Na podlagi druge alinee prvega odstavka 107. člena in prvega odstavka 91. člena Ustave Republike Slovenije izdajam
U K A Z
o razglasitvi Zakona o ratifikaciji Mednarodnega sporazuma o tropskem lesu iz leta 2006 (MSTL)
Razglašam Zakon o ratifikaciji Mednarodnega sporazuma o tropskem lesu iz leta 2006 (MSTL), ki ga je sprejel Državni zbor Republike Slovenije na seji 23. aprila 2009.
Št. 003-02-4/2009-7
Ljubljana, dne 4. maja 2009
dr. Danilo Türk l.r.
Predsednik
Republike Slovenije
Z A K O N
O RATIFIKACIJI MEDNARODNEGA SPORAZUMA O TROPSKEM LESU IZ LETA 2006 (MSTL)
1. člen
Ratificira se Mednarodni sporazum o tropskem lesu iz leta 2006, sestavljen 27. januarja 2006 v Ženevi.
2. člen
Besedilo sporazuma se v izvirniku v angleškem jeziku in v prevodu v slovenskem jeziku glasi:(1)
INTERNATIONAL TROPICAL TIMBER AGREEMENT, 2006
PREAMBLE
THE PARTIES TO THIS AGREEMENT,
(a) RECALLING the Declaration and the Programme of Action on the Establishment of a New International Economic Order; the Integrated Programme for Commodities; the New Partnership for Development; and the Spirit of São Paulo and São Paulo Consensus, as adopted by Unctad XI;
(b) ALSO RECALLING the International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1983, and the International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1994, and recognizing the work of the International Tropical Timber Organization and its achievements since its inception, including a strategy for achieving international trade in tropical timber from sustainably managed sources;
(c) FURTHER RECALLING the Johannesburg Declaration and Plan of Implementation as adopted by the World Summit on Sustainable Development in September 2002, the United Nations Forum on Forests established in October 2000 and the associated creation of the Collaborative Partnership on Forests, of which the International Tropical Timber Organization is a member, as well as the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, the Non-Legally Binding Authoritative Statement of Principles for a Global Consensus on the Management, Conservation and Sustainable Development of All Types of Forests, and the relevant Chapters of Agenda 21 as adopted by the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in June 1992, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification;
(d) RECOGNIZING that States have, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and the principles of international law, the sovereign right to exploit their own resources pursuant to their own environmental policies and have the responsibility to ensure that activities within their jurisdiction and control do not cause damage to the environment of other States or of areas beyond the limits of national jurisdiction, as set forth in principle 1(a) of the Non-Legally Binding Authoritative Statement of Principles for a Global Consensus on the Management, Conservation and Sustainable Development of All Types of Forests;
(e) RECOGNIZING the importance of timber and related trade to the economies of timber producer countries;
(f) ALSO RECOGNIZING the importance of the multiple economic, environmental and social benefits provided by forests, including timber and non-timber forest products and environmental services, in the context of sustainable forest management, at local, national and global levels and the contribution of sustainable forest management to sustainable development and poverty alleviation and the achievement of internationally agreed development goals, including those contained in the Millennium Declaration;
(g) FURTHER RECOGNIZING the need to promote and apply comparable criteria and indicators for sustainable forest management as important tools for all members to assess, monitor and promote progress toward sustainable management of their forests;
(h) TAKING INTO ACCOUNT the linkages of the tropical timber trade and the international timber market and wider global economy and the need to take a global perspective in order to improve transparency in the international timber trade;
(i) REAFFIRMING their commitment to moving as rapidly as possible toward achieving exports of tropical timber and timber products from sustainably managed sources (ITTO Objective 2000) and recalling the establishment of the Bali Partnership Fund;
(j) RECALLING the commitment made by consumer members in January 1994 to maintain or achieve the sustainable management of their forests;
(k) NOTING the role of good governance, clear land tenure arrangements and cross-sectoral coordination in achieving sustainable forest management and legally sourced timber exports;
(l) RECOGNIZING the importance of collaboration among members, international organizations, the private sector and civil society, including indigenous and local communities, and other stakeholders in promoting sustainable forest management;
(m) ALSO RECOGNIZING the importance of such collaboration for improving forest law enforcement and promoting trade from legally harvested timber;
(n) NOTING THAT enhancing the capacity of forest-dependent indigenous and local communities, including those who are forest owners and managers, can contribute to achieving the objectives of this Agreement;
(o) ALSO NOTING the need to improve the standard of living and working conditions within the forest sector, taking into account relevant internationally recognized principles on these matters, and relevant International Labour Organization Conventions and instruments;
(p) NOTING that timber is an energy-efficient, renewable and environmentally friendly raw material compared with competing products;
(q) RECOGNIZING the need for increased investment in sustainable forest management, including through reinvesting revenues generated from forests, including from timber-related trade;
(r) ALSO RECOGNIZING the benefits of market prices that reflect the costs of sustainable forest management;
(s) FURTHER RECOGNIZING the need for enhanced and predictable financial resources from a broad donor community to help achieve the objectives of this Agreement;
(t) NOTING the special needs of least developed tropical timber producer countries,
HAVE AGREED AS FOLLOWS:
CHAPTER I OBJECTIVES
Article 1
Objectives
The objectives of the International Tropical Timber Agreement, 2006 (hereinafter referred to as ‘this Agreement’) are to promote the expansion and diversification of international trade in tropical timber from sustainable managed and legally harvested forests and to promote the sustainable management of tropical timber producing forests by:
(a) providing an effective framework for consultation, international cooperation and policy development among all members with regard to all relevant aspects of the world timber economy;
(b) providing a forum for consultation to promote non-discriminatory timber trade practices;
(c) contributing to sustainable development and to poverty alleviation;
(d) enhancing the capacity of members to implement strategies for achieving exports of tropical timber and timber products from sustainably managed sources;
(e) promoting improved understanding of the structural conditions in international markets, including long-term trends in consumption and production, factors affecting market access, consumer preferences and prices, and conditions leading to prices which reflect the costs of sustainable forest management;
(f) promoting and supporting research and development with a view to improving forest management and efficiency of wood utilization and the competitiveness of wood products relative to other materials, as well as increasing the capacity to conserve and enhance other forest values in timber producing tropical forests;
(g) developing and contributing towards mechanisms for the provision of new and additional financial resources with a view to promoting the adequacy and predictability of funding and expertise needed to enhance the capacity of producer members to attain the objectives of this Agreement;
(h) improving market intelligence and encouraging information sharing on the international timber market with a view to ensuring greater transparency and better information on markets and market trends, including the gathering, compilation and dissemination of trade related data, including data related to species being traded;
(i) promoting increased and further processing of tropical timber from sustainable sources in producer member countries, with a view to promoting their industrialization and thereby increasing their employment opportunities and export earnings;
(j) encouraging members to support and develop tropical timber reforestation, as well as rehabilitation and restoration of degraded forest land, with due regard for the interests of local communities dependent on forest resources;
(k) improving marketing and distribution of tropical timber and timber product exports from sustainably managed and legally harvested sources and which are legally traded, including promoting consumer awareness;
(l) strengthening the capacity of members for the collection, processing and dissemination of statistics on their trade in timber and information on the sustainable management of their tropical forests;
(m) encouraging members to develop national policies aimed at sustainable utilization and conservation of timber producing forests, and maintaining ecological balance, in the context of the tropical timber trade;
(n) strengthening the capacity of members to improve forest law enforcement and governance, and address illegal logging and related trade in tropical timber;
(o) encouraging information sharing for a better understanding of voluntary mechanisms such as, inter alia, certification, to promote sustainable management of tropical forests, and assisting members with their efforts in this area;
(p) promoting access to, and transfer of, technologies and technical cooperation to implement the objectives of this Agreement, including on concessional and preferential terms and conditions, as mutually agreed;
(q) promoting better understanding of the contribution of non-timber forest products and environmental services to the sustainable management of tropical forests with the aim of enhancing the capacity of members to develop strategies to strengthen such contributions in the context of sustainable forest management, and cooperating with relevant institutions and processes to this end;
(r) encouraging members to recognize the role of forestdependent indigenous and local communities in achieving sustainable forest management and develop strategies to enhance the capacity of these communities to sustainably manage tropical timber producing forests; and
(s) identifying and addressing relevant new and emerging issues.
CHAPTER II DEFINITIONS
Article 2
Definitions
For the purposes of this Agreement:
1. ‘Tropical timber’ means tropical wood for industrial uses, which grows or is produced in the countries situated between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. The term covers logs, sawnwood, veneer sheets and plywood.
2. ‘Sustainable forest management’ will be understood according to the Organization’s relevant policy documents and technical guidelines.
3. ‘Member’ means a Government, the European Community or any intergovernmental organization referred to in Article 5, which has consented to be bound by this Agreement whether it is in force provisionally or definitively.
4. ‘Producer member’ means any member situated between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn with tropical forest resources and/or a net exporter of tropical timber in volume terms which is listed in Annex A and which becomes a party to this Agreement, or any member with tropical forest resources and/or a net exporter of tropical timber in volume terms which is not so listed and which becomes a party to this Agreement and which the Council, with the consent of that member, declares to be a producer member.
5. ‘Consumer member’ means any member which is an importer of tropical timber listed in Annex B which becomes a party to this Agreement, or any member which is an importer of tropical timber not so listed which becomes a party to this Agreement and which the Council, with the consent of that member, declares to be a consumer member.
6. ‘Organization’ means the International Tropical Timber Organization established in accordance with Article 3.
7. ‘Council’ means the International Tropical Timber Council established in accordance with Article 6.
8. ‘Special vote’ means a vote requiring at least two thirds of the votes cast by producer members present and voting and at least 60% of the votes cast by consumer members present and voting, counted separately, on condition that these votes are cast by at least half of the producer members present and voting and at least half of the consumer members present and voting.
9. ‘Simple distributed majority vote’ means a vote requiring more than half of the votes cast by producer members present and voting and more than half of the votes cast by consumer members present and voting, counted separately.
10. ‘Financial biennium’ means the period from 1 January of one year to 31 December of the following year.
11. ‘Freely convertible currencies’ means the euro, the Japanese yen, the pound sterling, the Swiss franc, the United States dollar, and any other currency which has been designated from time to time by a competent international monetary organization as being in fact widely used to make payments for international transactions and widely traded in the principal exchange markets.
12. For purposes of the calculation of the distribution of votes under Article 10, paragraph 2(b), ‘tropical forest resources’ means natural closed forests and forest plantations located between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn.
CHAPTER III ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION
Article 3
Headquarters and structure of the International Tropical Timber Organization
1. The International Tropical Timber Organization established by the International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1983 shall continue in being for the purposes of administering the provisions and supervising the operation of this Agreement.
2. The Organization shall function through the Council established under Article 6, the committees and other subsidiary bodies referred to in Article 26 and the Executive Director and staff.
3. The headquarters of the Organization shall at all times be located in the territory of a member.
4. The headquarters of the Organization shall be in Yokohama, unless the Council, by special vote in accordance with Article 12, decides otherwise.
5. Regional offices of the Organization may be established if the Council so decides by special vote in accordance with Article 12.
Article 4
Membership in the organization
There shall be two categories of membership in the Organization, namely:
(a) Producer; and
(b) Consumer.
Article 5
Membership by intergovernmental organizations
1. Any reference in this Agreement to ‘Governments’ shall be construed as including the European Community and other intergovernmental organizations having comparable responsibilities in respect of the negotiation, conclusion and application of international agreements, in particular commodity agreements. Accordingly, any reference in this Agreement to signature, ratification, acceptance or approval, or to notification of provisional application, or to accession shall, in the case of such organizations, be construed as including a reference to signature, ratification, acceptance or approval, or to notification of provisional application, or to accession, by such organizations.
2. In the case of voting on matters within their competence, the European Community and other intergovernmental organizations referred to in paragraph 1 shall vote with a number of votes equal to the total number of votes attributable to their Member States which are parties to the Agreement in accordance with Article 10. In such cases, the Member States of such organizations shall not be entitled to exercise their individual voting rights.
CHAPTER IV INTERNATIONAL TROPICAL TIMBER COUNCIL
Article 6
Composition of the International Tropical Timber Council
1. The highest authority of the Organization shall be the International Tropical Timber Council, which shall consist of all the members of the Organization.
2. Each member shall be represented in the Council by one representative and may designate alternates and advisers to attend sessions of the Council.
3. An alternate shall be empowered to act and vote on behalf of the representative during the latter’s absence or in special circumstances.
Article 7
Powers and functions of the Council
The Council shall exercise all such powers and perform or arrange for the performance of all such functions as are necessary to carry out the provisions of this Agreement. In particular, it shall:
(a) by special vote in accordance with Article 12, adopt such rules and regulations as are necessary to carry out the provisions of this Agreement and as are consistent therewith, including its own rules of procedure and the financial rules and staff regulations of the Organization. Such financial rules and regulations shall, inter alia, govern the receipt and expenditure of funds under the accounts established in Article 18. The Council may, in its rules of procedure, provide for a procedure whereby it may, without meeting, decide specific questions;
(b) take such decisions as are necessary to ensure the effective and efficient functioning and operation of the Organization; and
(c) keep such records as are required for the performance of its functions under this Agreement.
Article 8
Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Council
1. The Council shall elect for each calendar year a Chairman and a Vice-Chairman, whose salaries shall not be paid by the Organization.
2. The Chairman and the Vice-Chairman shall be elected, one from among the representatives of producer members and the other from among the representatives of consumer members.
3. These offices shall alternate each year between the two categories of members, provided, however, that this shall not prohibit the re-election of either or both, under exceptional circumstances.
4. In the temporary absence of the Chairman, the Vice-Chairman shall assume the functions of the Chairman. In the temporary absence of both the Chairman and the Vice-Chairman, or in the absence of one or both of them for the rest of the term for which they were elected, the Council may elect new officers from among the representatives of the producer members and/or from among the representatives of the consumer members, as the case may be, on a temporary basis or for the rest of the term for which the predecessor or predecessors were elected.
Article 9
Sessions of the Council
1. As a general rule, the Council shall hold at least one regular session a year.
2. The Council shall meet in special session whenever it so decides or at the request of any member or the Executive Director, in agreement with the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Council, and:
(a) a majority of producer members or a majority of consumer members; or
(b) a majority of members.
3. Sessions of the Council shall be held at the headquarters of the Organization unless the Council, by special vote in accordance with Article 12, decides otherwise. In this regard, the Council shall seek to convene alternate sessions of the Council outside headquarters, preferably in a producer country.
4. In considering the frequency and location of its sessions, the Council shall seek to ensure the availability of sufficient funds.
