Contents -

VI. Administrative and financial matters

A. Audited accounts
B. Scale of contributions, 1974-75
C. Assessment of new member nations
D. Resumption of membership by China
E. Status of contributions
F. Draft statute of the international civil service commission
G. Emoluments of the director-general

A. Audited accounts

323. The Conference adopted the following resolution:

Resolution 14/73

AUDITED ACCOUNTS

THE CONFERENCE,

Having considered the reports of the Fifty-Ninth and Sixty-First Sessions of the Council,

Having examined the following audited accounts and the External Auditor's Reports thereon,

Adopts the audited accounts as follows:

(Adopted 26 November 1973)

B. Scale of contributions, 1974-75

324. The Conference reviewed the recommendations of the Sixty-First Council session, attached hereto as Appendix F regarding the FAO Scale of Contributions for 1974-75 based on the UN Scale of Assessments recently adopted by the UN General Assembly for 1974-76.

325. There was considerable discussion as to the basis of developing the FAO Scale in future biennia. The Conference therefore decided to request the Finance Committee to undertake a study of the effects on the contributions assessed on Member Nations, and on the budget of the Organization, arising out of fluctuations in the rates of exchange of the monetary unit used by the Organization In the preparation of its budget.

326. The Finance Committee should as far as possible, taking into account the study outlined above, the Gross National Product of Member Nations, the assessment criteria presently used by the United Nations Committee on Contributions, and the role and responsibilities of FAO, submit to the Council with a view to consideration by the Eighteenth Conference Session, a report which could serve as a basis for discussing whether or not FAO's scale of contributions should continue to be derived from the prevailing scale of assessments of the United Nations. This study should in no case modify the decision adopted by the UN in Resolution 2961 D (XXVII) in which the minimum contribution of developing nations was reduced from 0.04 percent to 0.02 percent.

327. The Conference, agreeing with the recommendations of the Sixty-First Council session, adopted the following resolution:

Resolution 15/73

SCALE OF CONTRIBUTIONS, 1974-75

THE CONFERENCE,

Having considered the Report of the Sixty-First session of the Council,

Decides to adopt for use in 1974-75 the Scale of Contributions set out in Appendix G which is derived directly from the United Nations Scale of Assessments for 1974-76.

(Adopted 26 November 1973)

C. Assessment of new member nations

328. In accordance with the provisions of Article XVIII-3 of the Constitution, Rule XIX-3 GRO and Financial Regulation V.8, the Conference decided that the contributions to be paid by the newly admitted Member Nations for 1973 and the advances due from them to the Working Capital Fund in accordance with Financial Regulation VI.2(b)(ii) would be as follows:

D. Resumption of membership by China

329. With regard to the resumption of membership by China as from 1 April 1973, the Conference confirmed that the contribution payable by it for 1973, was $1 487 250 and the advance due from it to the Working Capital Fund, $225 000. The Conference noted that these amounts had already been received by the Organization.

330. The Conference noted from the report of the Sixtieth Council session that at the effective date of its withdrawal from the Organization, 21 July 1952, China had outstanding financial obligations relating to the years 1948 to 1952 totalling $1 220 430. In accordance with Financial Regulation 6.6(b), its credit in the Working Capital Fund at 1 January 1953, $143 232.42, was used towards liquidation of the amounts due, thus reducing the balance outstanding to $1 077 197.58. This balance remained unpaid.

331. The Conference further noted that the UN General Assembly had in December 1972 dealt with the question of unpaid assessed contributions for China to that Organization. It concurred with the Director-General's proposal, endorsed by the Finance Committee ant the Council, that in the circumstances it would be appropriate for FAO to take similar action.

