• Titel: Statement by the Federal Environment Ministry 8th INC Application for the PIC Secretariat Parliamentary State Secretary Gila Altmann Rome, 8 October 2001

• Redner/in: Parl. Staatssekretärin Gila Altmann

Madam Chairperson,
Excellences,
Distinguished Delegates,

First of all I would like to thank you for giving the German delegation this opportunity to present its offer to host the PIC Secretariat in Bonn.

We will address several aspects in our presentation.

Ambassador Ganns will outline our offer in the context of Germany's UN policy.
Lord Mayor Ms Dieckmann will highlight the city of Bonn's commitment to and preparations for the Secretariat.

Firstly I would like to explain why we are convinced that the location of the Secretariat in Germany, in particular in Bonn, is an advantage in our common efforts for better control of dangerouschemicals.

Secondly I would like to address the details of our offer.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Germany's changed role following reunification also includes greater involvement in the activities of the United Nations.
This includes the offer to host United Nations organisations and events in our country.

Without wishing to anticipate Ambassador Ganns' presentation, I would like to emphasise that establishing the headquarters of international organisations in Germany corresponds to our increasedinternational responsibilities.
The development of Bonn as a United Nations city is proof of this.
It is also an illustration of Germany's commitment to the UN.
The establishment of UN organisations in Bonn has been highly successful over the past few years.
Up to now nine UN organisations in the areas of international cooperation, environment, health and education are working in Bonn. They currently employ around 450 people.
And this figure is rising.

But it was not only the general political aspects that led to Germany's application for the PIC Secretariat. This concerns the POPs Secretariat as well on which I will give you more details lateron. We are currently preparing an offer to host this UN University Research and Training Center and we are hopeful that this offer will be submitted.

Germany has a great deal of experience regarding the production and use of chemicals and pesticides.
In a decade-long process, on the initiative of industry itself, legal regulations and strict enforcement created the conditions for a continuous increase in the safety of both the production and useof chemicals and pesticides in our country.

As a major exporter of chemicals, we therefore feel, we have a particular obligation to pass on the experiences we have gained to those countries where these processes are in the early stages.
We also want to live up to this requirement and obligation by striving for the PIC Secretariat to be located in Bonn.

In anticipation of the commitments in Article 16 of the Rotterdam Convention - assistance in developing chemicals management systems - Germany has initiated and financed a range of fundamentalprojects concerning chemicals safety.
Germany has made available a total of approximately 50 million euro over the past ten years to finance around 40 projects. Examples of these are:

• A planning workshop on the implementation of Article 16 for representatives from developing countries and Central and Eastern European countries in Bonn in October 1999;
• A pilot project on the implementation of the Rotterdam Convention in Thailand and Argentina, which was jointly financed by the EU and the German government;
• The pilot project on chemicals safety by the German Ministry of Economic Cooperation, particularly aimed at supporting the implementation of the Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions in developingcountries.

A single Secretariat

The German government is of the opinion that the new era in achieving global chemicals safety should be represented by a single Secretariat at one site.
This single Secretariat at one location can exploit a multitude of synergy effects, including saving funds, achieving more efficient workflows and avoiding repetition and duplication of work.

Since Germany attaches great political significance to chemicals safety, as well as applying to accommodate the PIC Secretariat we have also submitted an offer for the City of Bonn to be thelocation of the POPs Secretariat.
I am sure many of you will remember the 4th POPs INC in the former plenary area of the German parliament in Bonn on the River Rhine in March 2000.

The location of the POPs Secretariat to Bonn would further strengthen the synergy effects in the area of attaining global chemicals safety.

The great political significance of the UN organisations in Bonn is also clearly illustrated by the fact that the German government has appointed a Special Commissioner for issues concerning UNorganisations located in Bonn.
This function has been taken over by Ambassador Harald Ganns, who many of you know and who will be talking to you presently.

