Recalling Article 71 of the Charter of the United Nations,

Recalling also its resolution 1296 (XLIV) of 23 May 1968, in particular paragraph 40 (e) thereof, which provides that the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations shall consider matters concerning non-governmental organizations which may be referred to it by the Council or by commissions,

Recognizing the continued validity of its resolution 1296 (XLIV) as a useful framework for consultations with non-governmental organizations,

Recalling its decision 1993/214 of 12 February 1993,

Taking note with appreciation of the report of the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations on its session held in 1993,/205

1.Decides to establish an open-ended working group consisting of representatives of all interested States;

2.Requests the open-ended working group to undertake the general review called for by the Economic and Social Council in its decision 1993/214, with a view to updating, if necessary, Council resolution 1296 (XLIV), as well as introducing coherence in the rules governing the participation of non-governmental organizations in international conferences convened by the United Nations;

3.Also requests the open-ended working group to include in its review an examination of ways and means of improving practical arrangements for the work of the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations and the Non-Governmental Organizations Unit of the Secretariat;

4.Invites the open-ended working group to submit a progress report for consideration by the Economic and Social Council at its substantive session of 1994 and by the General Assembly at its forty-ninth session;

5.Requests the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations at an inter-sessional meeting in 1994 to review the progress report and to transmit its comments to the Economic and Social Council at its substantive session of 1994;

6.Invites United Nations organs, bodies, programmes and specialized agencies to participate in the work of the open-ended working group, in accordance with established practice;

7.Further invites the non-governmental organizations in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council to participate in the work of the open-ended working group, in accordance with the provisions of Council resolution 1296 (XLIV);

8.Requests the open-ended working group to enable other relevant non-governmental organizations, in particular those from developing countries, to contribute their views, in accordance with established practice, as set out in the annex to the present resolution;

9.Requests the Secretary-General to provide, within existing resources, the assistance necessary, including documentation, for the implementation of the present resolution;

10.Decides to consider this question at its substantive session of 1994 and to make recommendations to the General Assembly with a view to finalizing the general review by 1995, as called for in its decision 1993-214.

Annex

Participation of non-governmental organizations in the open-ended working group on the review of consultative arrangements with non-governmental organizations

1. Pursuant to paragraph 7 of the present resolution, non-governmental organizations in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council will participate in the open-ended working group in accordance with the provisions of Council resolution 1296 (XLIV) of 23 May 1968.

2. Non-governmental organizations which fall under the following three categories will be accredited upon submission to the Non-governmental Organizations Unit of the Secretariat of a notification of their desire to participate in the review process:

1. Non-governmental organizations in consultative status with a specialized agency of the United Nations system;

2. Non-governmental organizations on the roster of the Commission on Sustainable Development;

3. Other non-governmental organizations accredited for participation in conferences convened under the auspices of the United Nations and/or their preparatory process.

3. Other non-governmental organizations wishing to be accredited may apply to the Non-Governmental Organizations Unit of the Secretariat for that purpose, in accordance with the following requirements:

1. The Non-Governmental Organizations Unit of the Secretariat shall be responsible for the receipt and preliminary evaluation of requests for accreditation received from non-governmental organizations;

2. All such applications must be accompanied by the following information:
   1. The aims and purposes of the organization, which should be in conformity with the spirit, purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations;

   2. The date of establishment of the organization, the location of its headquarters and proof of its non-profit nature;

   3. Information on the programmes and activities of the organization and the country or countries in which they are carried out;

   4. A copy of the latest annual report and of the most recent budget;

   5. A copy of the constitution and/or by-laws and a list of members of the governing body and their country of nationality;

   6. A description of the membership of the organization, indicating the total number of members and their geographical distribution. The requests of organizations that fail to provide the above information will not be considered by the Secretariat.

4. In cases where the Non-Governmental Organizations Unit of the Secretariat believes, on the basis of the information provided in accordance with paragraph 3 above, that an organization has established its relevance to the work of the working group, it will recommend to the working group that the organization be accredited. In cases where the Non-Governmental Organizations Unit of the Secretariat does not recommend the granting of accreditation, it will make available to the working group its reasons for not doing so. The Non-governmental Organizations Unit of the Secretariat should ensure that its recommendations are available to the working group at least one week prior to the start of each session.

5. The working group will decide on the recommendations of the Non-Governmental Organizations Unit of the Secretariat for accreditation within twenty-four hours of the recommendations having been considered by the working group. In the event of a decision not being taken within that period, interim accreditation shall be accorded until such time as a decision is taken.

6. A non-governmental organization that has been granted accreditation to attend a session of the working group may attend all its future sessions.

7. In recognition of the intergovernmental nature of the working group, non-governmental organizations shall have no negotiating role in the work of the group.

8. Pursuant to paragraph 7 of the present resolution, non-governmental organizations in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council will have the opportunity to address the working group, in accordance with the provisions of paragraphs 31 and 33 of Council resolution 1296 (XLIV).

9. Other relevant non-governmental organizations may also ask to speak briefly at such meetings. If the number of requests is too large, the working group shall request the non-governmental organizations to form themselves into constituencies, each constituency speaking through one spokesperson. Any such oral intervention will be made at the discretion of the Chairman and with the consent of the working group, in accordance with normal United Nations practice.

10. Pursuant to paragraph 7 of the present resolution, non-governmental organizations in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council may submit written statements, in accordance with the provisions of paragraphs 29, 30 and 33 of Council resolution 1296 (XLIV).

11. Other relevant non-governmental organizations may, at their own expense, make written presentations in any of the official languages of the United Nations. Those written presentations will not be issued as official documents.