332. The Conference, accordingly, adopted the following resolution:

Resolution 16/73

CHINA

THE CONFERENCE,

Noting with satisfaction that in accordance with Conference Resolution 33/71 of 25 November 1971, China had resumed its place in the Organization with effect from 1 April 1973,

Recalling that the accounts of the Organization record unpaid assessed contributions for China in respect of the years 1948 to 1952 in the amount of US$ 1,077,197.58,

Recalling further that Resolution 33/71 did not deal expressly with the question of these unpaid contributions but authorized the Director-General

Noting that, by Resolution 3049c (XXVII) of 19 December 1972, the General Assembly of the United Nations has decided not to retain as unpaid assessed contributions for China any amounts due for the period preceding the restoration to the People's Republic of China of its rights in the United Nations,

Considering that the unpaid assessed contributions for China for the years 1948 to 1952 recorded in the accounts of FAO relate to a period prior to the resumption by China of its place in the Organization;

(Adopted 26 November 1973)

E. Status of contributions

333. The Conference, recognizing the importance to the Organization of receiving contributions promptly when due, called on those Member Nations with outstanding assessments to liquidate their obligations as soon as possible, and appealed to all Member Nations to arrange for early settlement of assessments in both 1974 and 1975.

F. Draft statute of the international civil service commission

334. The Conference considered the Council's recommendation regarding acceptance by FAO of the Statute of an International Civil Service Commission, and the consequential amendments to the General Rules of the Organization and the Staff Regulations.

335. The Conference adopted the following resolution:

Resolution 17/73

STATUTE OF THE INTERNATIONAL CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION

THE CONFERENCE,

I

Noting Article XI of the Agreement between the United Nations and FAO which provides that the two organizations recognize that the eventual development of a single unified international civil service is desirable and agree to cooperate to the fullest extent possible in achieving this end,

Considering that the establishment of an International Civil Service Commission would promote the formulation and application of common personnel standards, methods and arrangements among organizations forming part of the United Nations system, and thus contribute to the implementation of the objectives set forth in Article XI of the Agreement between the United Nations and FAO,

Having examined the draft Statute for the International Civil Service Commission submitted to it in document C 73/LIM/37,

Noting that the draft Statute of the International Civil Service Commission has not yet been approved by the General Assembly of the United Nations;

II

Considering that acceptance of the Statute of the International Civil Service Commission would entail certain amendments to the General Rules of the Organization and the Staff Regulations in order to take into account the functions to be entrusted to that body;

Add the following new sub-paragraph;

"Rule XXIV-3(k) consider any observations of the Finance Committee on decisions taken by the International Civil Service Commission in accordance with its Statute."

(The existing sub-paragraphs 3(k) to 3(m) become 3 (l) to 3(n))

"Rule XXVII-7(r) to consider proposals of the Director-General and recommendations of the International Civil Service Commission on the scale of salaries and conditions of employment of the staff and proposals of the Director-General on the general structure of the administrative and technical services of the Organization."

Add the following new sub-paragraph:

"Rule XXVII-7(s) to consider reports by the Director-General on decisions taken by the International Civil Service Commission in accordance with its Statute, and to submit any observation thereon to the Council."

(The existing sub-paragraphs 7(s) to 7(u) become 7(t) to 7(v))

"Rule XXXVIII-2 The Director-General shall submit proposals to the Finance Committee on the scale of salaries and conditions of recruitment and service of the staff and shall report to the Finance Committee and the Council any decisions or recommendations of the International Civil Service Commission relating to such matters. He shall submit proposals to the Finance Committee on the general structure of the administrative and technical services of the Organization ..."

Add the following words at the end of the present text:

"Rule XXXVIII-3 The Director-General shall have authority to promulgate Staff Regulations to give effect to decisions of the International Civil Service Commission. He shall report the promulgation of such Staff Regulations to the Council."

Add the following new Staff Regulation:

"Staff Regulation 301.122

The application of, and all amendments to, these Staff Regulations and any Rules issued thereunder, shall be in conformity with the relevant decisions of the International Civil Service Commission. As provided in Rule XXXVIII of the General Rules of the Organization, the Director-General shall have authority to amend the Staff Regulations as may be required to give effect to such decisions."

(Adopted 26 November 1973)

G. Emoluments of the director-general

336. The Conference, on the recommendation of the Council, adopted the following resolution:

Resolution 18/73

SALARY OF THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL

THE CONFERENCE,

Having noted that a proposal was being placed before the General Assembly of the United Nations to incorporate five classes of Post Adjustment into the salaries of the Professional, Director and Assistant Director-General categories on 1 January 1974, that the FAO Council had decided to adjust those salaries and the salary of the Deputy Director-General accordingly should the General Assembly agree to the proposal, and that the FAO Conference would meet in regular Session only at the end of 1975,

(Adopted 26 November 1973)

Contents -