5. Notice of any sessions and the agenda for such sessions shall be communicated to members by the Executive Director at least six weeks in advance, except in cases of emergency, when notice shall be communicated at least seven days in advance.
Article 10
Distribution of votes
1. The producer members shall together hold 1 000 votes and the consumer members shall together hold 1 000 votes.
2. The votes of the producer members shall be distributed as follows:
(a) Four hundred votes shall be distributed equally among the three producing regions of Africa, Asia-Pacific and Latin America and the Caribbean. The votes thus allocated to each of these regions shall then be distributed equally among the producer members of that region;
(b) Three hundred votes shall be distributed among the producer members in accordance with their respective shares of the total tropical forest resources of all producer members; and
(c) Three hundred votes shall be distributed among the producer members in proportion to the average of the values of their respective net exports of tropical timber during the most recent threeyear period for which definitive figures are available.
3. Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph 2 of this Article, the total votes allocated to the producer members from the African region, calculated in accordance with paragraph 2 of this Article, shall be distributed equally among all producer members from the African region. If there are any remaining votes, each of these votes shall be allocated to a producer member from the African region: the first to the producer member which is allocated the highest number of votes calculated in accordance with paragraph 2 of this Article, the second to the producer member which is allocated the second highest number of votes, and so on until all the remaining votes have been distributed.
4. Subject to paragraph 5 of this Article, the votes of the consumer members shall be distributed as follows: each consumer member shall have 10 initial votes; the remaining votes shall be distributed among the consumer members in proportion to the average volume of their respective net imports of tropical timber during the five-year period commencing six calendar years prior to the distribution of votes.
5. The votes distributed to a consumer member for a given biennium shall not exceed 5% over and above the votes distributed to that member for the previous biennium. Excess votes shall be redistributed among the consumer members in proportion to the average volume of their respective net imports of tropical timber during the five-year period commencing six calendar years prior to the distribution of votes.
6. The Council may, by special vote in accordance with Article 12, adjust the minimum percentage required for a special vote by consumer members if it deems it necessary.
7. The Council shall distribute the votes for each financial biennium at the beginning of its first session of that biennium in accordance with the provisions of this Article. Such distribution shall remain in effect for the rest of that biennium, except as provided for in paragraph 8 of this Article.
8. Whenever the membership of the Organization changes or when any member has its voting rights suspended or restored under any provision of this Agreement, the Council shall redistribute the votes within the affected category or categories of members in accordance with the provisions of this Article. The Council shall, in that event, decide when such redistribution shall become effective.
9. There shall be no fractional votes.
Article 11
Voting procedure of the Council
1. Each member shall be entitled to cast the number of votes it holds, and no member shall be entitled to divide its votes. A member may, however, cast differently from such votes any votes that it is authorized to cast under paragraph 2 of this Article.
2. By written notification to the Chairman of the Council, any producer member may authorize, under its own responsibility, any other producer member, and any consumer member may authorize, under its own responsibility, any other consumer member, to represent its interests and to cast its votes at any meeting of the Council.
3. When abstaining, a member shall be deemed not to have cast its votes.
Article 12
Decisions and recommendations of the Council
1. The Council shall endeavour to take all decisions and to make all recommendations by consensus.
2. If consensus cannot be reached, the Council shall take all decisions and make all recommendations by a simple distributed majority vote, unless this Agreement provides for a special vote.
3. Where a member avails itself of the provisions of Article 11, paragraph 2, and its votes are cast at a meeting of the Council, such member shall, for the purposes of paragraph 1 of this Article, be considered as present and voting.
Article 13
Quorum for the Council
1. The quorum for any meeting of the Council shall be the presence of a majority of members of each category referred to in Article 4, provided that such members hold at least two thirds of the total votes in their respective categories.
2. If there is no quorum in accordance with paragraph 1 of this Article on the day fixed for the meeting and on the following day, the quorum on the subsequent days of the session shall be the presence of a majority of members of each category referred to in Article 4, provided that such members hold a majority of the total votes in their respective categories.
3. Representation in accordance with Article 11, paragraph 2, shall be considered as presence.
Article 14
Executive Director and staff
1. The Council shall, by special vote in accordance with Article 12, appoint the Executive Director.
2. The terms and conditions of appointment of the Executive Director shall be determined by the Council.
3. The Executive Director shall be the chief administrative officer of the Organization and shall be responsible to the Council for the administration and operation of this Agreement in accordance with decisions of the Council.
4. The Executive Director shall appoint staff in accordance with regulations to be established by the Council. The staff shall be responsible to the Executive Director.
5. Neither the Executive Director nor any member of the staff shall have any financial interest in the timber industry or trade, or associated commercial activities.
6. In the performance of their duties, the Executive Director and staff shall not seek or receive instructions from any member or from any authority external to the Organization. They shall refrain from any action which might reflect adversely on their positions as international officials ultimately responsible to the Council. Each member shall respect the exclusively international character of the responsibilities of the Executive Director and staff and shall not seek to influence them in the discharge of their responsibilities.
Article 15
Cooperation and coordination with other organizations
1. In pursuing the objectives of the Agreement, the Council shall make arrangements as appropriate for consultations and cooperation with the United Nations and its organs and specialized agencies, including the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (Unctad) and other relevant international and regional organizations and institutions, as well as the private sector, non-governmental organizations and civil society.
2. The Organization shall, to the maximum extent possible, utilize the facilities, services and expertise of intergovernmental, governmental or non-governmental organizations, civil society and the private sector in order to avoid duplication of efforts in achieving the objectives of this Agreement and to enhance the complementarity and the efficiency of their activities.
3. The Organization shall take full advantage of the facilities of the Common Fund for Commodities.
Article 16
Admission of observers
The Council may invite any member or observer State of the United Nations which is not party to this Agreement, or any organization referred to in Article 15 interested in the activities of the Organization, to attend as observers the sessions of the Council.
CHAPTER V PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES
Article 17
Privileges and immunities
1. The Organization shall have legal personality. It shall in particular have the capacity to contract, to acquire and dispose of movable and immovable property, and to institute legal proceedings.
2. The status, privileges and immunities of the Organization, of its Executive Director, its staff and experts, and of representatives of members while in the territory of Japan shall continue to be governed by the Headquarters Agreement between the Government of Japan and the International Tropical Timber Organization signed at Tokyo on 27 February 1988, with such amendments as may be necessary for the proper functioning of this Agreement.
3. The Organization may conclude, with one or more countries, agreements to be approved by the Council relating to such capacity, privileges and immunities as may be necessary for the proper functioning of this Agreement.
4. If the headquarters of the Organization is moved to another country, the member in question shall, as soon as possible, conclude with the Organization a headquarters agreement to be approved by the Council. Pending the conclusion of such an Agreement, the Organization shall request the new host Government to grant, within the limits of its national legislation, exemption from taxation on remuneration paid by the Organization to its employees, and on the assets, income and other property of the Organization.
5. The Headquarters Agreement shall be independent of this Agreement. It shall, however, terminate:
(a) by agreement between the host Government and the Organization;
(b) in the event of the headquarters of the Organization being moved from the country of the host Government; or
(c) in the event of the Organization ceasing to exist.
CHAPTER VI FINANCE
Article 18
Financial accounts
1. There shall be established:
(a) The Administrative Account, which is an assessed contribution account;
(b) The Special Account and the Bali Partnership Fund, which are voluntary contribution accounts; and
(c) Other accounts that the Council might consider appropriate and necessary.
2. The Council shall establish, in accordance with Article 7, financial rules that provide transparent management and administration of the accounts, including rules covering the settlement of accounts on termination or expiry of this Agreement.
3. The Executive Director shall be responsible for, and report to the Council on the administration of the financial accounts.
Article 19
Administrative account
1. The expenses necessary for the administration of this Agreement shall be brought into the Administrative Account and shall be met by annual contributions paid by members in accordance with their respective constitutional or institutional procedures and assessed in accordance with paragraphs 4, 5 and 6 of this Article.
2. The Administrative Account shall include:
(a) basic administrative costs such as salaries and benefits, installation costs, and official travel; and
(b) core operational costs such as those related to communication and outreach, expert meetings convened by the Council and preparation and publication of studies and assessments pursuant to Articles 24, 27 and 28 of this Agreement.
3. The expenses of delegations to the Council, the committees and any other subsidiary bodies of the Council referred to in Article 26 shall be met by the members concerned. In cases where a member requests special services from the Organization, the Council shall require that member to pay the costs of such services.
4. Before the end of each financial biennium, the Council shall approve the budget for the Administrative Account of the Organization for the following biennium and shall assess the contribution of each member to that budget.
5. Contributions to the Administrative Account for each financial biennium shall be assessed as follows:
(a) the costs referred to in paragraph 2(a) of this Article shall be shared equally among producer and consumer members and assessed in the proportion the number of each member’s votes bears to the total votes of the member’s group;
(b) the costs referred to in paragraph 2(b) of this Article shall be shared among members in the proportions of 20% for producers and 80% for consumers and assessed in the proportion the number of each member’s votes bears to the total votes of the member’s group;
(c) the costs referred to in paragraph 2(b) of this Article shall not exceed one third of the costs referred to in paragraph 2(a) of this Article. The Council may, by consensus, decide to vary this limit for a specific financial biennium;
(d) the Council may review how the Administrative Account and the voluntary accounts contribute to the efficient and effective operation of the Organization in the context of the evaluation referred to in Article 33; and
(e) in assessing contributions, the votes of each member shall be calculated without regard to the suspension of any member’s voting rights or any redistribution of votes resulting therefrom.
6. The initial contribution of any member joining the Organization after the entry into force of this Agreement shall be assessed by the Council on the basis of the number of votes to be held by that member and the period remaining in the current financial biennium, but the assessment made upon other members from the current financial biennium shall not thereby be altered.
7. Contributions to the Administrative Account shall become due on the first day of each financial year. Contributions of members in respect of the financial biennium in which they join the Organization shall be due on the date on which they become members.
8. If a member has not paid its full contribution to the Administrative Account within four months after such contribution becomes due in accordance with paragraph 7 of this Article, the Executive Director shall request that member to make payment as quickly as possible. If that member has still not paid its contribution within two months after such request, that member shall be requested to state the reasons for its inability to make payment. If at the expiry of seven months from the due date of contribution, that member has still not paid its contribution, its voting rights shall be suspended until such time as it has paid in full its contribution, unless the Council, by special vote in accordance with Article 12, decides otherwise. If a member has not paid its contribution in full for two consecutive years, taking into account the provisions contained in Article 30, that member shall become ineligible to submit project or pre-project proposals for funding consideration under Article 25, paragraph 1.
9. If a member has paid its full contribution to the Administrative Account within four months after such contribution becomes due in accordance with paragraph 7 of this Article, that member’s contribution shall receive a discount as may be established by the Council in the financial rules of the Organization.
10. A member whose rights have been suspended under paragraph 8 of this Article shall remain liable to pay its contribution.
Article 20
Special account
1. The Special Account shall comprise two sub-accounts:
(a) the Thematic Programmes Sub-Account; and
(b) the Project Sub-Account.
2. The possible sources of finance for the Special Account shall be:
(a) the Common Fund for Commodities;
(b) regional and international financial institutions;
(c) voluntary contributions from members; and
(d) other sources.
3. The Council shall establish criteria and procedures for the transparent operation of the Special Account. Such procedures shall take into account the need for balanced representation among members, including contributing members, in the operation of the Thematic Programmes Sub-Account and the Project Sub-Account.
4. The purpose of the Thematic Programmes Sub-Account shall be to facilitate unearmarked contributions for the financing of approved pre-projects, projects and activities consistent with Thematic Programmes established by the Council on the basis of the policy and project priorities identified in accordance with Articles 24 and 25.
5. The donors may allocate their contributions to specific Thematic Programmes or may request the Executive Director to make proposals for allocating their contributions.
6. The Executive Director shall report regularly to the Council on the allocation and expenditure of funds within the Thematic Programmes Sub-Account and on the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of pre-projects, projects and activities and the financial needs for the successful implementation of the Thematic Programmes.
7. The purpose of the Project Sub-Account shall be to facilitate earmarked contributions for the financing of preprojects, projects and activities approved in accordance with Articles 24 and 25.
8. Earmarked contributions to the Project Sub-Account shall be used only for the pre-projects, projects and activities for which they were designated, unless otherwise decided by the donor in consultation with the Executive Director. After the completion or termination of a pre-project, project or activity, the use of any remaining funds shall be decided by the donor.
9. To ensure the necessary predictability of funds for the Special Account, taking into consideration the voluntary nature of contributions, members shall strive to replenish it to attain an adequate resource level to fully carry out the preprojects, projects and activities approved by Council.
10. All receipts pertaining to specific pre-projects, projects and activities under the Project Sub-Account or the Thematic Programmes Sub-Account shall be brought into the respective Sub-Account. All expenditures incurred on such pre-projects, projects or activities, including remuneration and travel expenses of consultants and experts, shall be charged to the same Sub-Account.
11. No member shall be responsible by reason of its membership in the Organization for any liability arising from any actions by any other member or entity in connection with pre-projects, projects or activities.
12. The Executive Director shall provide assistance in the development of proposals for pre-projects, projects and activities in accordance with Articles 24 and 25 and endeavour to seek, on such terms and conditions as the Council may decide, adequate and assured finance for approved pre-projects, projects and activities.
Article 21
The Bali Partnership Fund
1. A Fund for sustainable management of tropical timber producing forests is hereby established to assist producer members to make the investments necessary to achieve the objective of Article 1(d) of this Agreement.
2. The Fund shall be constituted by:
(a) contributions from donor members;
(b) fifty per cent of income earned as a result of activities related to the Special Account;
(c) resources from other private and public sources which the Organization may accept consistent with its financial rules; and
(d) other sources approved by the Council.
3. Resources of the Fund shall be allocated by the Council only for pre-projects and projects for the purpose set out in paragraph 1 of this Article and that have been approved in accordance with Articles 24 and 25.
4. In allocating resources of the Fund, the Council shall establish criteria and priorities for use of the Fund, taking into account:
(a) the needs of members for assistance in achieving exports of tropical timber and timber products from sustainably managed sources;
(b) the needs of members to establish and manage significant conservation programmes in timber producing forests; and
(c) the needs of members to implement sustainable forest management programmes.
5. The Executive Director shall provide assistance in the development of project proposals in accordance with Article 25 and endeavour to seek, on such terms and conditions as the Council may decide, adequate and assured finance for projects approved by the Council.
6. Members shall strive to replenish the Bali Partnership Fund to an adequate level to further the objectives of the Fund.
7. The Council shall examine at regular intervals the adequacy of the resources available to the Fund and endeavour to obtain additional resources needed by producer members to achieve the purpose of the Fund.
Article 22
Forms of payment
1. Financial contributions to accounts established under Article 18 shall be payable in freely convertible currencies and shall be exempt from foreign-exchange restrictions.
2. The Council may also decide to accept other forms of contributions to the accounts established under Article 18, other than the administrative account, including scientific and technical equipment or personnel, to meet the requirements of approved projects.
Article 23
Audit and publication of accounts
1. The Council shall appoint independent auditors for the purpose of auditing the accounts of the Organization.
2. Independently audited statements of the accounts established under Article 18 shall be made available to members as soon as possible after the close of each financial year, but not later than six months after that date, and be considered for approval by the Council at its next session, as appropriate. A summary of the audited accounts and balance sheet shall thereafter be published.
CHAPTER VII OPERATIONAL ACTIVITIES
Article 24
Policy work of the organization
1. In order to achieve the objectives set out in Article 1, the Organization shall undertake policy work and project activities in an integrated manner.
2. The policy work of the Organization should contribute to achieving the objectives of this Agreement for ITTO members broadly.
3. The Council shall establish on a regular basis an action plan to guide policy activities and identify priorities and the thematic programmes referred to in Article 20, paragraph 4, of this Agreement. Priorities identified in the action plan shall be reflected in the work programmes approved by the Council. Policy activities may include the development and preparation of guidelines, manuals, studies, reports, basic communication and outreach tools, and similar work identified in the Organization’s action plan.
Article 25
Project activities of the organization
1. Members and the Executive Director may submit preproject and project proposals which contribute to the achievement of the objectives of this Agreement and one or more of the priority areas for work or thematic programmes identified in the action plan approved by the Council pursuant to Article 24.
2. The Council shall establish criteria for approving projects and pre-projects, taking into account inter alia their relevance to the objectives of this Agreement and to priority areas for work or thematic programmes, their environmental and social effects, their relationship to national forest programmes and strategies, their cost effectiveness, technical and regional needs, the need to avoid duplication of efforts, and the need to incorporate lessons learned.
3. The Council shall establish a schedule and procedure for submitting, appraising, approving and prioritizing pre-projects and projects seeking funding from the Organization, as well as for their implementation, monitoring and evaluation.
4. The Executive Director may suspend disbursement of the Organization’s funds to a pre-project or project if they are being used contrary to the project document or in cases of fraud, waste, neglect or mismanagement. The Executive Director will provide to the Council at its next session a report for its consideration. The Council shall take appropriate action.
5. The Council may establish, according to agreed criteria, limits on the number of projects and pre-projects that a member or the Executive Director may submit in a given project cycle. The Council may also take appropriate measures, including suspension or termination of its sponsorship of any pre-project or project, following the report of the Executive Director.
Article 26
Committees and subsidiary bodies
1. The following are hereby established as Committees of the Organization, which shall be open to all members:
(a) Committee on Forest Industry;
(b) Committee on Economics, Statistics and Markets;
(c) Committee on Reforestation and Forest Management; and
(d) Committee on Finance and Administration.
2. The Council may, by special vote in accordance with Article 12, establish or dissolve committees and subsidiary bodies as appropriate.
3. The Council shall determine the functioning and scope of work of the committees and other subsidiary bodies. The Committees and other subsidiary bodies shall be responsible to and work under the authority of the Council.
CHAPTER VIII STATISTICS, STUDIES AND INFORMATION
Article 27
Statistics, studies and information
1. The Council shall authorize the Executive Director to establish and maintain close relationships with relevant intergovernmental, governmental and non-governmental organizations in order to help ensure the availability of recent and reliable data and information, including on production and trade in tropical timber, trends and data discrepancies, as well as relevant information on non-tropical timber and on the management of timber producing forests. As deemed necessary for the operation of this Agreement, the Organization, in cooperation with such organizations, shall compile, collate, analyse and publish such information.
2. The Organization shall contribute to efforts to standardize and harmonize international reporting on forest-related matters, avoiding overlapping and duplication in data collection from different organizations.
3. Members shall, to the fullest extent possible not inconsistent with their national legislation, furnish, within the time specified by the Executive Director, statistics and information on timber, its trade and activities aimed at achieving sustainable management of timber producing forests, as well as other relevant information as requested by the Council. The Council shall decide on the type of information to be provided under this paragraph and on the format in which it is to be presented.
4. Upon request or where necessary, the Council shall endeavour to enhance the technical capacity of member countries, in particular developing member countries, to meet the statistics and reporting requirements under this Agreement.
5. If a member has not furnished, for two consecutive years, the statistics and information required under paragraph 3 and has not sought the assistance of the Executive Director, the Executive Director shall initially request an explanation from that member within a specified time. In the event that no satisfactory explanation is forthcoming, the Council shall take such action as it deems appropriate.
6. The Council shall arrange to have any relevant studies undertaken of the trends and of short and long-term problems of the international timber markets and of the progress towards the achievement of sustainable management of timber producing forests.
Article 28
Annual report and biennial review
1. The Council shall publish an annual report on its activities and such other information as it considers appropriate.
2. The Council shall biennially review and assess:
(a) the international timber situation; and
(b) other factors, issues and developments considered relevant to achieving the objectives of this Agreement.
3. The review shall be carried out in the light of:
(a) information supplied by members in relation to national production, trade, supply, stocks, consumption and prices of timber;
(b) other statistical data and specific indicators provided by members as requested by the Council;
(c) information supplied by members on their progress towards the sustainable management of their timber-producing forests;
(d) such other relevant information as may be available to the Council either directly or through the organizations in the United Nations system and intergovernmental, governmental or non-governmental organizations; and
(e) information supplied by members on their progress towards the establishment of control and information mechanisms regarding illegal harvesting and illegal trade in tropical timber and non-timber forest products.
4. The Council shall promote the exchange of views among member countries regarding:
(a) the status of sustainable management of timber-producing forests and related matters in member countries; and
(b) resource flows and requirements in relation to objectives, criteria and guidelines set by the Organization.
5. Upon request, the Council shall endeavour to enhance the technical capacity of member countries, in particular developing member countries, to obtain the data necessary for adequate information-sharing, including the provision of resources for training and facilities to members.
6. The results of the review shall be included in the corresponding Council session reports.
CHAPTER IX MISCELLANEOUS
Article 29
General obligations of members
1. Members shall, for the duration of this Agreement, use their best endeavours and cooperate to promote the attainment of its objectives and avoid any action contrary thereto.
2. Members undertake to accept and carry out the decisions of the Council under the provisions of this Agreement and shall refrain from implementing measures that would have the effect of limiting or running counter to them.
Article 30
Relief from obligations
1. Where it is necessary on account of exceptional circumstances or emergency or force majeure not expressly provided for in this Agreement, the Council may, by special vote in accordance with Article 12, relieve a member of an obligation under this Agreement if it is satisfied by an explanation from that member regarding the reasons why the obligation cannot be met.
2. The Council, in granting relief to a member under paragraph 1 of this Article, shall state explicitly the terms and conditions on which, and the period for which, the member is relieved of such obligation, and the reasons for which the relief is granted.
Article 31
Complaints and disputes
Any member may bring to the Council any complaint that a member has failed to fulfil its obligations under this Agreement and any dispute concerning the interpretation or application of this Agreement. Decisions by the Council on these matters shall be taken by consensus, notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, and be final and binding.
Article 32
Differential and remedial measures and special measures
1. Consumer members that are developing countries whose interests are adversely affected by measures taken under this Agreement may apply to the Council for appropriate differential and remedial measures. The Council shall consider taking appropriate measures in accordance with section III, paragraphs 3 and 4, of resolution 93 (IV) of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.
2. Members in the category of least developed countries as defined by the United Nations may apply to the Council for special measures in accordance with section III, paragraph 4, of resolution 93 (IV) and with paragraphs 56 and 57 of the Paris Declaration and Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the 1990s.
Article 33
Review
The Council may evaluate the implementation of this Agreement, including the objectives and financial mechanisms, five years after its entry into force.
Article 34
Non-discrimination
Nothing in this Agreement authorizes the use of measures to restrict or ban international trade in, and in particular as they concern imports of, and utilization of, timber and timber products.
CHAPTER X FINAL PROVISIONS
Article 35
Depositary
The Secretary-General of the United Nations is hereby designated as the depositary of this Agreement.
Article 36
Signature, ratification, acceptance and approval
1. This Agreement shall be open for signature, at United Nations Headquarters from 3 April 2006 until one month after the date of its entry into force, by Governments invited to the United Nations Conference for the Negotiation of a Successor Agreement to the International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1994.
2. Any Government referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article may:
(a) at the time of signing this Agreement, declare that by such signature it expresses its consent to be bound by this Agreement (definitive signature); or
(b) after signing this Agreement, ratify, accept or approve it by the deposit of an instrument to that effect with the depositary.
3. Upon signature and ratification, acceptance or approval, or accession, or provisional application, the European Community or any intergovernmental organization referred to in Article 5, paragraph 1, shall deposit a declaration issued by the appropriate authority of such organization specifying the nature and extent of its competence over matters governed by this Agreement, and shall inform the depositary of any subsequent substantial change in such competence. Where such organization declares exclusive competence over all matters governed by this Agreement, the Member States of such organization shall not take the actions under Article 36, paragraph 2, Article 37 and Article 38, or shall take the action under Article 41 or withdraw notification of provisional application under Article 38.
Article 37
Accession
1. This Agreement shall be open for accession by Governments upon conditions established by the Council, which shall include a time-limit for the deposit of instruments of accession. These conditions shall be transmitted by the Council to the Depositary. The Council may, however, grant extensions of time to Governments which are unable to accede by the time-limit set in the conditions of accession.
2. Accession shall be effected by the deposit of an instrument of accession with the depositary.
Article 38
Notification of provisional application
A signatory Government which intends to ratify, accept or approve this Agreement, or a Government for which the Council has established conditions for accession but which has not yet been able to deposit its instrument may, at any time, notify the depositary that it will apply this Agreement provisionally in accordance with its laws and regulations, either when it enters into force in accordance with Article 39 or, if it is already in force, at a specified date.
Article 39
Entry into force
1. This Agreement shall enter into force definitively on 1 February 2008 or on any date thereafter, if 12 Governments of producers holding at least 60 per cent of the total votes as set out in Annex A to this Agreement and 10 Governments of consumers as listed in Annex B and accounting for 60 per cent of the global import volume of tropical timber in the reference year 2005 have signed this Agreement definitively or have ratified, accepted or approved it pursuant to Article 36, paragraph 2, or Article 37.
2. If this Agreement has not entered into force definitively on 1 February 2008, it shall enter into force provisionally on that date or on any date within six months thereafter if 10 Governments of producers holding at least 50 per cent of the total votes as set out in Annex A to this Agreement and seven Governments of consumers as listed in Annex B and accounting for 50 per cent of the global import volume of tropical timber in the reference year 2005 have signed this Agreement definitively or have ratified, accepted or approved it pursuant to Article 36, paragraph 2, or have notified the depositary under Article 38 that they will apply this Agreement provisionally.
3. If the requirements for entry into force under paragraph 1 or paragraph 2 of this Article have not been met on 1 September 2008, the Secretary-General of the United Nations shall invite those Governments which have signed this Agreement definitively or have ratified, accepted or approved it pursuant to Article 36, paragraph 2, or have notified the depositary that they will apply this Agreement provisionally, to meet at the earliest time practicable to decide whether to put this Agreement into force provisionally or definitively among themselves in whole or in part. Governments which decide to put this Agreement into force provisionally among themselves may meet from time to time to review the situation and decide whether this Agreement shall enter into force definitively among themselves.
4. For any Government which has not notified the depositary under Article 38 that it will apply this Agreement provisionally and which deposits its instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession after the entry into force of this Agreement, this Agreement shall enter into force on the date of such deposit.
5. The Executive Director of the Organization shall convene the Council as soon as possible after the entry into force of this Agreement.
Article 40
Amendments
1. The Council may, by special vote in accordance with Article 12, recommend an amendment of this Agreement to members.
2. The Council shall fix a date by which members shall notify the depositary of their acceptance of the amendment.
3. An amendment shall enter into force 90 days after the depositary has received notifications of acceptance from members constituting at least two thirds of the producer members and accounting for at least 75 per cent of the votes of the producer members, and from members constituting at least two thirds of the consumer members and accounting for at least 75 per cent of the votes of the consumer members.
4. After the depositary informs the Council that the requirements for entry into force of the amendment have been met, and notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph 2 of this Article relating to the date fixed by the Council, a member may still notify the depositary of its acceptance of the amendment, provided that such notification is made before the entry into force of the amendment.
5. Any member which has not notified its acceptance of an amendment by the date on which such amendment enters into force shall cease to be a party to this Agreement as from that date, unless such member has satisfied the Council that its acceptance could not be obtained in time owing to difficulties in completing its constitutional or institutional procedures and the Council decides to extend for that member the period for acceptance of the amendment. Such member shall not be bound by the amendment before it has notified its acceptance thereof.
6. If the requirements for the entry into force of the amendment have not been met by the date fixed by the Council in accordance with paragraph 2 of this Article, the amendment shall be considered withdrawn.
Article 41
Withdrawal
1. A member may withdraw from this Agreement at any time after the entry into force of the Agreement by giving written notice of withdrawal to the depositary. That member shall simultaneously inform the Council of the action it has taken.
2. Withdrawal shall become effective 90 days after the notice is received by the depositary.
3. Financial obligations to the Organization incurred by a member under this Agreement shall not be terminated by its withdrawal.
Article 42
Exclusion
If the Council decides that any member is in breach of its obligations under this Agreement and decides further that such breach significantly impairs the operation of this Agreement, it may, by special vote in accordance with Article 12, exclude that member from this Agreement. The Council shall immediately so notify the depositary. Six months after the date of the Council’s Decision, that member shall cease to be a party to this Agreement.
Article 43
Settlement of accounts with withdrawing or excluded members or members unable to accept an amendment
1. The Council shall determine any settlement of accounts with a member that ceases to be a party to this Agreement owing to:
(a) non-acceptance of an amendment to this Agreement under Article 40;
(b) withdrawal from this Agreement under Article 41; or
(c) exclusion from this Agreement under Article 42.
2. The Council shall retain any assessments or contributions paid to the financial accounts established under Article 18 by a member that ceases to be a party to this Agreement.
3. A member that has ceased to be a party to this Agreement shall not be entitled to any share of the proceeds of liquidation or the other assets of the Organization. Nor shall such member be liable for payment of any part of the deficit, if any, of the Organization upon termination of this Agreement.
Article 44
Duration, extension and termination
1. This Agreement shall remain in force for a period of 10 years after its entry into force unless the Council, by special vote in accordance with Article 12, decides to extend, renegotiate or terminate it in accordance with the provisions of this Article.
2. The Council may, by special vote in accordance with Article 12, decide to extend this Agreement for two periods, an initial period of five years and an additional one of three years.
3. If, before the expiry of the 10-year period referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article, or before the expiry of an extension period referred to in paragraph 2 of this Article, as the case may be, the new Agreement to replace this Agreement has been negotiated but has not yet entered into force either definitively or provisionally, the Council may, by special vote in accordance with Article 12, extend this Agreement until the provisional or definitive entry into force of the new Agreement.
4. If the new Agreement is negotiated and enters into force during any period of extension of this Agreement under paragraph 2 or paragraph 3 of this Article, this Agreement, as extended, shall terminate upon the entry into force of the new Agreement.
5. The Council may at any time, by special vote in accordance with Article 12, decide to terminate this Agreement with effect from such date as it may determine.
6. Notwithstanding the termination of this Agreement, the Council shall continue in being for a period not exceeding 18 months to carry out the liquidation of the Organization, including the settlement of accounts, and, subject to relevant decisions to be taken by special vote in accordance with Article 12, shall have during that period such powers and functions as may be necessary for these purposes.
7. The Council shall notify the depositary of any Decision taken under this Article.
Article 45
Reservations
Reservations may not be made with respect to any of the provisions of this Agreement.
Article 46
Supplementary and transitional provisions
1. This Agreement shall be the successor to the International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1994.
2. All acts by or on behalf of the Organization or any of its organs under the International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1983, and/or the International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1994, which are in effect on the date of entry into force of this Agreement and the terms of which do not provide for expiry on that date shall remain in effect unless changed under the provisions of this Agreement.
DONE at Geneva on 27 January 2006, the texts of this Agreement in the Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish languages being equally authentic.
ANNEX A
List of Governments attending the United Nations Conference for the Negotiation of a Successor Agreement to the International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1994 that are potential producer members as defined in Article 2 (Definitions) and indicative allocation of votes as per Article 10 (Distribution of votes)
+------------------------------------------+-----------------+
| Members | Total votes |
+------------------------------------------+-----------------+
|AFRICA | 249 |
|Angola | 18 |
|Benin | 17 |
|Cameroon* | 18 |
|Central African Republic* | 18 |
|Cote d’Ivoire* | 18 |
|Democratic Republic of the Congo* | 18 |
|Gabon* | 18 |
|Ghana* | 18 |
|Liberia* | 18 |
|Madagascar | 18 |
|Nigeria* | 18 |
|Republic of Congo* | 18 |
|Rwanda | 17 |
|Togo* | 17 |
+------------------------------------------+-----------------+
|ASIA-PACIFIC | 389 |
|Cambodia* | 15 |
|Fiji* | 14 |
|India* | 22 |
|Indonesia* | 131 |
|Malaysia* | 105 |
|Myanmar* | 33 |
|Papua New Guinea* | 25 |
|Philippines* | 14 |
|Thailand* | 16 |
|Vanuatu* | 14 |
+------------------------------------------+-----------------+
|LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN | 362 |
|Barbados | 7 |
|Bolivia* | 19 |
|Brazil* | 157 |
|Colombia* | 19 |
|Costa Rica | 7 |
|Dominican Republic | 7 |
|Ecuador* | 11 |
|Guatemala* | 8 |
|Guyana* | 12 |
|Haiti | 7 |
|Honduras* | 8 |
|Mexico* | 15 |
|Nicaragua | 8 |
|Panama* | 8 |
|Paraguay | 10 |
|Peru* | 24 |
|Suriname* | 10 |
|Trinidad & Tobago* | 7 |
|Venezuela* | 18 |
+------------------------------------------+-----------------+
|Total | 1 000 |
+------------------------------------------+-----------------+
* Member of the International Tropical Timber Agreement,
1994
ANNEX B
List of Governments attending the United Nations Conference for the Negotiation of a Successor Agreement to the International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1994 that are potential consumer members as defined in Article 2 (Definitions)
Albania
Algeria
Australia*
Canada*
China*
Egypt*
European Community*
Austria*
Belgium*
Czech Republic
Estonia
Finland*
France*
Germany*
Greece*
Ireland*
Italy*
Lithuania
Luxembourg*
Netherlands*
Poland
Portugal*
Slovakia
Spain*
Sweden*
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland*
Iran (Islamic Republic of)
Iraq
Japan*
Lesotho
Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
Morocco
Nepal*
New Zealand*
Norway*
Republic of Korea*
Switzerland*
United States of America*
* Member of the International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1994.
European Community Declaration in accordance with Article 36(3) of the Agreement
In accordance with Article 36(3) of the International Tropical Timber Agreement, 2006, this declaration indicates the powers transferred to the European Community by its Member States in the matters governed by the Agreement.
The European Community declares that, in accordance with the Treaty establishing the European Community:
– with respect to the trade matters covered by the Agreement, the European Community has exclusive competence under the common commercial policy, and
– the European Community shares powers with its Members States in environmental matters and in development cooperation.
The scope and the exercise of the European Community powers are, by their nature, subject to continuous development, and the European Community will complete or amend this declaration, if necessary, in accordance with Article 36(3) of the Agreement.
MEDNARODNI SPORAZUM O TROPSKEM LESU IZ LETA 2006
PREAMBULA
POGODBENICE TEGA SPORAZUMA SO SE -
(a) OB SKLICEVANJU na Izjavo in Akcijski program o ustanovitvi novega mednarodnega gospodarskega reda, Integrirani program za primarne proizvode, Novo partnerstvo za razvoj ter na dokumenta o duhu São Paula in o soglasju iz São Paula, sprejeta v okviru UNCTAD XI (Konference ZN za trgovino in razvoj);
(b) OB SKLICEVANJU TUDI na Mednarodni sporazum o tropskem lesu iz leta 1983 in Mednarodni sporazum o tropskem lesu iz leta 1994 in ob priznavanju dela Mednarodne organizacije za tropski les in njenih dosežkov od svojega začetka, vključno s strategijo za takšno mednarodno trgovino s tropskim lesom, ki bo temeljila na virih s trajnostnim gospodarjenjem;
(c) NADALJE OB SKLICEVANJU na Johannesburško deklaracijo in Načrt izvajanja, sprejet na Svetovnem vrhu o trajnostnem razvoju septembra 2002, Forum Združenih narodov za gozdove, ustanovljen oktobra 2000, ter z njim povezan nastanek Skupnega partnerstva za gozdove, katerega članica je Mednarodna organizacija za tropski les, kot tudi na Deklaracijo o okolju in razvoju iz Rio de Janeira, Pravno nezavezujočo avtoritativno izjavo o načelih za globalno soglasje o upravljanju, varstvu in trajnostnem razvoju vseh vrst gozdov in ustrezna poglavja iz Agende 21, sprejete na Konferenci Združenih narodov o okolju in razvoju junija 1992, Okvirno konvencijo Združenih narodov o spremembi podnebja, Konvencijo Združenih narodov o biološki raznovrstnosti, Konvencijo Združenih narodov o boju proti dezertifikaciji;
(d) OB PRIZNAVANJU, da imajo države v skladu z Ustanovno listino Združenih narodov in načeli mednarodnega prava suvereno pravico do izkoriščanja svojih virov v skladu s svojo okoljsko politiko in so odgovorne za skrb, da dejavnosti v njihovi pristojnosti in pod njihovim nadzorom ne bi škodile okolju drugih držav ali območij zunaj meja njihove državne pristojnosti, kot določa načelo 1(a) Pravno nezavezujoče avtoritativne izjave o načelih za globalno soglasje o gospodarjenju, varstvu in trajnostnem razvoju vseh vrst gozdov;
(e) OB PRIZNAVANJU pomembnosti lesa in trgovine z njim za gospodarstva držav, ki proizvajajo les;
(f) TER OB PRIZNAVANJU pomembnosti mnogih gospodarskih, okoljskih in družbenih koristi gozdov, vključno z lesnimi in nelesnimi gozdnimi proizvodi in okoljskimi storitvami, v okviru trajnostnega gospodarjenja z gozdovi na lokalni, državni in globalni ravni in prispevka trajnostnega gospodarjenja z gozdovi k trajnostnemu razvoju in odpravljanju revščine, doseganju mednarodno dogovorjenih razvojnih ciljev, vključno s cilji iz Deklaracije za novo tisočletje;
(g) NADALJE OB PRIZNAVANJU potrebe po pospeševanju in uporabi primerljivih meril in kazalcev za trajnostno gospodarjenje z gozdovi kot pomembnega orodja za vse članice za ocenjevanje, spremljanje in pospeševanje napredka pri trajnostnem gospodarjenju z gozdovi;
(h) OB UPOŠTEVANJU POVEZAV med trgovino s tropskim lesom ter mednarodnim trgom z lesom in širšim globalnim gospodarstvom in ob upoštevanju potrebe po globalni perspektivi za izboljšanje preglednosti mednarodne trgovine z lesom;
(i) POTRJUJOČ svojo zavezanost kar najhitrejšemu doseganju stanja, ko bo izvoz tropskega lesa in lesnih proizvodov temeljil na virih, s katerimi se trajnostno gospodari (Cilj Mednarodne organizacije za tropski les 2000) in ob sklicevanju na ustanovitev Partnerskega sklada Bali (Bali Partnership Fund);
(j) OB SKLICEVANJU na zaveze članic potrošnic iz januarja 1994 glede vzdrževanja ali doseganja trajnostnega gospodarjenja z gozdovi;
(k) OB UPOŠTEVANJU vloge dobrega upravljanja, jasnosti rešitev glede posesti in medsektorskega usklajevanja pri doseganju trajnostnega gospodarjenja z gozdovi ter izvoza lesa iz zakonitih virov;
(l) OB PRIZNAVANJU pomembnosti sodelovanja med članicami, mednarodnimi organizacijami, zasebnim sektorjem in civilno družbo, vključno z avtohtonimi in lokalnimi skupnostmi, in drugimi zainteresiranimi stranmi pri pospeševanju trajnostnega gospodarjenja z gozdovi;
(m) PRAV TAKO OB PRIZNAVANJU pomembnosti takšnega sodelovanja za izboljšanje izvrševanja zakonodaje na področju gozdov in pospeševanje trgovine z zakonito posekanim lesom;
(n) OB UGOTOVITVI, da lahko krepitev zmogljivosti avtohtonih in lokalnih skupnosti, ki so odvisne od gozda, vključno s tistimi, ki so lastniki in upravljavci gozdov, prispeva k doseganju ciljev tega sporazuma;
(o) OB UPOŠTEVANJU TUDI potrebe po izboljšanju življenjske ravni in delovnih razmer v gozdnem sektorju, ob upoštevanju ustreznih mednarodno priznanih načel za navedene zadeve in ustreznih konvencij in instrumentov Mednarodne organizacije dela;
(p) OB UGOTOVITVI, da je les v primerjavi s konkurenčnimi proizvodi energijsko učinkovita, obnovljiva in okolju prijazna surovina;
(q) OB PRIZNAVANJU potrebe po povečanju naložb v trajnostno gospodarjenje z gozdovi, tudi z reinvestiranjem prihodkov, ustvarjenih z gozdovi, vključno s prihodki od trgovine, povezane z lesom;
(r) OB PRIZNAVANJU TUDI koristi tržnih cen, ki odražajo stroške trajnostnega gospodarjenja z gozdovi;
(s) NADALJE OB PRIZNAVANJU tega, da so za doseganje ciljev tega sporazuma potrebna znatnejša in predvidljiva finančna sredstva širokega kroga donatorjev;
(t) OB UPOŠTEVANJU posebnih potreb najmanj razvitih držav, ki proizvajajo tropski les –
DOGOVORILE O NASLEDNJEM:
POGLAVJE I CILJI
Člen 1
Cilji
Cilja Mednarodnega sporazuma o tropskem lesu iz leta 2006 (v nadaljnjem besedilu »ta sporazum«) sta pospeševanje razmaha in večje raznovrstnosti mednarodne trgovine s tropskim lesom iz gozdov, s katerimi se trajnostno gospodari in se zakonito izkoriščajo, ter pospeševanje trajnostnega gospodarjenja s tropskimi lesnoproizvodnimi gozdovi, in sicer:
(a) z zagotavljanjem učinkovitega okvira za posvetovanje, mednarodno sodelovanje in razvoj politike na zadevnem področju za vse članice v zvezi z vsemi pomembnimi vidiki svetovnega lesnega gospodarstva;
(b) z zagotavljanjem posvetovalnega foruma za pospeševanje nediskriminacijskih praks v trgovini z lesom;
(c) s prispevanjem k trajnostnemu razvoju in odpravljanju revščine;
(d) s krepitvijo zmogljivosti članic za izvajanje strategij za doseganje takšnega izvoza tropskega lesa in njegovih proizvodov, ki bo temeljil na virih, s katerimi se trajnostno gospodari;
(e) s pospeševanjem boljšega razumevanja strukturnih razmer na mednarodnih trgih, vključno z dolgoročnimi trendi potrošnje in proizvodnje, dejavniki, ki vplivajo na dostopnost trga, nagnjenja potrošnikov in cene, ter razmerami, ki vodijo v cene, ki odražajo stroške trajnostnega gospodarjenja z gozdovi;
(f) s pospeševanjem in podpiranjem raziskav in razvoja z namenom izboljšanja gospodarjenja z gozdovi in učinkovitosti rabe lesa ter konkurenčnosti lesnih proizvodov glede na druge materiale, kot tudi povečanja zmogljivosti za ohranjanje in krepitev drugih koristi tropskih lesnoproizvodnih gozdov;
(g) z razvijanjem in prispevanjem k mehanizmom za zagotavljanje novih in dodatnih finančnih virov z namenom pospeševanja ustreznosti in predvidljivosti financiranja in strokovnega znanja in izkušenj za povečanje zmogljivosti članic proizvajalk za doseganje ciljev tega sporazuma;
(h) z izboljšanjem razumevanja trga in spodbujanjem izmenjave informacij o mednarodnem tržišču lesa, z namenom zagotavljanja večje preglednosti in boljše obveščenosti o trgih in tržnih gibanjih, vključno z zbiranjem, urejanjem in širjenjem podatkov, povezanih s trgovino, vključno s podatki za vrste, s katerimi se trguje;
(i) s pospeševanjem obsežnejše in nadaljnje predelave tropskega lesa trajnostnega porekla v državah članicah proizvajalkah z namenom pospeševanja njihove industrializacije in s tem povečevanja zaposlitvenih možnosti in zaslužka z izvozom;
(j) s spodbujanjem članic, da v tropskem pasu podpirajo in razvijajo pogozdovanje ter tudi sanacijo in obnovitev degradiranih gozdnih površin z upoštevanjem interesov lokalnih skupnosti, odvisnih od gozdnih virov;
(k) z izboljšanjem trženja in distribucije izvoza tropskega lesa in lesnih proizvodov iz virov, s katerimi se trajnostno gospodari in v njih potekata sečnja in trženje zakonito, vključno s pospeševanjem ozaveščenosti potrošnikov;
(l) s krepitvijo zmogljivosti članic za zbiranje, obdelavo in razširjanje statističnih podatkov o njihovi trgovini z lesom ter informacij o trajnostnem gospodarjenju z njihovimi tropskimi gozdovi;
(m) s spodbujanjem članic, da razvijejo nacionalne politike, usmerjene v trajnostno rabo in ohranitev lesnoproizvodnih gozdov, in vzdržujejo ekološko ravnovesje, v kontekstu trgovine s tropskim lesom;
(n) s krepitvijo zmogljivosti članic, da izboljšajo uveljavljanje in nadzor nad izvajanjem zakonodaje na področju gozdov ter da se odzivajo na nezakonito sečnjo in z njo povezano trgovino s tropskim lesom;
(o) s spodbujanjem izmenjave informacij za boljše razumevanje prostovoljnih mehanizmov, kot je med drugim certificiranje, za pospeševanje trajnostnega gospodarjenja s tropskimi gozdovi ter pomoč članicam pri njihovih prizadevanjih na teh področjih;
(p) s pospeševanjem dostopa do tehnologij in njihovega prenosa ter tehničnega sodelovanja za uresničevanje ciljev tega sporazuma na podlagi medsebojno dogovorjenih koncesijskih in preferencialnih pogojev;
(q) s pospeševanjem boljšega razumevanja prispevka nelesnih gozdnih proizvodov in okoljskih storitev k trajnostnemu gospodarjenju s tropskimi gozdovi s ciljem krepitve zmogljivosti članic za razvoj strategij za krepitev teh prispevkov v smislu trajnostnega gospodarjenja z gozdovi, in sodelovanja med ustreznimi institucijami in postopki v ta namen;
(r) s spodbujanjem članic, da priznajo vlogo domorodnih in lokalnih skupnosti, ki so odvisne od gozda, pri doseganju trajnostnega gospodarjenja z gozdovi, in razvijejo strategije za povečanje zmogljivosti teh skupnosti za trajnostno gospodarjenje tropskih lesnoproizvodnih gozdov;
(s) s prepoznavanjem in reševanjem ustreznih novih in porajajočih se vprašanj.
POGLAVJE II OPREDELITVE
Člen 2
Opredelitve
V tem sporazumu:
1. »tropski les« pomeni gozdno-lesne proizvode gozdnih drevesnih vrst, ki rastejo ali se gojijo v državah med rakovim in kozorogovim povratnikom. Izraz zajema hlode, žagan les, furnir in vezane plošče;
2. izraz »trajnostno gospodarjenje z gozdovi« se razume v skladu z ustreznimi strateškimi dokumenti in tehničnimi smernicami Organizacije;
3. »članica« pomeni vlado, Evropsko skupnost ali katero koli medvladno organizacijo iz člena 5, ki soglaša, da jo zavezuje ta sporazum, ne glede na to, ali je v veljavi začasno ali dokončno;
4. »članica proizvajalka« pomeni katero koli članico, ki leži med rakovim in kozorogovim povratnikom, s tropskimi gozdnimi viri in/ali neto izvoznico tropskega lesa glede na količino, navedeno v Prilogi A, ki postane pogodbenica tega sporazuma, ali katero koli članico s tropskimi gozdnimi viri in/ali neto izvoznico tropskega lesa glede na količino, ki ni navedena in postane pogodbenica tega sporazuma in jo Svet s soglasjem te članice opredeli kot članico proizvajalko;
5. »članica potrošnica« pomeni katero koli članico uvoznico tropskega lesa, navedeno v Prilogi B, ki postane pogodbenica tega sporazuma, ali katero koli članico uvoznico tropskega lesa, ki ni navedena in postane pogodbenica tega sporazuma ter jo Svet s soglasjem te članice opredeli kot članico potrošnico;
6. »Organizacija« pomeni Mednarodno organizacijo za tropski les, ustanovljeno v skladu s členom 3;
7. »Svet« pomeni Mednarodni svet za tropski les, ustanovljen v skladu s členom 6;
8. »posebno glasovanje« pomeni glasovanje, ki zahteva najmanj dve tretjini glasov članic proizvajalk, ki so navzoče in glasujejo, in najmanj 60% glasov članic potrošnic, ki so navzoče in glasujejo, šteto posebej, pod pogojem, da te glasove odda najmanj polovica članic proizvajalk, ki so navzoče in glasujejo, in najmanj polovica članic potrošnic, ki so navzoče in glasujejo;
9. »glasovanje z navadno večino« pomeni glasovanje, ki zahteva več kot polovico glasov članic proizvajalk, ki so navzoče in glasujejo, in več kot polovico glasov članic potrošnic, ki so navzoče in glasujejo, šteto posebej;
10. »finančno dveletje« pomeni obdobje od 1. januarja enega leta do 31. decembra naslednjega leta;
11. »prosto zamenljive valute« pomenijo euro, japonski jen, britanski funt, švicarski frank, ameriški dolar in vsako drugo valuto, ki jo mednarodne denarne organizacije občasno opredelijo kot valuto, ki se v praksi veliko uporablja za plačevanje v mednarodnih transakcijah in se z njimi veliko trguje na glavnih borznih trgih;
12. za izračun porazdelitve glasov v odstavku 2(b) člena 10, izraz »tropski gozdovi« pomeni naravne strnjene gozdne površine in gozdne plantaže med rakovim in kozorogovim povratnikom.
POGLAVJE III ORGANIZACIJA IN UPRAVLJANJE
Člen 3
Sedež in struktura Mednarodne organizacije za tropski les
1. Mednarodna organizacija za tropski les, ustanovljena s Sporazumom o tropskem lesu iz leta 1983, še naprej upravlja in nadzira izvajanje tega sporazuma.
2. Organizacija deluje prek Sveta, ustanovljenega na podlagi člena 6, odborov in drugih pomožnih teles iz člena 26 ter izvršnega direktorja in osebja.
3. Sedež Organizacije je vedno na ozemlju članice.
4. Sedež Organizacije je v Jokohami, razen če Svet s posebnim glasovanjem v skladu s členom 12 določi drugače.
5. Ustanovijo se regionalne pisarne Organizacije, če Svet tako odloči s posebnim glasovanjem v skladu s členom 12.
Člen 4
Članstvo v organizaciji
Obstajata dve kategoriji članstva v Organizaciji, in sicer:
(a) proizvajalka in
(b) potrošnica.
Člen 5
Članstvo medvladnih organizacij
1. Vsako sklicevanje v tem sporazumu na »vlade« vključuje Evropsko skupnost in druge medvladne organizacije, ki imajo primerljive odgovornosti v zvezi s pogajanji, sklepanjem in uporabo mednarodnih sporazumov, zlasti sporazumov o osnovnih proizvodih. Skladno s tem vsako sklicevanje v tem sporazumu na podpis, ratifikacijo, sprejetje ali odobritev ali uradno obvestilo o začasni uporabi ali na pristop v primeru takih organizacij velja kot sklicevanje na podpis, ratifikacijo, sprejetje ali odobritev ali uradno obvestilo o začasni uporabi ali na pristop takih medvladnih organizacij.
2. V primeru glasovanja o vprašanjih v njihovi pristojnosti Evropska skupnost in druge medvladne organizacije iz odstavka 1 glasujejo s številom glasov, ki je enako skupnemu številu glasov, ki pripada njihovim državam članicam, ki so podpisnice Sporazuma v skladu s členom 10. V takih primerih države članice teh organizacij niso upravičene do uveljavljanja svojih osebnih glasovalnih pravic.
POGLAVJE IV MEDNARODNI SVET ZA TROPSKI LES
Člen 6
Sestava Mednarodnega sveta za tropski les
1. Najvišji organ Organizacije je Mednarodni svet za tropski les, ki ga sestavljajo članice Organizacije.
2. Vsako članico zastopa v Svetu en predstavnik in lahko imenuje namestnike in svetovalce, ki se udeležujejo sej Sveta.
3. Namestnik je pooblaščen, da deluje in glasuje v imenu predstavnika v njegovi odsotnosti in v posebnih okoliščinah.
Člen 7
Pooblastila in funkcije Sveta
Svet uresničuje vsa pooblastila in izvaja ali organizira izvedbo vseh funkcij, ki so potrebne za izvajanje določb tega sporazuma.
Zlasti:
(a) s posebnim glasovanjem v skladu s členom 12 sprejme pravila in predpise, ki so potrebni za izvajanje določb tega sporazuma in so skladni z njim, vključno z lastnim poslovnikom in finančnimi pravili ter kadrovskimi predpisi Organizacije. Ta finančna pravila in predpisi med drugim urejajo prejem in izdatke sredstev v okviru računov, določenih v členu 18. Svet lahko v svojem poslovniku predvidi postopek, po katerem lahko odloči o posebnih vprašanjih, ne da bi se sestal;
(b) sprejme odločitve, ki so potrebne za zagotovitev smotrnega in učinkovitega uresničevanja in delovanja Organizacije, in
(c) vodi evidence, ki so potrebne za izvajanje njegovih funkcij po tem sporazumu.
Člen 8
Predsednik in podpredsednik Sveta
1. Svet za vsako koledarsko leto izvoli predsednika in podpredsednika, ki ne prejemata plače od Organizacije.
2. Predsednik in podpredsednik se izvolita eden izmed predstavnikov članic proizvajalk in drugi izmed predstavnikov članic potrošnic.
3. Ti funkciji se menjata vsako leto med obema kategorijama članic, vendar pod pogojem, da to ne prepoveduje ponovne izvolitve enega ali obeh v izjemnih okoliščinah.
4. V začasni odsotnosti predsednika njegove naloge prevzame podpredsednik. V začasni odsotnosti obeh, predsednika in podpredsednika, ali v odsotnosti enega ali obeh do konca mandata, za katerega sta bila izvoljena, lahko Svet izvoli nova funkcionarja izmed predstavnikov članic proizvajalk in/ali izmed predstavnikov članic potrošnic, odvisno od primera, začasno ali do konca mandata, za katerega sta bila predhodnika izvoljena.
Člen 9
Seje Sveta
1. Praviloma ima Svet najmanj eno redno sejo na leto.
2. Svet se sestane na posebni seji vedno, kadar se tako odloči ali na zahtevo katere koli članice ali izvršnega direktorja v soglasju s predsednikom in podpredsednikom Sveta in:
(a) večine članic proizvajalk ali večine članic potrošnic ali
(b) večine članic.
3. Seje Sveta se sklicujejo na sedežu Organizacije, razen če Svet s posebnim glasovanjem v skladu s členom 12 odloči drugače. V tem primeru Svet skliče nadomestne seje Sveta zunaj sedeža, po možnosti v državi proizvajalki.
4. Glede na pogostost in lokacijo svojih sej Svet zagotovi razpoložljivost zadostnih sredstev.
5. Obvestilo za vsako sejo in dnevni red seje posreduje članicam izvršni direktor najmanj šest tednov vnaprej, razen v izjemnih primerih, ko se posreduje najmanj sedem dni prej.
Člen 10
Razdelitev glasov
1. Članice proizvajalke imajo skupno 1000 glasov in članice potrošnice imajo skupno 1000 glasov.
2. Glasovi članic proizvajalk se razdelijo takole:
(a) štiristo glasov se enakomerno porazdeli med tri proizvodne regije: Afriko, Azijo – Tihi ocean ter Latinsko Ameriko in Karibe. Tako dodeljeni glasovi vsaki od teh regij se potem enakomerno razdelijo med članice proizvajalke te regije;
(b) tristo glasov se razdeli med članice proizvajalke v skladu z njihovim deležem v skupnih tropskih gozdovih vseh članic proizvajalk;
(c) tristo glasov se razdeli med članice proizvajalke v sorazmerju s povprečno vrednostjo njihovega neto izvoza tropskega lesa v zadnjem triletnem obdobju, za katerega so na voljo dokončne številke.
3. Ne glede na določbe odstavka 2 tega člena se skupni glasovi, dodeljeni članicam proizvajalkam iz afriške regije, izračunani v skladu z odstavkom 2 tega člena, razdelijo enakomerno med vse članice proizvajalke iz afriške regije. Če ostane kaj glasov, se vsak od teh glasov dodeli članici proizvajalki iz afriške regije: prvi glas članici proizvajalki, ki ji je dodeljeno največje število glasov, izračunanih v skladu z odstavkom 2 tega člena, drugi članici proizvajalki, ki ji je dodeljeno drugo največje število glasov in tako dalje, dokler se ne razdelijo vsi preostali glasovi.
4. Ob upoštevanju odstavka 5 tega člena se glasovi članic potrošnic razdelijo takole: vsaka članica potrošnica ima 10 začetnih glasov; preostali glasovi se razdelijo med članice potrošnice v sorazmerju s povprečno količino njihovega neto uvoza tropskega lesa v petletnem obdobju, ki se je začelo šest koledarskih let pred razdelitvijo glasov.
5. Dodeljeni glasovi članici potrošnici za določeno dveletje ne presegajo 5 dodatnih odstotkov glede na dodeljene glasove tej članici v prejšnjem dveletju. Presežni glasovi se razdelijo med članice potrošnice v sorazmerju s povprečno količino njihovega neto uvoza tropskega lesa v petletnem obdobju, ki se je začelo šest koledarskih let pred razdelitvijo glasov.
6. Svet lahko s posebnim glasovanjem v skladu s členom 12 prilagodi najnižji odstotek, ki se zahteva za posebno glasovanje članic potrošnic, če meni, da je to potrebno.
7. Svet razdeli glasove za vsako finančno dveletje na začetku svoje prve seje v tem dveletju v skladu z določbami tega člena. Takšna razdelitev ostane v veljavi do konca dveletja, razen kakor je predvideno v odstavku 8 tega člena.
8. Vedno kadar se spremeni članstvo v Organizaciji ali kadar se kateri koli članici začasno odvzamejo ali obnovijo glasovalne pravice na podlagi katere koli določbe tega sporazuma, Svet ponovno razdeli glasove v okviru prizadete kategorije ali kategorij članic v skladu z določbami tega člena. Svet v takšnem primeru odloči, kdaj začne veljati ta prerazporeditev.
9. Delni glasovi niso možni.
Člen 11
Postopek glasovanja v Svetu
1. Vsaka članica je upravičena do oddaje števila glasov, ki ji pripada, nobena članica pa ni upravičena do delitve svojih glasov. Vendar pa lahko članica z glasovi, ki jih sme oddati v skladu z odstavkom 2 tega člena, glasuje drugače.
