The Bureau of the Conference of the Parties (Bureau) was created, in accordance with the terms of reference, at the first meeting of the Conference of the Parties in 2000.
The Bureau consists of the Chairperson of the Conference of the Parties, two Vice-Chairpersons (officers of the Conference of the Parties) and other members of the Bureau elected from representatives of the Parties to the Convention and a maximum of three representatives of non Parties at each Conference of the Parties.
The Bureau meets at least once a year and, with assistance from the Secretariat, its main tasks are:
- Carry out the tasks entrusted to it by the Conference of the Parties;
- Take the lead in, and take initiatives to strengthen, the implementation of the Convention and;
- Monitor the implementation of the programme of work and take appropriate decisions in this respect between the meetings of the Conference of the Parties.
The Bureau was originally composed of 8 members; however, at the fourth meeting of the Conference of the Parties in 2006, the Bureau was increased to 10 members due to an increasing workload.
Current members of the Bureau are:
Officers of the Conference of the Parties
Mr. Chris Dijkens (Netherlands) - Chair
Ms. Jasmina Karba (Slovenia) - Vice-Chair
Mr. Gunnar Hem (Norway) - Vice-Chair
Members of the Bureau
Ms. Anahit Aleksandryan (Armenia)
Mr. Pavel Forint (Czech Republic)
Mr. Gerhard Winkelmann-Oei (Germany)
Mr. Cristiano Piacente (Italy)
Ms. Svetlana Stirbu (Republic of Moldova)
Mr. Bernard Gay (Switzerland)
Ms. Jill Michielssen (European Commission)
