RESOLUTION 1.7

ESTABLISHMENT OF A SUPPLEMENTARY CONSERVATION GRANTS FUND

The Meeting of the Parties to the Agreement on the Conservation on Cetaceans of the Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea and contiguous Atlantic area:

Aware that, in some countries, the basic implementation of the Agreement will be severely constrained by the lack of adequate financial resources;

Taking into account that Article IX, paragraph 3, of the Agreement authorises the Meeting of the Parties "to establish a supplementary conservation Fund from voluntary contributions of Parties or from any other source in order to increase the funds available for monitoring, research, training and projects relating to the conservation of Cetaceans";

Recalling that Article IX, paragraph 4, of the Agreement encourages Parties to provide inter alia financial support to other Parties on a multilateral and bilateral basis to assist them in implementing the Agreement;

1. Decides to establish a Supplementary Conservation Grants Fund (the Fund) to facilitate the implementation of the Agreement and the international priorities adopted by the Parties, to become operational from the time of the second session of the Meeting of the Parties;

2. Instructs the Agreement Secretariat, to submit to the second session of the Meeting of the Parties proposals for the operation of the Fund, including administration, eligibility criteria, submission and evaluation of proposals, allocation of funds and fund-raising;

3. Further instructs the Agreement Secretariat to establish an interim mechanism to enable Parties and other donors to make voluntary contributions for the purpose of providing grants to facilitate the implementation of the Agreement between the first and second session of the Meeting of the Parties;

4. Urges Parties and donors to make voluntary contributions to this Fund;

5. Decides that the contribution should be accepted following the guidelines adopted with the financial matters;

6. Instructs the Secretariat, with the assistance of the Scientific Committee and the Sub-Regional Co-ordination Units to consult with Parties and potential sponsors concerning sponsorship;