The Implementation Review Mechanism (IRM) is a peer review process that assists States parties to effectively implement the Convention. In accordance with the terms of reference, each State party is reviewed by two peers - one from the same regional group - which are selected by a drawing of lots at the beginning of each year of the review cycle. The functioning and the performance of the IRM is guided and overseen by the Implementation Review Group, an open-ended intergovernmental group of States parties which is a subsidiary body of the CoSP and was created together with the IRM in Resolution 3/1.
The first cycle of the Review Mechanism started in 2010 and covers the chapters of the Convention on Criminalization and Law Enforcement and International cooperation. The second cycle, which was launched in November 2015, covers the chapters on Preventive measures and Asset recovery. UNODC is the secretariat of the Review Mechanism.
The purpose of the Implementation Review Mechanism is to assist States parties in their implementation of the Convention. The Mechanism promotes the purposes of the Convention, provides the Conference of the States Parties with information on measures taken by States parties in implementing the Convention and the difficulties encountered by them in doing so, and helps States parties to identify and substantiate specific needs for technical assistance and to promote and facilitate the provision of such assistance. In addition, the Mechanism promotes and facilitates international cooperation, provides the Conference with information on successes, good practices and challenges of States parties in implementing and using the Convention, and promotes and facilitates the exchange of information, practices and experiences gained in the implementation of the Convention.
For an overview of the different steps of a country review, please refer to the model schedule of a country review: Model schedule of a country review
Each State party is to nominate up to 15 governmental experts for the purpose of the review process. These experts then carry out the reviews on behalf of their countries.
Guidelines on updating the Governmental Experts List
English - French
The list of governmental experts - by country - is available here.
The Conference of the States parties decided that a comprehensive self-assessment checklist should be used as a tool to facilitate the provision of information on the implementation of the Convention (resolution 3/1). Rather than using paper-based questionnaires, UNODC has developed a user-friendly computer-based application to allow States to provide information on the implementation of the Convention, the Omnibus Survey Software.
In each review cycle, each State party must undergo review once, and must perform between one and three reviews of other States. The timing of when each State is undergoing review, or acting as reviewing State, is determined by drawing of lots.
The schedule of country reviews and the list of reviewing and reviewed countries for a given year are laid out in the country pairing tables for each review cycle:
The country profile pages contain: