On 1 February 2012, following two years of negotiations, the Legal Board of the UNECE Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes (Water Convention) finalized the proposal for a mechanism to facilitate implementation of and compliance with the Convention. The decision on the establishment of the Implementation Committee will be taken by the sixth session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Water Convention, to be held in Rome, Italy, from 28 to 30 November 2012. According to the proposed text, the Implementation Committee will consist of nine independent members — outstanding professionals with legal and/or technical expertise — serving in their personal capacity. The Committee will render practical case-tailored assistance to prevent water-related disputes and support Parties in their efforts to implement the Convention.
A unique advisory procedure, which distinguishes this body from many other similar mechanisms, enables sensitive and facilitative engagement by the Committee and also provides opportunities for the involvement of non-Parties in the procedure upon their consent. The Committee should also be able to facilitate external assistance, e.g., technology transfer and capacity-building, when the lack of these hinders implementation of the Convention.
The package agreement, reached by the Legal Board, includes the core rules of procedure which would make the future Implementation Committee immediately operational following the election of members.
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