2. S pisnim uradnim obvestilom predsedniku Sveta lahko vsaka članica proizvajalka na svojo odgovornost pooblasti katero koli drugo članico proizvajalko in vsaka članica potrošnica lahko na svojo odgovornost pooblasti katero koli drugo članico potrošnico, da zastopa njene interese in odda njene glasove na kateri koli seji Sveta.
3. Kadar se članica vzdrži, se šteje, da ni oddala svojih glasov.
Člen 12
Sklepi in priporočila Sveta
1. Svet si prizadeva, da sprejme vse sklepe in oblikuje vsa priporočila soglasno.
2. Če soglasja ni mogoče doseči, Svet sprejme vse sklepe in oblikuje vsa priporočila z glasovanjem z navadno večino, razen kadar ta sporazum predvideva posebno glasovanje.
3. Kadar članica uporabi določbe odstavka 2 člena 11 in odda svoje glasove na seji Sveta, se ta članica za namene odstavka 1 tega člena šteje za navzočo, ki glasuje.
Člen 13
Sklepčnost Sveta
1. Sklepčnost za katero koli sejo Sveta je navzočnost večine članic obeh kategorij iz člena 4, pod pogojem, da imajo te članice najmanj dve tretjini skupnih glasov v ustreznih kategorijah.
2. Če na dan, določen za sejo, in naslednji dan ni sklepčnosti v skladu z odstavkom 1 tega člena, je sklepčnost na naslednje dni seje navzočnost večine članic obeh kategorij iz člena 4, pod pogojem, da imajo te članice večino skupnih glasov v ustreznih kategorijah.
3. Zastopanje v skladu z odstavkom 2 člena 11 šteje za navzočnost.
Člen 14
Izvršni direktor in osebje
1. Svet s posebnim glasovanjem v skladu s členom 12 imenuje izvršnega direktorja.
2. Pogoje za imenovanje izvršnega direktorja določi Svet.
3. Izvršni direktor je najvišji upravni funkcionar Organizacije in je odgovoren Svetu za upravljanje in izvajanje tega sporazuma v skladu s sklepi Sveta.
4. Izvršni direktor imenuje osebje v skladu s predpisi, ki jih določi Svet. Osebje je odgovorno izvršnemu direktorju.
5. Niti izvršni direktor niti noben član osebja ne sme imeti finančnega interesa v lesni industriji ali trgovini ali v povezanih trgovskih dejavnostih.
6. Pri izvajanju svojih dolžnosti izvršni direktor in osebje ne smejo zahtevati ali prejemati navodil od katere koli članice ali katerega koli organa zunaj Organizacije. Vzdržati se morajo vseh dejanj, ki bi se lahko negativno odražala na njihovem položaju mednarodnih uradnikov, odgovornih predvsem Svetu. Vsaka članica mora spoštovati izključni mednarodni značaj odgovornosti izvršnega direktorja in osebja in ne sme skušati vplivati na njihovo opravljanje dolžnosti.
Člen 15
Sodelovanje in usklajevanje z drugimi organizacijami
1. Pri uresničevanju ciljev tega sporazuma Svet stori vse potrebno za posvetovanje in sodelovanje z Združenimi narodi in njihovimi organi ter specializiranimi agencijami, vključno s Konferenco Združenih narodov za trgovino in razvoj (UNCTAD) in drugimi ustreznimi mednarodnimi in regionalnimi organizacijami in institucijami, tudi z zasebnim sektorjem, nevladnimi organizacijami in civilno družbo.
2. Organizacija v čim večji meri uporablja zmogljivosti, storitve in strokovnost medvladnih, vladnih in nevladnih organizacij, civilne družbe in zasebnega sektorja, da bi se izognila podvajanju prizadevanj za doseganje ciljev tega sporazuma in okrepila združljivost in učinkovitost njihovih dejavnosti.
3. Organizacija v celoti izkoristi zmogljivosti Skupnega sklada za osnovne proizvode.
Člen 16
Sprejemanje opazovalcev
Svet lahko povabi katero koli članico ali državo opazovalko Združenih narodov, ki ni pogodbenica tega sporazuma, ali katero koli organizacijo iz člena 15, ki jo zanimajo dejavnosti Organizacije, da je kot opazovalka navzoča na seji Sveta.
POGLAVJE V PRIVILEGIJI IN IMUNITETE
Člen 17
Privilegiji in imunitete
1. Organizacija je pravna oseba. Zlasti je sposobna najemati, pridobivati in razpolagati s premično in nepremično lastnino ter sprožati pravne postopke.
2. Status, privilegije in imunitete Organizacije, njenega izvršnega direktorja, osebja ter strokovnjakov in predstavnikov članic za čas na Japonskem še naprej ureja Sporazum o sedežu med vlado Japonske in Mednarodno organizacijo za tropski les, podpisan v Tokiu 27. februarja 1988, in sicer s spremembami, ki bi bile lahko potrebne za pravilno delovanje tega sporazuma.
3. Organizacija lahko z eno ali več državami sklene tudi sporazume, ki jih odobri Svet, za pristojnosti, privilegije in imunitete, ki bi bili lahko potrebni za pravilno delovanje tega sporazuma.
4. Če se sedež Organizacije preseli v drugo državo, zadevna članica čim prej sklene z Organizacijo sporazum o sedežu, ki ga odobri Svet. Organizacija zaprosi novo vlado gostiteljico, da ji do sklenitve sporazuma o sedežu v mejah svoje nacionalne zakonodaje odobri oprostitev obdavčitve osebnih prejemkov, ki jih Organizacija izplačuje svojim zaposlenim, in sredstev, prihodkov in drugega premoženja Organizacije.
5. Sporazum o sedežu je neodvisen od tega sporazuma. Vendar pa se prekine:
(a) s sporazumom med vlado gostiteljico in Organizacijo;
(b) v primeru, da se sedež Organizacije preseli iz države vlade gostiteljice, ali
(c) v primeru, da Organizacija preneha obstajati.
POGLAVJE VI FINANCE
Člen 18
Finančni računi
1. Odprejo se:
(a) upravni račun, ki je račun za odmerjene prispevke;
(b) posebni račun in Partnerski sklad Bali, ki sta računa za prostovoljne prispevke, in
(c) drugi računi, za katere Svet meni, da so ustrezni in potrebni.
2. Svet oblikuje finančna pravila v skladu s členom 7 za pregledno vodenje in upravljanje računov, vključno s pravili, ki zajemajo obračun v primeru prekinitve ali preteka tega sporazuma.
3. Izvršni direktor je odgovoren za vodenje računov in o tem poroča Svetu.
Člen 19
Upravni račun
1. Stroški, ki nujno nastanejo za upravljanje tega sporazuma, se vnesejo na upravni račun in se poravnajo iz letnih prispevkov, ki jih plačajo članice v skladu s svojimi ustavnimi ali institucionalnimi postopki, in so odmerjeni v skladu z odstavki 4, 5 in 6 tega člena.
2. Upravni račun vključuje:
(a) osnovne upravne stroške, kot so plače in prejemki, stroške namestitev in službenih potovanj, in
(b) temeljne stroške poslovanja, kot so stroški, povezani s komuniciranjem in terenskim delom, srečanji strokovnjakov, ki jih skliče Svet, in s pripravo in objavo študij in ocen v skladu s členi 24, 27 in 28 tega sporazuma.
3. Stroške delegacij Sveta, odborov in drugih pomožnih teles Sveta iz člena 26 krijejo zadevne članice. V primerih, ko članica zahteva od Organizacije posebne storitve, Svet zahteva od članice, da plača stroške teh storitev.
4. Do konca vsakega finančnega dveletja Svet odobri proračun za upravni račun Organizacije za naslednje dveletje in odmeri prispevek vsake članice v ta proračun.
5. Prispevki na upravni račun se za vsako finančno dveletje odmerijo takole:
(a) stroški iz odstavka 2(a) tega člena se enakomerno razdelijo med članice proizvajalke in članice potrošnice in se odmerijo v sorazmerju s številom glasov vsake članice glede na število skupnih glasov skupine članic;
(b) stroški iz odstavka 2(b) tega člena se razdelijo med članice v sorazmerju 20 odstotkov za proizvajalke in 80 odstotkov za potrošnice in se odmerijo v sorazmerju s številom glasov vsake članice glede na število skupnih glasov skupine članic;
(c) stroški iz odstavka 2(b) tega člena ne smejo presegati ene tretjine stroškov iz odstavka 2(a) tega člena. Svet lahko s soglasjem odloči o spremembi te meje za posamezno finančno dveletje;
(d) Svet lahko pregleda, kako upravni račun in prostovoljni računi prispevajo k smotrnemu in učinkovitemu delovanju Organizacije v okviru ocenitve iz člena 33, in
(e) pri odmeri prispevkov se glasovi vsake članice izračunajo ne glede na začasni odvzem glasovalnih pravic katere koli članice in iz tega izhajajočo prerazdelitev glasov.
6. Začetni prispevek vsake članice, ki se pridruži Organizaciji po začetku veljavnosti tega sporazuma, odmeri Svet na podlagi števila glasov, ki jih bo imela ta članica, in preostalega obdobja v tekočem finančnem dveletju, vendar se odmere drugih članic za tekoče finančno dveletje s tem ne spremenijo.
7. Prispevki na upravni račun zapadejo na prvi dan vsakega finančnega leta. Prispevki članic za finančno dveletje, v katerem se pridružijo Organizaciji, zapadejo z dnem, ko postanejo članice.
8. Če članica svojega prispevka na upravni račun ne plača v celoti v štirih mesecih po začetku zapadlosti tega prispevka v skladu z odstavkom 7 tega člena, izvršni direktor zahteva od članice, da čim prej izvede plačilo. Če ta članica v dveh mesecih po tej zahtevi še vedno ne plača svojega prispevka, se pozove, naj navede razloge za nezmožnost plačila. Če po izteku sedmih mesecev od datuma zapadlosti prispevka članica še vedno ne plača svojega prispevka, se njene glasovalne pravice začasno odvzamejo za čas, dokler ne plača svojega prispevka v celoti, razen če Svet s posebnim glasovanjem v skladu s členom 12 odloči drugače. Če članica ne plača svojega prispevka v celoti dve zaporedni leti, ob upoštevanju določbe člena 30, ta članica preneha izpolnjevati pogoje za predložitev predlogov projektov ali predprojektov v obravnavo za financiranje iz odstavka 1 člena 25.
9. Če članica svoj prispevek na upravni račun plača v celoti v štirih mesecih po začetku plačljivosti tega prispevka v skladu z odstavkom 7 tega člena, se pri prispevku članice uveljavlja popust, ki ga lahko določi Svet v finančnih pravilih Organizacije.
10. Članica, ki so ji začasno odvzete pravice v skladu z odstavkom 8 tega člena, je še vedno dolžna plačati svoj prispevek.
Člen 20
Posebni račun
1. Posebni račun obsega dva podračuna:
(a) podračun za tematske programe in
(b) projektni podračun.
2. Možni viri financiranja posebnega računa so:
(a) Skupni sklad za osnovne proizvode;
(b) regionalne in mednarodne finančne institucije;
(c) prostovoljni prispevki članic in
(d) drugi viri.
3. Svet določi merila in postopke za pregledno delovanje posebnega računa. Ti postopki upoštevajo potrebo po uravnoteženi zastopanosti članic, vključno s prispevnimi članicami, v delovanju podračuna za tematske programe in projektnega podračuna.
4. Namen podračuna za tematske programe je pospešiti nenamenske prispevke za financiranje odobrenih predprojektov, projektov in dejavnosti, skladnih s tematskimi programi, ki jih določi Svet na podlagi strateških in projektnih prednostnih nalog v skladu s členoma 24 in 25.
5. Donatorji lahko svoje prispevke razdelijo med določene tematske programe ali zahtevajo od izvršnega direktorja, da pripravi predloge za razporeditev njihovih prispevkov.
6. Izvršni direktor redno poroča Svetu o razporeditvi in porabi sredstev iz podračuna za tematske programe in o izvedbi, spremljanju in oceni predprojektov, projektov in dejavnosti ter finančnih potrebah za uspešno izvedbo tematskih programov.
7. Namen projektnega podračuna je pospešiti namenske prispevke za financiranje predprojektov, projektov in dejavnosti, odobrenih v skladu s členoma 24 in 25.
8. Namenski prispevki na projektni podračun se uporabijo samo za predprojekte, projekte in dejavnosti, za katere so bili namenjeni, razen če donator v posvetovanju z izvršnim direktorjem drugače odloči. Po zaključku ali prekinitvi predprojekta, projekta ali dejavnosti o uporabi morebitnih preostalih sredstev odloči donator.
9. Za zagotovitev potrebne predvidljivosti sredstev za posebni račun, ob upoštevanju prostovoljne narave prispevkov, članice težijo k dopolnitvi le-tega za doseganje zadostne količine sredstev za popolno izvedbo predprojektov, projektov in dejavnosti, ki jih odobri Svet.
10. Vsi prejemki, ki se nanašajo na določene predprojekte, projekte in dejavnosti v okviru projektnega podračuna in podračuna za tematske programe, se vnesejo na ustrezen podračun. Vsi nastali izdatki pri takih predprojektih, projektih ali dejavnostih, vključno z osebnimi prejemki in potnimi stroški svetovalcev in izvedencev, bremenijo isti podračun.
11. Nobena članica ni zaradi svojega članstva v Organizaciji odgovorna za nobeno obveznost, ki izhaja iz katerekoli dejavnosti katerekoli druge članice ali subjekta v zvezi s predprojekti, projekti in dejavnostmi.
12. Izvršni direktor nudi pomoč pri pripravi predlogov za predprojekte, projekte in dejavnosti v skladu s členoma 24 in 25 in si prizadeva, da pod pogoji, ki jih določi Svet, išče ustrezno in zagotovljeno financiranje za odobrene predprojekte, projekte in dejavnosti.
Člen 21
Partnerski sklad Bali
1. Sklad za trajnostno gospodarjenje s tropskimi lesno-proizvodnimi gozdovi se ustanovi v pomoč članicam proizvajalkam pri vlaganjih, potrebnih za doseganje cilja iz člena 1(d) tega sporazuma.
2. Sklad ustanavljajo:
(a) prispevki članic donatork;
(b) 50 odstotkov zasluženega prihodka iz dejavnosti, povezanih s posebnim računom;
(c) sredstva iz drugih zasebnih ali javnih virov, ki jih Organizacija prejme v skladu s svojimi finančnimi pravili, in
(d) drugi viri, ki jih odobri Svet.
