RESOLUTION 1.8

ESTABLISHMENT OF A TRIENNIAL NATIONAL REPORT FORMAT FOR THE AGREEMENT ON THE CONSERVATION OF CETACEANS OF THE BLACK SEA, MEDITERRANEAN SEA AND CONTIGUOUS ATLANTIC AREA

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

Referring to Article VIII of the Agreement asking Parties to prepare for each ordinary session of the Meeting of the Parties a report on its implementation of the Agreement;

Desiring that ACCOBAMS adopts form of national reporting which are not unnecessarily complex and do not duplicate the data and information gathering already undertaken by other Conventions and related international programs;

Aware of the ongoing efforts under the auspices of UNEP to co-ordinate reporting systems;

Further noting that Article III paragraph 7.f) of the Agreement calls on the Meeting of the Parties at its first session to determine the format of reports;

1. Adopts the attached format of national reports;

2. Stresses the need to review the implementation of Resolutions of the Meetings of the Parties within their national reports and, for this purpose,

3. Instructs the Secretariat, in relation with the Bureau, to amend periodically the national report format;

4. Recommends that Parties consult, if appropriate, with relevant non-governmental Organisations and others with technical expertise in the preparation of national reports;  

5. instructs the Scientific Committee, the Sub-Regional Co-ordination Units and Agreement Secretariat to liaise actively with related international Conventions, the UNEP/World Conservation Monitoring Centre and other international Organisations concerning all this aspects of the implementation of the Agreement, especially the harmonisation of data and information collection and management, so as to encourage the development of synergies;

6. Urges all Parties to prepare national reports and submit them to the Meeting of the Parties at its second session in accordance with the timetable outlined in Article VIII, paragraph b), of the Agreement;