CONSULTATIVE STATUS WITH THE ECOSOC

Arrangements for consultation with the NGOs are currently governed by the ECOSOC resolution 1296, adopted on 23 May 1968. The text of this resolution advances the following descriptions of NGOs: "Any international organizaiton which is not established by intergovernmental agreement," and "national organizations that have a special experience upon which the Council may wish to draw."

ECOSOC resolution 1296 specifies certain principles for NGOs with regard to their establishing consultative status with ECOSOC, as well as NGO consultations with the Secretariat. It establishes three categories for NGOs: category I for international NGOs whose concerns cover most of ECOSOC's agenda; category II for NGOs which have a special competence in a few fields of ECOSOC's activity; and the third category, roster status, for NGOs whose competence enables them to make occasional contributions to the work of the United Nations. Thye intergovernmental responsibilities related to NGOs in consultative statues are carried out by the ECOSOC Committee on NGOs (see below).

Categories I and II

The following are the formal rights and arrangements for the participation of NGOs in consultative status with ECOSOC and its subsidiary bodies:

- the provisional agenda of the Economic and Social Council, its commissions and other subsidiary bodies shall be communicated to organizations in categories I and II;

- organizations in categories I and II may designate authorized representatives to sit as observers at public meetings of ECOSOC and its subsidiary bodies;

- brief written statements can be published as a UN document and circulated to members of the Council or subsidiary body; these statements may also be translated into any of the official languages of the UN upon request by a Member Government; (the rule of procedure of the newly created Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD), however, specify that NGOs may, at their own expenses, make written presentations. These will not be issued as official documents);

- the Committee on NGOs shall make recommendations to ECOSOC as to which NGOs in category I shall be heard by ECOSOC (i.e. make an oral presentation during the session);

- NGOs in category II may also address ECOSC, provided that there is no subsidiary body of ECOSOC with jurisdiction in a major field of interest to the Council and to an organization in category II, commissions and other subsidiary organs of ECOSC may consult with NGOs in categories I and II, such may be arranged on the request of the NGO;

- a commission of ECOSOC may recommend that an NGO which has special competence in a particular field should undertake specific studies or investigations or prepare specific papers ofr the commission;

- NGOs shall be able to consult with officers of the appropriate sections of the Secretariat on matters in which there is a mutual interest of mutual concern. Such consultations shall be upon request of the NGO or upon request of the Secretary General;

The Secretary General is authorized to offer NGOs in consultative relationship facilities which include:

- prompt and efficient distribution of such documents of ECOSOC and its subsidiary bodies as the SecretaryGeneral considers appropriate;

- access to the press documentation services of the UN;

- arrangement of informal discussions on matters of special interest to groups or organizations;

- use of the libraries of the UN;

- provision of accommodation for conferences or smaller meetings of consultative organizations on the work of ECOSOC;

- appropriate seating arrangements and facilities for obtaining documents during public meetings of the General Assembly dealing with matters in the economic and social fields.

Organizations in category I status have the additional right to propose to the ECOSOC Committee on NGOs that the Committee request the Secretary General to place items of special interest to the organization on the provisional agenda of ECOSOC. The NGO may propose items for the provisional agenda of commissions, provided it informs the Secretariat and submits the relevant documentation in advance of the session.