Having considered the comments and recommendations of the Sub-Committee on Monitoring, Evaluation and Finance (UNEP/OzL.Pro/ExCom/38/4, paragraphs 26 to 28), the Executive Committee decided:
(a) To note:
(i) The report on project balances contained in UNEP/OzL.Pro/ExCom/38/10;
(ii) The levels of funds being returned to the 38th meeting totalling US $3,751,490 including support costs as follows by agency: US $283,783 from UNDP and agency support costs of US $30,468; US $174,000 from UNEP and agency support costs of US $22,620; US $1,770,088 from UNIDO and agency support costs of US $232,629, and US $1,147,692 from the World Bank and agency support costs of US $90,210;
(iii) That implementing agencies had balances totalling US $2,422,895 excluding support costs from projects completed over two years previously: UNDP (US $664,430 plus support costs); UNIDO (US $1,547,147 plus support costs); and the World Bank (US $211,318 plus support costs);
(b) To urge implementing agencies to re assess the status of their completed projects with balances and re-classify projects as ongoing in their reports to the 39th meeting if Decision 28/2 had not been fully complied with and reconsider the matter if balances from projects completed two years previously did not continue to be reduced;
(c) To withhold US $1,159,980 from fund transfers to the World Bank at the 38th meeting as the World Bank had not provided sufficient explanations for not returning those support costs and any further consideration of the matter should be made contingent on the World Bank providing information required by the Secretariat for its assessments of the Bank’s compliance with Decision 35/13(k);
(d) To note that the only circumstances under which it would be possible for a portion of the support costs from cancelled projects and completed projects with savings not to be returned according to United Nations practice was when a fee was paid by the implementing agency to a financial intermediary to undertake a financial evaluation of the enterprise before project implementation, and the project was subsequently cancelled.