New schedule and virtual modality for CPM-15: urgent poll for IPPC contracting parties

Rome, 14 December 2020. In light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the associated containment measures, it was not possible to convene the 15th Session of the Commission on Phytosanitary Measures (CPM-15) as a physical meeting at the headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Rome, Italy, in 2020, as originally scheduled.

Following consultations among FAO and the CPM Bureau, the CPM chairperson and IPPC Secretariat, it was considered necessary to explore alternative arrangements for the holding of CPM-15, including through remote participation, in order to ensure the continuity of essential work.

In this connection, the CPM Bureau agreed to propose IPPC Contracting Parties to hold CPM -15 virtually on 16 March, 18 March and 1 April 2021, to address priority issues within its mandate. In this context, and in the absence of any rule in the CPM Rules of Procedure, the IPPC contracting parties are invited to confirm their endorsement of the following points via a poll at https://www.ippc.int/en/poll/57/

I. CPM-15 to be held virtually (it is noted that meeting documents will be made available on the IPPC website, www.ippc.int); II. to exceptionally suspend any rule of the CPM Rules of Procedure that presuppose in-person sessions of the Commission; III. to authorize the CPM Bureau to assess whether credentials of Contracting Parties are in conformity with the requirements of the Organization and report to the CPM accordingly.

IPPC contact points are requested to confirm your endorsement of the proposed way forward by logging in to the IPP website and using the related link https://www.ippc.int/en/poll/57/ to register their response no later than 30 December 2020.

In case of problems, IPPC contracting parties are invited to contact the IPPC Secretariat ([email protected]).

Should the proposal be endorsed by a two-thirds majority of the IPPC Contracting Parties, CPM-15 will proceed with the virtual session and you will be informed accordingly no later than 20 January 2021. On that occasion, IPPC contracting parties will receive a formal invitation to CPM-15.

A sample of the poll can be found below – available options include “I agree” and “I disagree”. Please make sure to select “I agree” to ensure your endorsement of the points indicated above.