ACTIVITIES AND FUNCTIONS OF PRINCIPAL SUBSIDIARY BODIES REVIEWED BY ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR EUROPE
24 April 1997
Activities of subsidiary bodies and working parties of the Economic Commission for
Europe (ECE) were discussed this afternoon as the ECE's 50th anniversary annual session
continued.
Chairmen of most of these groups addressed the meeting, outlining plans to implement
the ECE's reformed Plan of Action and describing areas of future emphasis. All focused on
how projects and goals would be changed to meet the shifting concerns of Governments
and businesses in the region. They also frequently mentioned efforts to coordinate activities
with those carried out by related agencies and institutions.
In addition, directors of various divisions within the ECE secretariat dedicated to the
subsidiary bodies were present to answer questions.
Yves Berthelot, ECE Executive Secretary, beginning the discussion, said the
Commission's work programme over the past year had been implemented by the subsidiary
bodies under fairly difficult circumstances, including the freezing of new recruitment and the
freezing of some vacant posts. Preparations for next year, under the reformed work
programme, were already under way, he said, and the chairmen of the subsidiary bodies had
shown commitment to the reforms and a constructive flexibility. One aspect for extensive
consideration by the chairmen of the subsidiary bodies was how to coordinate and
streamline their work in line with the programmes of other agencies and institutions, he
said.
Toward the end of the meeting the Commission discussed a proposal that it meet
every two years instead of annually.
The ECE will reconvene at 10 a.m. Thursday, 24 April, to review remaining business
and close its session for the year.
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Statements of Chairmen of Subsidiary Bodies
P. VELD, Chairman of the Committee on Human Settlements, said the group had
decided to establish an advisory board with the participation of the private sector, local
authorities, and non-governmental organizations. The Committee worked with a very low
regular budget, he said, but generated a large "multiplier effect" because of the quality and
usefulness of its product, which was economically, socially, environmentally, and politically
relevant. Emphasis would be put on three key factors in the future, he said: privatization,
deregulation, and decentralization, adding that the priorities of the Committee were housing,
regional planning, and land administration.
W. MULLER, Chairman of the Committee for Trade, Industry, and Enterprise
Development, said the tremendous increase in regional trade interchange in recent years and
the need to assist many countries in coping with new challenges had been a huge task for
the ECE and the Trade Division. The major achievement of the Committee in the last few
months undoubtedly had been the successful inauguration of the Centre for Facilitation of
Administration, Commerce, and Trade (CEFACT); the Centre illustrated how UN bodies could
reorganize their work to involve collaborative efforts, work more effectively with the private
sector, and delegate technical decisions to field experts. Participation of non-ECE member
countries and international organizations as well as private-sector experts and their
associations on an equal basis was a unique feature of the Centre, Mr. MULLER said.
A. SVINARENKO, Chairman of the Senior Economic Advisers, said the group had
proposed three alternatives for future work in the field of economic analysis: establishment
of an economic forum, creation of a task force, or the holding of an advisory meeting on
economic analysis. The relevant document before the Commission, however, reflected only
the first of those alternatives; he hoped that the Commission would consider all three
alternatives.
A. BERGQUIST, Deputy Chairman of the Timber Committee, said the work of the group
was important to the efforts of other subsidiary bodies. Meetings of the Committee's
bureau and the secretariat had been held to consider how best to implement the changes
incorporated in the new Plan of Action. Some activities had in fact anticipated these
changes, as reflected by decisions made in concert with the Committee's sister organization
on forestry at the Food and Agriculture Organization. Environmental subjects were high on
the Committee's agenda, and reflected cross-sectoral concerns in which cooperative efforts
were carried out with other European agencies and institutions, Ms. BERGQUIST said.
M. OKTEM, Chairman of the Working Party on the Chemical Industry, said the group's
work had been of growing importance to chemical firms throughout Europe; the attempt
was to provide a bridge for establishing useful contacts and fostering commercial progress
and growth. Chemical industries were important for providing the kind of broad and capable
base on which modern economies were founded. The need to increase production around
the region, especially in transition countries, was apparent, he said, and many programme
elements of the Working Party had been aimed at improving transparency and marketability
of chemical operations in such countries. It was vital that the important work carried out
by the ECE in the field of the chemical industry be continued. The Working Party would
soon be downgraded to the status of an ad hoc group of experts with a limited mandate,
he acknowledged; but he hoped that it would be able to continue to carry out its useful
functions, despite a reduction in its resources.
A. GRITSENKO, Chairman of the Committee on Energy, said the group had significantly
cut back on programme activities on coal and electricity, but had maintained emphasis on
natural gas and on issues related to sustainable development of energy. Another focus was
the development and fostering of cooperation with private business. A "gas centre" had
been set up to help countries in transition as they reformed their natural-gas industries to
function in free-market situations. Enormous interest had been shown by Governments and
businesses in its activities. However, it was regrettable that a number of the suggestions
of the Committee's bureau had not been taken up by the ECE.
I. TOKES, Chairman of the Committee on Environmental Policy, said the group would
organize its activities around three major topics: participation in major international
cooperative processes, such as Environment for Europe and regional promotion of
Agenda 21, adopted at the World Conference on Environment and Development in 1992;
environmental performance reviews; and development and follow-up of regional
environmental conventions. Part of the ECE's Plan of Action as it related to the Committee
already had been considered, he said, including an enlarged bureau, cross-sectoral concerns
such as sustainable development, and concerns related to transition economies. In relation
to involvement of the business community, steps had been taken through a number of
elements of the Committee's work programme.
H. COURTOIS, Acting Chairman of the Inland Transport Committee, said international
cooperation and integration of trade were possible only if transport systems worked
properly, caused as little damage as possible to the environment, operated in conditions of
maximum safety, and allowed economic competition on a fair basis. Those concerns
reflected the Committee's activities, he said, and he was glad to see them reflected in the
ECE's Plan of Action. He hoped the slightly increased resources allocated for the
Committee's work would soon be made available, as they were vital for implementation of
the group's aims and programmes. Changes approved by the ECE had been anticipated by
the group, and efforts already were under way to make the Committee's operations more
efficient and timely, Mr. COURTOIS said.
J. ORY, Chairperson of the Working Party on Engineering Industries and Automation,
said the group would soon stop its work, as its subject had not been considered appropriate
for future ECE action. The working party's 20-year history had been a useful one
nonetheless, she felt, and all members of the group were grateful to the secretariat and to
others who had helped it to achieve progress in all countries in the region. She hoped that
the studies and statistical databases developed by the working party would be safeguarded
by the Commission, as without engineering work most of modern industry and modern life
would not be possible.
L. SHEVELEV, Chairman of the Working Party on Steel, said specific steps were being
taken to implement the decisions made by the Commission; cooperation with other
subsidiary bodies had been extensive; and much attention was being given to restructuring
under way in iron and steel industries in the region. It was the group's continuing aim to
increase understanding and technical interchange between experts throughout Europe.
C. ARVIUS, Chairman of the Working Party on Technical Harmonization and
Standardization Policies, said a main future objective of the group would be the removal of
technical barriers to trade -- a topic that fits in nicely with the ECE's activities. Cooperative
activities on international trade were already under way with the Committee on the
Development of Trade; and much work was focusing on the concerns of transition
economies, which needed to understand and incorporate into their products standards
prevailing internationally; trade could not be substantially increased in those nations without
effective standardization.