Committee for Programme and Coordination
Terms of Reference
Excerpted text from
The Economic and Social Council,
Having reviewed the terms of reference of the Committee for Programme and Co-ordination,
Noting that the economic and social sectors of the United Nations system are now under examination by the Ad Hoc Committee on the Restructuring of the Economic and Social Sectors of the United Nations System,
Aware of the need to consolidate existing legislative authority defining the terms of reference of the Committee for Programme and Co-ordination,
Recalling Council resolutions 920 (XXXIV) of 3 August 1962, 1171 (XLI) of 5 August 1966, 1472 (XLVIII) of 13 January 1970, 1768 (LIV) of 18 May 1973, and General Assembly resolution 3392 (XXX) of 20 November 1975, as well as Council decision 139 (ORG-76) of 15 January 1976,
1. Approves the consolidated terms of reference for the Committee for Programme and Co-ordination annexed here to;
2. Decides that these terms of reference, including the composition, based on equitable geographical distribution, of the Committee, shall be reviewed by the Economic and Social Council in the light of the recommendations of the Ad Hoc Committee on the Restructuring of the Economic and Social Sectors of the United Nations System.
14 May 1976
ANNEX
Terms of reference of the Committee for Programme and Co-ordination
A. Functions
1. The Committee shall function as the main subsidiary organ of the Economic and Social Council and the General Assembly for planning, programming and co-ordination.
2. In particular, the Committee shall:
(a) Review the programmes of the United Nations as defined in the medium—term plan In performing this function, the Committee shall:
(i) Review the medium-term plan in the off-budget years and the programme budget in budget years;
In reviewing the medium-term plan, the Committee shall examine, in the light of its budgetary implications, the totality of the Secretary-General's work programme, giving particular attention to programme changes arising out of decisions adopted by intergovernmental organs and conferences or suggested by the Secretary-General.
The Committee shall concern itself with medium-term plans formulated for the organizational units involved in each programme of the United Nations and assess the results achieved from current activities, the continuing validity of legislative decisions of more than five years' standing, and the effectiveness of co-ordination with other units of the Secretariat and members of the United Nations family;
(ii) Recommend an order of priorities among United Nations programmes as defined in the medium-term plan;
(iii) Give guidance to the Secretariat on programme design b interpreting legislative intent so as to assist it in translating legislation into programmes. In this connexion, the memoranda on the implementation of resolutions, prepared by the Secretariat after each session of the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council, shall be made available to the Committee, which, in the periods immediately following the sessions of those bodies, shall co-operate with the Secretariat departments concerned in integrating the new legislation into continuing programmes;
(iv) Consider and develop evaluation procedures and their use in the improvement of programme design;
(v) Make recommendations with respect to work programmes proposed by the Secretariat to give effect to the legislative intent of the relevant policy-making organs, taking into account the need to avoid overlapping and duplication.
(b) Assist the Economic and Social Council in the performance of its co-ordination functions within the United Nations system.
3. In discharging these responsibilities, the Committee shall:
(a) Consider on a sector-by-sector basis the activities and programmes of the agencies of the United Nations system in order to enable the Council effectively to perform its functions as coordinator of the system and ensure that the work programmes of the United Nations and its agencies shall be compatible and mutually complementary;
(b) Recommend guidelines for the agencies of the United Nations system on their programmes and activities, taking into account their respective functions and responsibilities and the need for coherence and co-ordination throughout the system.
(c) Undertake from time to time, upon the recommendation of the General Assembly or the Economic and Social Council, a review and appraisal of the implementation of important legislative decisions, so as to determine the degree of co-ordinated effort undertaken throughout the United Nations system in certain priority fields designated as such by legislative bodies. The Committee shall perform this work, both independently and in consultation with the Administrative Committee on Co-ordination, and shall be required to report on the results of its review to the legislative body that requested that it be undertaken;
(d) The Committee shall study the reports of the Administrative Committee on Co-ordination, appropriate reports of United Nations organs, the annual reports of the specialized agencies and the International Atomic Energy Agency and other relevant documents.
4. The Committee shall establish useful co-operation with the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions.
5. The members of the Joint Inspection Unit shall be free to participate in meetings of the Committee for Programme and Co-ordination and arrangements shall be made for periodic Joint consultations. The Joint Inspection Unit shall also bring to the attention of the Committee any problem which it may consider important within the scope of the Committee's responsibilities.
6. The reports of the Joint Inspection Unit concerning the economic, social and human rights programmes of the United Nations system, including the reports dealing with the United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research, shall be examined by the Committee for Programme and Co-ordination, which shall report thereon to the Economic and Social Council and the General Assembly. In its review, the Committee shall take account of any comments which the Secretary-General and the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions may wish to make on these reports.
C. Membership, composition and pattern of meetings
7. The Committee shall consist of 21 members to be nominated by the Economic and Social Council and elected by the General Assembly for a term of office of three years on the basis of equitable geographical distribution as follows:
- Five from African States;
- Four from Asia-Pacific States;
- Four from Latin American States;
- Three from Socialist States of Eastern Europe;
- Five from Western European and other States.
8. The Committee shall meet for six weeks in plan years and for four weeks in budget years.