Details of the German offer for the Secretariat
1. Plans for office accommodation:

The details of Germany´s offer for the Secretariat correspond to those granted to the UN organisations already located in Bonn.

Firstly, rent-free offices on a permanent basis, irrespective of the number of employees.
An example here is the Secretariat of the Framework Convention on Climate Change which now has over 200 employees - more than four times the number of employees following the move from Geneva toBonn.
This means that correspondingly the Secretariat is provided with more rent-free offices.

We propose accommodating the PIC Secretariat and the POPs Secretariat in the former parliamentary area.
We intend to transform this former parliamentary area into a UN campus, as initiated by Federal Environment Minister Jürgen Trittin.
Plans for the Desertification and the Climate Change Secretariats in this area have already started.

The following pictures give you an impression of the location, meant to host the PIC Secretariat.

2. Meeting the cost of equipping the offices, and removal and settling-in costs

Let´s come to real business: money.
Germany is prepared to meet the full costs of equipping the offices - including furniture and information and communication technology.

Germany is also willing to pay the removal expenses of the Secretariat and of all members of staff and their families who are prepared to move to Bonn, as well as the installation grants and thecosts of language courses.

3. Special costs

Moreover we would make available an annual amount of 500.000 euro for events in Germany organised by the Secretariat.

4. Increase of voluntary contributions

Relocation of the Secretariat would prompt Germany to pay an additional voluntary amount of 500.000 euro to the Secretariat, in addition to its obligation as Contracting Party.

In this context, it is important to know that the same financial conditions are contained in the offer for the POPs Secretariat.

Therefore, due to the importance, Germany attaches to chemicals safety, we are offering a total of 2 million euro annually in additional contributions for the PIC and POPs Secretariats on apermanent basis.

5. Concering of preferential rights and exemptions

Germany shall grant the Secretariat the same standard to the same preconditions as it has granted the Secretariat of the United Nations Volunteer Programme.
Over the past few weeks, a Headquarters Agreement has also been concluded in accordance with this standard with the WHO for its Bonn Office.

6. Granting of access to the labour market of the Federal Republic of Germany and issue of visa and residence authorisations for household employees

Germany shall, corresponding to the Headquarters Agreement with the UN Volunteer Programme, grant the family members of the Secretariat staff access to the local labour market.

7. Other services

Finally, I would also like to mention that we shall assist the Secretariat in finding qualified technical and office staff.

As you can see, the German government offers the PIC Secretariat comprehensive support in all matters.

Ladies and gentlemen,

As you might have noticed the German government attaches great political importance to Bonn becoming headquarters of the PIC Secretariat.
For this reason, our offer comprises the following:

• Permanent rent-free offices
• Around 1.5 million euro as special financial support in the first year, and around 1 million euro in the subsequent years.
• The conclusion of a Headquarters Agreement such as with the UN Volunteer Programme.

A further important factor is the comprehensive support of the German government particularly from the Federal Environment Ministry, the Ministry for Economic Cooperation, the Federal ForeignOffice, and from the City of Bonn for the Secretariat itself, its staff and their families.

The Secretariat would receive a warm welcome in Bonn and be a valuable addition to the existing 9 UN organisations.

Before I hand over to Ambassador Ganns I am pleased to announce that following the 7th INC in Geneva and the 8th INC in Rome this week, Germany is willing to host the 9th INC in Bonn.
Germany is well aware of the financial difficulties concerning the implementation of the Rotterdam Convention, which was discussed under point three on the agenda. Should you accept this offer, theavailable funds could be used to finance other tasks, for example the facilitation of implementation and ratification of the Convention, including additional meetings and workshops especially indeveloping countries and in countries with economies in transition.

I have tried to present Bonn to you as an extraordinary city. But I know words can not describe the real charisma of the city. It would give me great pleasure to welcome you all to Bonn where youcan gain your own impression and find out whether I am right. We are looking foreword to your judgement. Don`t hesitate to tell us. Thank you for your intention.