EU Presidency Statement - Pattern of conferences

Mr. Chairman,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union. The countries of Central and Eastern Europe associated with the European Union: Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and the Associated Countries: Cyprus, Malta and Turkey, as well as the EFTA countries of the European Economic Area: Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway align themselves with this statement.

Let me first of all through you thank the Chairman of the Committee on Conferences for introducing the report of the Committee contained in document A/57/32. The European Union endorses the Committee's conclusions and recommendations.

Mr. Chairman,

Let me also thank the representatives of the Secretariat for introducing the reports we have before us today.

The European Union attaches great importance to conference services. The work of intergovernmental organs and expert bodies of the United Nations requires high-quality meeting and documentation services. The international character of the United Nations - with its need to ensure the equal treatment of all official languages, which we consider a high priority - and it adds to the challenge to conference services. We recognize the necessity for the most rational and effective use of these services to enhance their quality. We consider the Department of General Assembly and Conference Management as the functional authority with regard to UN conference services. The European Union thus expects a close coordination of conference services, bearing in mind the responsibility of each duty station for operational activities, to achieve maximum cost-effectiveness, while ensuring the required standard of services throughout the Secretariat.

Regarding the revised calendar of conferences and meetings for 2003, we invite the Secretary-General and the Committee on Conferences to play a more active role so as to further avoid peak periods at the various duty stations when drafting the biennial calendar of conferences and meetings for 2004-2005. The European Union notes with satisfaction that the Secretariat has taken into account the arrangements referred to in resolution 56/242 concerning Orthodox Good Friday in the calendar.

Mr. Chairman,

We share the deep concern expressed by the Committee on Conferences that the equivalent of 307 meetings, 921 hours, had not been utilized and were thus wasted in 2001. We commend the Chairman of the Committee for having conducted consultations with the chairpersons of bodies that have been under-utilizing their resources for three years in a row. We agree that the secretariats and bureaux of those bodies must consider changes to their programme of work and introduce discipline into the way they conduct their business. They must work more closely with conference services and adjust their programme of work, based on previous patterns for recurring agenda items, with a view to reducing waste. In this context, we also note the explanation given by some committees that early endings of meetings could be considered a sign of efficiency. However, we would like to stress that better planning and flexible adjustment of the programme of work is the best way to reduce time lost due to late starts and early endings of meetings. This is a question of ensuring sound and efficient utilisation of the financial resources of this Organisation. It should therefore be given the highest priority. We request the Committee on Conferences to follow this issue carefully.

Mr Chairman,

The European Union would like to extend its warm thanks to the Secretary-General for presenting his report on the improvement of the Department of General Assembly and Conference Management contained in document A/57/289.

The European Union would like to propose that the Fifth Committee takes note with appreciation of this report and the recommendations of the Committee on Conferences, on the expectation that the implementation of the actions presented will make the Department a more responsive, productive, efficient and useful partner to Member States and substantive entities in the Organisation. These actions should therefore contribute to improving the interpretation, translation and editing capacity of the United Nations.

I thank you, Mr. Chairman.

| Arriba |

• EU Presidency Statement - Pattern of Conferences (13/10/2004)
• EU Presidency Statement - UN conferences and summits (31/10/2002)