreciation of the information-gathering tool developed by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime;

(g) Requested the Secretariat to report to it, at its fifth session, on the activities of the Secretariat, including participation in international and regional organizations, to promote and support the implementation of the Migrants Protocol;

(h) Decided to hold open-ended intergovernmental expert consultations during its fifth session, in order to exchange, inter alia, experience and practices on the implementation of the Migrants Protocol;

(i) Urged States parties to consider the advisability of establishing an open-ended intergovernmental working group on the Migrants Protocol;

(j) With reference to the report of the Secretariat to the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime: [3]

(i) Welcomed the steps being taken to develop a model law against the smuggling of migrants in order to assist States in drafting or amending national legislation in compliance with the Migrants Protocol;

(ii) Welcomed also the efforts undertaken to provide guidance and information on best practices in the areas of training and capacity-building, as well as awareness-raising strategies to prevent and combat the smuggling of migrants;

(k) Requested the Secretariat to keep the States parties informed on the above-mentioned matters.

 

Decision 4/6

Implementation of the Protocol against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking on Firearms, Their Parts and Components and Ammunition, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime

The Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, concerned by the increased levels of harm and violence that transnational criminal organizations generated in some regions of the world as a result of the illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in firearms, their parts and components and ammunition:

(a) Noted that reducing the illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in firearms was one of the major components of the efforts to reduce the violence that accompanied the activities of transnational organized criminal groups;

(b) Noted with concern the relatively low number of States parties to the Protocol against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Their Parts and Components and Ammunition, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime; [1]

(c) Expressed its conviction that there was a need to strengthen international cooperation against the illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in firearms, their parts and components and ammunition;

(d) Urged States that had not yet done so to consider becoming parties to the Firearms Protocol and to implement its provisions;

(e) Urged States parties to the Firearms Protocol to strengthen their national legislation in a manner consistent with the Protocol, and requested the Secretariat to facilitate, whenever possible, technical assistance to States parties facing difficulties in its implementation;

(f) Stressed that the priority areas for the provision of technical assistance with respect to the implementation of the Firearms Protocol were (a) record-keeping; (b) marking; (c) deactivation of firearms; and (d) identification of competent national authorities, without prejudice to the importance of technical assistance to States parties in other areas covered by the Protocol;

(g) Invited States to consider the adoption or strengthening of comprehensive and efficient measures to counter the illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in firearms, their parts and components and ammunition;

(h) Encouraged States to afford each other as much international cooperation as possible to facilitate the tracing of firearms as well as investigations and prosecutions of firearms traffickers, in conformity with their national laws;

(i) Requested the Secretariat to develop technical assistance tools to assist States parties in the implementation of the Firearms Protocol;

(j) Also requested the Secretariat to inform the Conference about the activities of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, including on coordination with the secretariats of relevant international and regional organizations to promote and support the implementation of the Firearms Protocol;

(k) Urged States parties to consider the advisability of establishing an open-ended intergovernmental working group on the Firearms Protocol.

 

Decision 4/7

Amendment of rule 18 of the rules of procedure for the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime

The Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime decided to amend rule 18, on submission of credentials, of its rules of procedure, modifying paragraph 3 and adding a new paragraph to read as follows:

"3. The credentials shall be issued by the Head of State or Government, by the Minister for Foreign Affairs or by the Permanent Representative to the United Nations of the State party in accordance with its domestic law or, in the case of a regional economic integration organization, by the competent authority of that organization.

"4. When the Conference is to consider proposals for amendments to the Convention in accordance with article 39 of the Convention and rule 62 of the rules of procedure for the Conference, the credentials shall be issued either by the Head of State or Government or by the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the State party or, in the case of a regional economic integration organization, by the competent authority of that organization."

 

Decision 4/8

Reorganization of the work of the 5th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime

The Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, taking into account rule 3, paragraph 3, of the rules of procedure for the Conference:

(a) Decided that the fifth session of the Conference should take place over five working days; that the number of meetings should remain the same as for the previous sessions, that is, 20 meetings, with interpretation in the six official languages of the United Nations; and that a decision should be taken at the end of the fifth session on the duration of the sixth session;

(b) Requested that the resources allocated to the Conference should be maintained at the same level, and should be made available, inter alia, for any working group established by the Conference.