3. Sredstva Sklada dodeljuje Svet samo za predprojekte in projekte za namen, ki je določen z odstavkom 1 tega člena, in ki so bili odobreni v skladu s členoma 24 in 25.
4. Pri dodeljevanju sredstev iz Sklada Svet določi merila in prednostne naloge pri uporabi Sklada, upoštevajoč:
(a) potrebe članic po pomoči pri doseganju, da izvožene količine tropskega lesa in njegovih proizvodov izvirajo iz trajnostno gospodarjenih gozdov;
(b) potrebe članic po vzpostavitvi in upravljanju bistvenih programov za ohranitev lesno-proizvodnih gozdov;
(c) potrebe članic po izvajanju programov za trajnostno gospodarjenje z gozdovi.
5. Izvršni direktor nudi pomoč pri pripravi projektnih predlogov v skladu s členom 25 in si prizadeva pod pogoji, ki jih določi Svet, najti ustrezno in zagotovljeno financiranje za projekte, ki jih odobri Svet.
6. Članice si prizadevajo za popolnitev Partnerskega sklada Bali do mere, ki je zadostna za približevanje ciljem Sklada.
7. Svet redno pregleduje zadostnost virov, ki so na voljo Skladu, in si prizadeva za pridobitev dodatnih virov, ki jih članice proizvajalke potrebujejo za doseganje skladnosti z nameni Sklada.
Člen 22
Oblike plačila
1. Finančni prispevki na račune iz člena 18 so plačljivi v prosto zamenljivih valutah in so izvzeti iz omejitev deviznega poslovanja.
2. Svet lahko odloči tudi, da za izpolnitev zahtev odobrenih projektov sprejme druge oblike prispevkov na račune iz člena 18, razen na upravni račun, vključno z znanstveno in tehnično opremo ali osebjem.
Člen 23
Revizija in objava izkazov
1. Svet imenuje neodvisne revizorje za revizijo računovodskih izkazov Organizacije.
2. Neodvisna revizorsko pregledana poročila o računih iz člena 18 so dostopna članicam čim prej po zaključku finančnega leta, vendar najpozneje šest mesecev po tem datumu, in jih Svet ustrezno pregleda in potrdi na svoji naslednji seji. Zatem se objavi povzetek revidiranih računovodskih izkazov in bilance.
POGLAVJE VII OPERATIVNE DEJAVNOSTI
Člen 24
Razvoj strategij v okviru Organizacije
1. Za uresničevanje ciljev iz člena 1 se Organizacija na celovit način loteva oblikovanja strategij in projektnih dejavnosti.
2. Oblikovanje strategij v okviru Organizacije naj na splošno prispeva k uresničevanju ciljev tega sporazuma za članice ITTO.
3. Svet redno pripravlja akcijski načrt za razvoj strategij in opredeli prednostne naloge in tematske programe iz odstavka 4 člena 20 tega sporazuma. V akcijskem načrtu opredeljene prednostne naloge se odrazijo v delovnih programih, ki jih odobri Svet. Razvoj strategij lahko obsega razvoj in pripravo smernic, priročnikov, študij, poročil, osnovnih komunikacijskih orodij in orodij za terensko delo in podobno delo, opredeljeno v akcijskem načrtu Organizacije.
Člen 25
Projektne dejavnosti Organizacije
1. Članice in izvršni direktor lahko predložijo predprojektne in projektne predloge, ki prispevajo k doseganju ciljev tega sporazuma in enega ali več prednostnih delovnih področij ali prednostnih področij za tematske programe, določenih v akcijskem načrtu, ki ga odobri Svet v skladu s členom 24.
2. Svet določi merila za odobritev projektov in predprojektov, upoštevajoč med drugim njihovo ustreznost glede na cilje tega sporazuma in na delovna prednostna področja ali tematske programe, njihove učinke na okolje in družbo, odnos z državnimi programi in strategijami za gozdove, stroškovno učinkovitost, tehnične in regionalne potrebe, potrebo po preprečevanju podvajanja prizadevanj in potrebo po vključitvi pridobljenih novih znanj.
3. Svet določi načrt in postopek za predložitev, oceno, odobritev in prednostno obravnavo predprojektov in projektov, ki se potegujejo za financiranje Organizacije, kot tudi za njihovo izvajanje, spremljanje in ovrednotenje.
4. Izvršni direktor lahko ustavi izplačilo sredstev Organizacije za predprojekt ali projekt, če se ta uporabljajo v nasprotju s projektno dokumentacijo ali v primeru prevare, zapravljanja, površnega ali slabega upravljanja. Izvršni direktor bo na naslednji seji Svetu predložil poročilo v obravnavo. Svet ustrezno ukrepa.
5. Svet lahko v skladu z dogovorjenimi merili omeji število projektov in predprojektov, ki jih članica ali izvršni direktor lahko predloži v določenem projektnem ciklusu. Svet lahko po prejetju poročila izvršnega direktorja sprejme tudi ustrezne ukrepe, vključno z začasnim odvzemom ali prenehanjem sponzoriranja katerega koli predprojekta ali projekta.
Člen 26
Odbori in pomožna telesa
1. Kot odbori Organizacije se ustanovijo naslednji odbori, ki so dostopni vsem članicam:
(a) Odbor za gozdarsko dejavnost;
(b) Odbor za ekonomijo, statistiko in trge;
(c) Odbor za pogozdovanje in gospodarjenje z gozdovi in
(d) Odbor za finance in upravljanje.
2. Svet lahko s posebnim glasovanjem v skladu s členom 12 ustanovi in razpusti odbore in pomožna telesa, odvisno od primera.
3. Svet določi delovanje in obseg dela odborov in drugih pomožnih teles. Odbori in druga pomožna telesa so odgovorni Svetu in delajo pod nadzorom Sveta.
POGLAVJE VIII STATISTIKA, ŠTUDIJE IN INFORMACIJE
Člen 27
Statistika, študije in informacije
1. Svet pooblasti izvršnega direktorja, da vzpostavi in vzdržuje tesne odnose z ustreznimi medvladnimi, vladnimi in nevladnimi organizacijami, da bi bila lažje zagotovljena razpoložljivost najnovejših in zanesljivih podatkov in informacij, vključno s podatki in informacijami o proizvodnji in trgovini s tropskim lesom, trendih in razhajanjih podatkov, kot tudi ustreznih podatkov o ne-tropskem lesu in o gospodarjenju z lesnoproizvodnimi gozdovi. Za potrebe izvajanja tega sporazuma Organizacija v sodelovanju s temi organizacijami pripravi, primerja, analizira in objavi te informacije.
2. Organizacija prispeva k prizadevanjem za standardizacijo in uskladitev mednarodnega poročanja o zadevah, povezanih z gozdovi, in se izogiba prekrivanju in podvajanju pri zbiranju podatkov različnih organizacij.
3. Članice v času, ki ga določi izvršni direktor, priskrbijo statistične podatke in informacije o lesu, trgovini z njim in aktivnostih za doseganje trajnostnega gospodarjenja z lesnoproizvodnimi gozdovi, in tudi druge ustrezne informacije, ki jih zahteva Svet, in sicer do največje možne mere, do katere ti niso v skladu z njihovo nacionalno zakonodajo. Svet odloči o vrsti informacij, ki jih je treba priskrbeti v skladu s tem odstavkom, in obliki, v kateri morajo biti predložene.
4. Na zahtevo ali po potrebi si Svet prizadeva za povečevanje tehničnih zmogljivosti držav članic, še posebej držav članic v razvoju, za izpolnjevanje zahtev glede statističnih podatkov in poročanja v skladu s tem sporazumom.
5. Če članica dve leti zaporedoma ne priskrbi statističnih podatkov in informacij, zahtevanih v odstavku 3 tega člena, in ne zaprosi za pomoč izvršnega direktorja, izvršni direktor od te članice najprej zahteva pojasnilo v določenem roku. Če članica ne poda zadovoljivega pojasnila, Svet sprejme ukrepe, ki jih šteje za primerne.
6. Svet poskrbi, da se opravijo vse potrebne študije o trendih ter kratkoročnih in dolgoročnih težavah na mednarodnih trgih lesa in o napredku pri doseganju trajnostnega gospodarjenja z lesnoproizvodnimi gozdovi.
Člen 28
Letno poročilo in dveleten pregled
1. Svet objavi letno poročilo o svojih dejavnostih in drugih informacijah, ki se mu zdijo primerne.
2. Svet na dve leti pregleda in oceni:
(a) stanje v svetu na področju lesa in
(b) druge dejavnike, vprašanja in premike, ki veljajo za pomembne pri doseganju ciljev tega sporazuma.
3. Pregled se izvede z vidika:
(a) informacij, ki jih zagotovijo članice v zvezi z domačo proizvodnjo, trgovino, oskrbo, zalogami, porabo in cenami lesa;
(b) drugih statističnih podatkov in posebnih kazalnikov, ki jih članice zagotovijo na zahtevo Sveta;
(c) informacij, ki jih zagotovijo članice o svojem napredku pri doseganju trajnostnega gospodarjenja s svojimi lesnoproizvodnimi gozdovi;
(d) morebitnih drugih pomembnih informacij, ki so na voljo Svetu, bodisi neposredno ali prek organizacij v sistemu Združenih narodov ter medvladnih, vladnih ali nevladnih organizacij, in
(e) informacij, ki jih zagotovijo članice o svojem napredku pri vzpostavitvi mehanizmov nadzora in obveščanja v zvezi z nezakonitim pridobivanjem in nezakonito trgovino s tropskimi lesnimi in ne-lesnimi gozdnimi proizvodi.
4. Svet pospešuje izmenjavo stališč med državami članicami v zvezi s:
(a) statusom trajnostnega gospodarjenja z lesnoproizvodnimi gozdovi in povezanimi zadevami v državah članicah in
(b) pretokom sredstev in zahtevami v zvezi s cilji, merili in smernicami Organizacije.
5. Na zahtevo si bo Svet prizadeval povečati tehnične zmogljivosti držav članic, zlasti držav članic v razvoju, za pridobitev podatkov potrebnih za primerno izmenjavo informacij, vključno z zagotovitvijo sredstev za usposabljanje in pripomočkov za članice.
6. Rezultati pregleda se vključijo v ustrezna poročila o sejah Sveta.
POGLAVJE IX RAZNO
Člen 29
Splošne obveznosti članic
1. Članice si v času trajanja tega sporazuma po najboljših močeh prizadevajo in sodelujejo pri pospeševanju doseganja ciljev in preprečevanju dejanj v nasprotju z njimi.
2. Članice se zavezujejo, da bodo sprejele in izvajale sklepe Sveta na podlagi določb tega sporazuma in da se bodo izognile izvajanju ukrepov, ki bi jih omejevali ali bi bili v nasprotju z njimi.
Člen 30
Oprostitev obveznosti
1. Kadar je to potrebno zaradi izjemnih okoliščin, nujnega primera ali višje sile, ki niso izrecno predvideni v tem sporazumu, lahko Svet s posebnim glasovanjem v skladu s členom 12 članico oprosti obveznosti po tem sporazumu, če ga zadovolji razlaga te članice o vzrokih, zakaj ne more izpolniti obveznosti.
2. Svet pri odobritvi oprostitve članici na podlagi odstavka 1 tega člena izrecno navede pogoje, pod katerimi je članica oproščena takšne obveznosti, in obdobje, za katero je članica oproščena takšne obveznosti, in vzroke, zaradi katerih je priznana oprostitev.
Člen 31
Pritožbe in spori
Vsaka članica lahko Svetu predloži vsako pritožbo, da članica ni izpolnila svojih obveznosti na podlagi tega sporazuma, in vsak spor v zvezi z razlago ali uporabo tega sporazuma. Sklepi Sveta o teh zadevah se sprejemajo soglasno, ne glede na katero koli drugo določbo tega sporazuma, in so dokončni in zavezujoči.
Člen 32
Razlikovalni in sanacijski ukrepi ter posebni ukrepi
1. Članice potrošnice, ki so države v razvoju, katerih interesi so prizadeti zaradi ukrepov, sprejetih na podlagi tega sporazuma, lahko zaprosijo Svet za ustrezne razlikovalne in sanacijske ukrepe. Svet preuči sprejetje ustreznih ukrepov v skladu z odstavkoma 3 in 4 oddelka III resolucije 93 (IV) Konference Združenih narodov za trgovino in razvoj.
2. Članice v kategoriji najmanj razvitih držav, kot jih opredeljujejo Združeni narodi, lahko zaprosijo Svet za posebne ukrepe v skladu z odstavkom 4 oddelka III resolucije 93 (IV) in odstavkoma 56 in 57 Pariške deklaracije in Akcijskega programa za devetdeseta leta za najmanj razvite države.
Člen 33
Pregled
Svet lahko pet let po začetku veljavnosti sporazuma oceni izvajanje tega sporazuma, vključno s cilji in finančnimi mehanizmi.
Člen 34
Nediskriminacija
Ta sporazum v ničemer ne dopušča uporabe ukrepov, ki bi omejevali ali prepovedovali mednarodno trgovino z lesom in lesnimi proizvodi, zlasti če se nanašajo na uvoz in rabo lesa in lesnih proizvodov.
POGLAVJE X KONČNE DOLOČBE
Člen 35
Depozitar
Za depozitarja tega sporazuma se imenuje generalni sekretar Združenih narodov.
Člen 36
Podpis, ratifikacija, sprejetje in odobritev
1. Ta sporazum je na voljo za podpis vladam, povabljenim na Konferenco Združenih narodov o pogajanjih za sporazum, ki bi nasledil Mednarodni sporazum o tropskem lesu iz leta 1994, in sicer na sedežu Združenih narodov od 3. aprila 2006 do največ enega meseca po dnevu začetka veljavnosti.
2. Vsaka vlada iz odstavka 1 tega člena lahko:
(a) v času podpisa tega sporazuma izjavi, da s takim podpisom izraža soglasje, da jo ta sporazum zavezuje (dokončni podpis), ali
(b) po podpisu ta sporazum ratificira, sprejme ali odobri z deponiranjem listine v ta namen pri depozitarju.
3. Ob podpisu in ratifikaciji, sprejetju ali odobritvi ali pristopu ali začasni uporabi Evropska skupnost ali katera koli medvladna organizacija, navedena v odstavku 1 člena 5 tega sporazuma, deponira izjavo, ki jo izda ustrezni organ te organizacije, z navedbo značaja in obsega pristojnosti za zadeve, ki jih ureja ta sporazum, in obvesti depozitarja o vsaki naknadni bistveni spremembi v okviru te pristojnosti. Če takšna organizacija izjavi izključno pristojnost za vse zadeve, ki jih ureja ta sporazum, države članice teh organizacij ne ukrepajo v skladu z odstavkom 2 člena 36, členom 37 in členom 38 ali ukrepajo v skladu s členom 41 ali prekličejo uradno obvestilo o začasni uporabi v skladu s členom 38.
