Committee on NGOs

782^nd Meeting (AM)

COMMITTEE ON NGOS DISCUSSES PROCEDURES FOR PREVIOUSLY ACCREDITED

ORGANIZATIONS REQUESTING EXPANSION IN PARTICIPATION STATUS

The Committee on Non-governmental Organizations this morning addressed requests from Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) originally accredited to the Commission on Sustainable Development that wished to expand their participation to other fields of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

After a lengthy procedural debate on the matter, the Committee’s Chairman, Levent Bilman (Turkey), said Committee members agreed there was an anomaly between applications from these NGOs and others.  If there was a need for corrected procedures, for legal advice or for a new decision, those needs must be addressed.  He would request the Secretariat to prepare a background paper on the matter, which should reflect the morning’s debate, ask for a legal opinion and request the Committee’s working group to consider the issue.

Considering applications of organizations whose defining characteristics are not in strict conformity with the provision of ECOSOC resolution 1996/31 -- the so-called “grey area” -- the Committee this morning decided to question the German Advisory Council on Global Change, which was requesting roster status, on its status, structure and finances.

Resolution 1996/31 governs the consultative relationship between the United Nations and NGOs.  Among the principles to be applied in the establishment of consultative relations are stipulations that:  organizations seeking consultative status must be concerned with matters falling within the competence of the ECOSOC; organizations must have a representative structure; and their basic resources should be derived in the main part from contributions of the national affiliates of from individual members.

The German Advisory Council on Global Change is a scientific body, established by the German Government.  The representative of Germany told the Committee that the organization could contribute significantly to the work of ECOSOC.  Although funding came through the Government, its work was not influenced by the Government and the organization was often very critical of Government activity. 

Turkey’s representative, however, was critical of such reasoning and said a matter of principle was involved.  The representative of France said resolution 1996/31 offered a way out of that predicament. Since a number of questions had

been asked regarding the organization’s possible contributions to ECOSOC, its status and its structure, the Committee decided to forward them to the organization.

The 19-member Committee makes recommendations on applications from NGOs for standing with ECOSOC, and on requests for reclassification of that standing.  NGOs may be granted either general, special or roster consultative status, according to their work, and have different privileges and obligations according to their category.

The representatives of India, Turkey, Russian Federation, Algeria, China, United States, Pakistan, Sudan, Chile, Colombia, Cuba and the observer member Japan also spoke on applications and other matters.

The Committee will meet again at 3 p.m. today.

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