E - Iccat

ICCAT REPORT 2012-2013 (I)
ANNEX 8
1. Opening of the meeting
REPORT OF THE MEETING OF THE
STANDING COMMITTEE ON FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION
(STACFAD)
The meeting of the Standing Committee on Finance and Administration (STACFAD) was opened on Wednesday,
14 November 2012, by the Committee Chair, Ms. Sylvie Lapointe (Canada).
2. Adoption of the Agenda
The Agenda, which has been circulated in advance of the meeting, was adopted (Appendix 1 to ANNEX 8).
3. Appointment of the Rapporteur
The ICCAT Secretariat was designated Rapporteur.
4. Reports from the Secretariat
4.1 2012 Administrative Report
The 2012 Administrative Report was presented by the Chair.
As in previous years, the Chair stressed the importance of taking into account the financial resources and staff
when taking decisions that imply an increase in the Secretariat’s work load.
The Administrative Report was adopted.
4.2 2012 Financial Report
At the request of the Chair, the Head of Finance and Administration presented the Financial Report prepared by
the Secretariat which had been distributed prior to the meeting. He noted that the Working Capital Fund was
maintained at the same percentage as last year, i.e., over 120% of the total budget. As regards extra-budgetary
expenditures, the funds for participation at meetings [Rec. 11-26] list the Contracting Parties that had benefited
from these. The extra-budgetary income includes voluntary contributions from Chinese Taipei, income received,
in terms of overhead, from the various programs that were managed by the Secretariat, voluntary contributions
received from the European Union for the 2011 and 2012 Commission meetings, and financial income. He also
noted that the information provided was up to October 20, 2012 and that, since then, income had been received
from Ghana towards the cancellation of its total debt, and that advances on future contributions had also been
received.
The Executive Secretary expressed appreciation and congratulated Ghana for the efforts made to pay its debt to
the Commission.
The Delegate from the European Union thanked the Secretariat for the presentation of the Financial Report and
indicated that while the Commission’s current financial situation is healthy, the Working Capital Fund was too
high and added that the Commission should start to use this Fund. The Delegate suggested alternative uses such
as capacity building, research programs and even the purchase of property for the Commission’s headquarters.
The Executive Secretary explained that the state of the Working Capital Fund improved considerably after the
approval of the Madrid Protocol and that in large measure the current favorable financial situation was largely
due to the payment of numerous past due amounts in recent years. He also pointed out that the amount allocated
to Chapter 6 of the Budget, Operating Expenses, included covering the conditions of the new Secretariat
headquarters and since the move to new offices had not taken place, these funds had a direct impact on the
increase in the Working Capital Fund. He advised caution in the requests for the use of this Fund, so as to avoid
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