Člen 37
Pristop
1. Ta sporazum je na voljo za pristop vladam pod pogoji, ki jih določi Svet in vključujejo rok za deponiranje listin o pristopu. Svet te pogoje pošlje depozitarju. Svet lahko odobri podaljšanje roka vladam, ki ne morejo pristopiti v roku, določenem v pogojih o pristopu.
2. Pristop se opravi z deponiranjem listine o pristopu pri depozitarju.
Člen 38
Uradno obvestilo o začasni uporabi
Vlada podpisnica, ki namerava ratificirati, sprejeti ali odobriti ta sporazum, ali vlada, ki ji je Svet določil pogoje za pristop, vendar še ni mogla deponirati svoje listine, lahko kadar koli uradno obvesti depozitarja, da bo uporabljala ta sporazum začasno, v skladu s svojimi zakoni in predpisi, bodisi ko začne veljati v skladu s členom 39 bodisi na določen datum, če že velja.
Člen 39
Začetek veljavnosti
1. Ta sporazum začne dokončno veljati 1. februarja 2008 ali na kateri koli datum po njem, če 12 vlad držav proizvajalk, ki imajo najmanj 60% skupnih glasov, kakor je določeno v Prilogi A tega sporazuma, in 10 vlad držav potrošnic iz Priloge B, ki predstavljajo 60% celotnega uvoza tropskega lesa v referenčnem letu 2005, dokončno podpiše ali ratificira, sprejme ali odobri ta sporazum na podlagi odstavka 2 člena 36 ali člena 37.
2. Če ta sporazum ne začne dokončno veljati 1. februarja 2008, začne začasno veljati na ta datum ali na kateri koli datum v šestih mesecih po njem, če 10 vlad držav proizvajalk, ki imajo najmanj 50% skupnih glasov, kakor je določeno v Prilogi A tega sporazuma, in 7 vlad držav potrošnic iz Priloge B, ki predstavljajo 50% celotnega uvoza tropskega lesa v referenčnem letu 2005, dokončno podpiše ali ratificira, sprejme ali odobri ta sporazum na podlagi odstavka 2 člena 36 ali uradno obvesti depozitarja na podlagi člena 38, da bodo ta sporazum uporabljale začasno.
3. Če zahteve za začetek veljavnosti iz odstavka 1 ali odstavka 2 tega člena niso izpolnjene do 1. septembra 2008, generalni sekretar Združenih narodov povabi tiste vlade, ki so ta sporazum dokončno podpisale ali ratificirale, sprejele ali odobrile na podlagi odstavka 2 člena 36 ali uradno obvestile depozitarja, da bodo ta sporazum uporabljale začasno, da se, takoj ko je to izvedljivo, sestanejo in odločijo, ali naj začne ta sporazum med njimi veljati začasno ali dokončno, v celoti ali delno. Vlade, ki se odločijo, da začne ta sporazum med njimi veljati začasno, se lahko občasno sestanejo, da pregledajo stanje in odločijo, ali naj začne ta sporazum med njimi veljati dokončno.
4. Za vlado, ki uradno ne obvesti depozitarja po členu 38, da bo ta sporazum uporabljala začasno, in svojo listino o ratifikaciji, sprejetju, odobritvi ali pristopu deponira po začetku veljavnosti tega sporazuma, začne ta sporazum veljati na datum deponiranja.
5. Izvršni direktor Organizacije skliče Svet čim prej po začetku veljavnosti tega sporazuma.
Člen 40
Spremembe
1. Svet lahko s posebnim glasovanjem v skladu s členom 12 priporoči članicam spremembo tega sporazuma.
2. Svet določi datum, do katerega članice uradno obvestijo depozitarja o sprejetju spremembe.
3. Sprememba začne veljati 90 dni po tem, ko prejme depozitar obvestila o sprejetju od članic, ki predstavljajo najmanj dve tretjini članic proizvajalk in najmanj 75% glasov članic proizvajalk, in od članic, ki predstavljajo najmanj dve tretjini članic potrošnic in najmanj 75% glasov članic potrošnic.
4. Potem ko depozitar obvesti Svet, da so izpolnjene zahteve za začetek veljavnosti spremembe in ne glede na določbe odstavka 2 tega člena v zvezi z datumom, ki ga je določil Svet, lahko članica še vedno uradno obvesti depozitarja o svojem sprejetju spremembe, če ga o tem obvesti pred začetkom veljavnosti spremembe.
5. Vsaka članica, ki uradno ne obvesti o svojem sprejetju spremembe do datuma, ko začne veljati sprememba, preneha biti pogodbenica tega sporazuma s tem datumom, razen če ta članica prepriča Svet, da ni mogla pravočasno pridobiti sprejetja zaradi težav pri izpolnjevanju svojih ustavnih ali institucionalnih postopkov, in Svet odloči, da za to članico podaljša obdobje za sprejetje spremembe. Te članice sprememba ne obvezuje, dokler ne sporoči, da jo sprejema.
6. Če zahteve za začetek veljavnosti spremembe niso izpolnjene do datuma, ki ga določi Svet v skladu z odstavkom 2 tega člena, velja sprememba za umaknjeno.
Člen 41
Odstop
1. Članica lahko odstopi od tega sporazuma kadar koli po začetku veljavnosti tega sporazuma s pisnim obvestilom depozitarju o odstopu. Ta članica hkrati obvesti Svet o sprejetem ukrepu.
2. Odstop začne veljati 90 dni po tem, ko depozitar prejme obvestilo.
3. Finančne obveznosti članice do Organizacije po tem sporazumu z odstopom članice ne prenehajo.
Člen 42
Izključitev
Če Svet odloči, da katera koli članica krši svoje obveznosti po tem sporazumu, in poleg tega odloči, da takšna kršitev znatno škoduje izvajanju tega sporazuma, lahko s posebnim glasovanjem v skladu s členom 12 to članico izključi iz tega sporazuma. Svet o tem takoj uradno obvesti depozitarja. Ta članica preneha biti pogodbenica tega sporazuma šest mesecev po datumu sklepa Sveta.
Člen 43
Poravnava računov s članicami, ki odstopijo ali so izključene, ali članicami, ki ne morejo sprejeti spremembe
1. Svet določi poravnavo računov s članicami, ki prenehajo biti pogodbenice tega sporazuma zaradi:
(a) nesprejetja spremembe tega sporazuma po členu 40;
(b) odstopa od tega sporazuma po členu 41 ali
(c) izključitve iz tega sporazuma po členu 42.
2. Svet obdrži vsak odmerjeni znesek ali prispevek, ki ga na finančne račune iz člena 18 nakaže članica, ki preneha biti pogodbenica tega sporazuma.
3. Članica, ki preneha biti pogodbenica tega sporazuma, ni upravičena do nobenega deleža v izkupičku likvidacije ali drugih sredstev Organizacije. Prav tako pa ta članica ni dolžna plačati morebitne izgube Organizacije po prenehanju tega sporazuma.
Člen 44
Trajanje, podaljšanje in prenehanje
1. Ta sporazum ostane v veljavi deset let po začetku veljavnosti, razen če Svet s posebnim glasovanjem v skladu s členom 12 odloči, da ga podaljša, spremeni ali prekine v skladu z določbami tega člena.
2. Svet se lahko s posebnim glasovanjem v skladu s členom 12 odloči, da podaljša ta sporazum za največ dve obdobji, najprej za obdobje pet let in nato za tri leta.
3. Če je pred iztekom desetletnega obdobja iz odstavka 1 tega člena ali pred iztekom podaljšanega obdobja iz odstavka 2 tega člena, odvisno od primera, izpogajan nov sporazum, ki nadomesti ta sporazum, vendar še ne začne veljati niti dokončno niti začasno, lahko Svet s posebnim glasovanjem v skladu s členom 12 podaljša ta sporazum do začetka začasne ali dokončne veljavnosti novega sporazuma.
4. Če je sklenjen nov sporazum in začne veljati v katerem koli obdobju podaljšanja tega sporazuma na podlagi odstavka 2 ali odstavka 3 tega člena, ta sporazum, čeprav podaljšan, preneha ob začetku veljavnosti novega sporazuma.
5. Svet lahko kadar koli s posebnim glasovanjem v skladu s členom 12 odloči, da ta sporazum preneha veljati z veljavnostjo na datum, ki ga določi.
6. Ne glede na prenehanje tega sporazuma Svet obstaja še naprej, in sicer za obdobje največ 18 mesecev, da izvede likvidacijo Organizacije, vključno s poravnavo računov, in ima ob upoštevanju ustreznih sklepov, sprejetih s posebnim glasovanjem v skladu s členom 12, v tem obdobju pooblastila in funkcije, ki so potrebne za te namene.
7. Svet uradno obvesti depozitarja o vseh sklepih, sprejetih na podlagi tega člena.
Člen 45
Pridržki
Pridržki glede določb tega sporazuma niso dopustni.
Člen 46
Dopolnilne in prehodne določbe
1. Ta sporazum nasledi Mednarodni sporazum o tropskem lesu iz leta 1994.
2. Vsa dejanja Organizacije ali v njenem imenu ali njenih organov v okviru Mednarodnega sporazuma o tropskem lesu iz leta 1983 in/ali Mednarodnega sporazuma o tropskem lesu iz leta 1994, ki veljata na datum začetka veljavnosti tega sporazuma, in pogoji, ki ne predvidevajo prenehanja na ta datum, ostanejo veljavni, razen če to spremenijo določbe tega sporazuma.
V Ženevi, 27. januarja 2006; besedila tega sporazuma so enako verodostojna v arabskem, kitajskem, angleškem, francoskem, ruskem in španskem jeziku.
PRILOGA A
Seznam vlad, ki so se udeležile Konference Združenih narodov za pogajanje o sporazumu, ki nasledi Mednarodni sporazum o tropskem lesu iz leta 1994, ki so možne članice proizvajalke, kot je določeno v členu 2 (Opredelitve), in okvirna dodelitev glasov, kot je navedeno v členu 10 (Razdelitev glasov)
+-------------------------------------------+----------------+
| Članice | Skupaj glasovi |
+-------------------------------------------+----------------+
|AFRIKA | 249 |
|Angola | 18 |
|Benin | 17 |
|Kamerun* | 18 |
|Srednjeafriška republika* | 18 |
|Slonokoščena obala* | 18 |
|Demokratična republika Kongo* | 18 |
|Gabon* | 18 |
|Gana* | 18 |
|Liberija* | 18 |
|Madagaskar* | 18 |
|Nigerija* | 18 |
|Republika Kongo* | 18 |
|Ruanda* | 17 |
|Togo* | 17 |
+-------------------------------------------+----------------+
|AZIJA – TIHI OCEAN | 389 |
|Kambodža* | 15 |
|Fidži* | 14 |
|Indija* | 22 |
|Indonezija* | 131 |
|Malezija* | 105 |
|Mjanmar* | 33 |
|Papua Nova Gvineja* | 25 |
|Filipini* | 14 |
|Thajsko* | 16 |
|Vanuatu* | 14 |
+-------------------------------------------+----------------+
|LATINSKA AMERIKA IN KARIBI | 362 |
|Barbados | 7 |
|Bolivija* | 19 |
|Brazilija* | 157 |
|Kolumbija* | 19 |
|Kostarika | 7 |
|Dominikanska republika | 7 |
|Ekvador* | 11 |
|Gvatemala* | 8 |
|Gvajana* | 12 |
|Haiti | 7 |
|Honduras* | 8 |
|Mehika* | 15 |
|Nikaragva* | 8 |
|Panama* | 8 |
|Paragvaj | 10 |
|Peru* | 24 |
|Surinam* | 10 |
|Trinidad in Tobago* | 7 |
|Venezuela* | 18 |
+-------------------------------------------+----------------+
|SKUPAJ: | 1000 |
+-------------------------------------------+----------------+
* Članica Mednarodnega sporazuma o tropskem lesu iz leta
1994.
PRILOGA B
Seznam vlad, ki so se udeležile Konference Združenih narodov za pogajanje o sporazumu, ki nasledi Mednarodni sporazum o tropskem lesu iz leta 1994, ki so možne članice potrošnice, kot je določeno v členu 2 (Opredelitve)
Albanija
Alžirija
Avstralija*
Kanada*
Kitajska*
Egipt*
Evropska skupnost*
Avstrija*
Belgija*
Češka
Estonija
Finska*
Francija*
Nemčija*
Grčija*
Irska*
Italija*
Litva
Luksemburg*
Nizozemska*
Poljska
Portugalska*
Slovaška
Španija*
Švedska*
Združeno kraljestvo Velike Britanije in Severne Irske*
Iran (Islamska republika)
Irak
Japonska*
Lesoto
Libijska arabska džamahirija
Maroko
Nepal*
Nova Zelandija*
Norveška*
Republika Koreja*
Švica*
Združene države Amerike*
* Članica Mednarodnega sporazuma o tropskem lesu iz leta 1994.
Izjava Evropske skupnosti v skladu s členom 36(3) Sporazuma
V skladu s členom 36(3) Mednarodnega sporazuma o tropskem lesu iz leta 2006 je v tej izjavi navedeno, katere pristojnosti v zadevah, ki jih obravnava Sporazum, so države članice prenesle na Evropsko skupnost.
Evropska skupnost izjavlja, da so v skladu s Pogodbo o ustanovitvi Evropske skupnosti:
– trgovinske zadeve, ki jih ureja Sporazum, v pristojnosti Evropske skupnosti v okviru njene skupne trgovinske politike,
– v okoljskih zadevah in pri razvojnem sodelovanju pa si Evropska skupnost pristojnosti deli z državami članicami.
Obseg in uresničevanje pristojnosti Evropske skupnosti sta takšnega značaja, da se stalno razvijata; Evropska skupnost bo to izjavo po potrebi dopolnila oziroma spremenila v skladu s členom 36(3) Sporazuma.
3. člen
Za izvajanje sporazuma skrbijo Ministrstvo za kmetijstvo, gozdarstvo in prehrano, Ministrstvo za gospodarstvo ter Ministrstvo za okolje in prostor.
4. člen
Ta zakon začne veljati petnajsti dan po objavi v Uradnem listu Republike Slovenije – Mednarodne pogodbe.
Št. 801-04/08-1/11
Ljubljana, dne 23. aprila 2009
EPA 97-V
Državni zbor
Republike Slovenije
dr. Pavel Gantar l.r.
Predsednik
(1) Besedilo sporazuma v arabskem, kitajskem, francoskem, ruskem in španskem jeziku je na vpogled v Sektorju za mednarodno pravo Ministrstva za zunanje zadeve Republike Slovenije.
