ITTC(LIX)/xxPage 1

INTERNATIONAL TROPICALTIMBER COUNCIL

Distr.
GENERAL
ITTC(LIX)/1617 November 2023
Original: ENGLISH

FIFTY-NINTH SESSION
13 - 17 November 2023
Pattaya, Thailand

DECISION 5(LIX)
MATTERS PERTAINING TO ARTICLE 44 OF ITTA, 2006
The International Tropical Timber Council,
Recalling Article 44 of the International Tropical Timber Agreement (ITTA) 2006;
Noting that the ITTA, 2006 entered into force on 7 December 2011, with an initial duration of ten years
and was extended for a period of five years with effect from 7 December 2021 until 6 December 2026, inaccordance with Decision 4(LVII);
Further noting the work and recommendations of the intersessional working group established underDecision 4(LVII) and extended for one year under Decision 4(LVIII) to assess the need for renegotiation and/or
further extension of the ITTA 2006, as contained in Document ITTC(LIX)/5;
Recognizing the need to plan for the expiry of the ITTA, 2006 by allowing adequate time and resources
for preparing any subsequent agreement;
Further recognizing that while broad support was indicated among membership at the 59th Session ofCouncil to extend the ITTA, 2006 for an additional three years until 2029 but noting members require furthertime to complete their formal processes to support the decision to further extend the ITTA, 2006;
Decides to:
1.

Take a Decision without Meeting by 1 June 2024 on the specific question of whether theITTA, 2006 be extended for a period of three years with effect from 7 December 2026 until
6 December 2029, with this decision fulfilling the requirements under Rules of Procedure 35 and36(d)(i);2.

Request members to refer to the Decision without Meeting, as referred to in operative
paragraph 1, which is to be circulated to members at the earliest opportunity, and submit theirvotes no later than 27 May 2024;

3.

Use the indicative Roadmap Scenario 1 on pages 7 and 8 of Document ITTC(LIX)/5 as the basis
to guide consultations in the ITTA, 2006 review process;4.

Extend the virtual intersessional working group established under Decision 4(LVII) for a further
period of one year until the 60th Session of Council in 2024, making it open-ended and renaming
it as the Preparatory Working Group (PWG);

5.

Request that the PWG advances the identification of elements to consider for future renegotiation
through the gathering of views from members and external entities (including those expressed at
the 59th Session of Council) and through analysis, undertaken in close collaboration with theSecretariat and supported by independent consultants;

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6.

Further request that the PWG submits a report to the Council at its 60th Session, based on outputs
from paragraph 5, with additional recommendations from the PWG on the modalities for theITTA, 2006 review process, including format (including whether virtual or in-person), timing andlocation/s of proposed meetings guided by the indicative Roadmap Scenario 1;

7.

Request that the PWG commences its work no later than February 2024 and continues to meetvirtually to substantially complete its work, and, if needed, takes a decision on whether to meet inperson to finalize its report;

8.

Review the indicative Roadmap Scenario 1 based on the report from the PWG at the 60th Sessionof Council, together with the need to extend the PWG for an additional year until the 61st Sessionof Council; and9.

Authorize the Executive Director to seek voluntary contributions to meet the financial
requirements of this Decision, not exceeding US$120,000. In the absence of sufficient voluntary
contributions, the Executive Director is requested to use funds from the Working Capital Reserve.

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