PROPOSED REVISED WIPO INDEPENDENT ADVISORY OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE OF REFERENCE Prepared by the WIPO Independent Advisory Oversight Committee July 31, 2015 PREAMBLE 1. In September 2005, the WIPO General Assembly approved the establishment of a WIPO Committee. In September 2010, the WIPO General Assembly approved a change to the title of the Committee to the Independent Advisory Oversight Committee (IAOC) and amended its composition and rotation procedures. FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES 2. The IAOC, a subsidiary body of the General Assembly and of the Program and Budget Committee, is an independent, expert advisory and external oversight body established to provide assurance to Member States on the adequacy and effectiveness of internal controls and of internal and external oversight at WIPO. It aims to assist Member States in their role of oversight and in exercising their governance responsibilities with respect to the various operations of WIPO. Its mandate is as follows: Promoting internal control by: Systematically appraising management’s actions to maintain and operate adequate and effective internal controls; Contributing, through its scrutiny function, to maintaining the highest possible standards of financial management and addressing any irregularities; Reviewing the effectiveness of the Financial Regulations and Rules; (iv) Reviewing management’s assessment of and approach to risk; (v) Reviewing and advising on the fraud and corruption prevention policies and on the ethics function, including the code of ethics, financial disclosure, and whistle blower protection. (b) Providing assurance to the General Assembly by: (i) Reviewing and monitoring the effectiveness and operational independence of WIPO’s internal evaluation and investigation functions; (ii) Reviewing and providing advice on the proposed annual work plans of the Internal Oversight Division and of the Ethics Office; (iii) Exchanging information and with the external auditor, including his/her audit plan; (iv) Promoting effective coordination between the internal and external audit function and reviewing the collective coverage of various WIPO functions, including the Internal Oversight Division, the Office of the Ombudsperson, the Ethics Office and the Office of the Controller; (v) Confirming that oversight functions have been carried out to provide reasonable assurance to the General Assembly;
of the Program and Budget Committee the annual of the various WIPO internal oversight functions. (b) Focusing assurance resources by: (b) assurance by: (b) Providing assurance to the General Assembly by: (b) Providing assurance to the General Assembly by: (i) Reviewing and monitoring the effectiveness of WIPO’s internal audit function; (i) Reviewing and monitoring the effectiveness of WIPO’s internal function; (i) Reviewing and monitoring the effectiveness and operational independence of WIPO’s internal audit, evaluation and investigation functions; (i) Reviewing and monitoring the effectiveness and operational independence of WIPO’s internal evaluation and investigation functions; (ii) Reviewing and providing advice on the proposed annual work plans of the Internal Oversight Division and of the Ethics Office; (ii) Reviewing and providing advice on the proposed annual work plans of the Internal Oversight Division and of the Ethics Office; (ii) Exchanging information and views with the external auditor, including his/her audit plan; ) Exchanging information and with the external auditor, including his/her audit plan; (iii) Exchanging information and views with the external auditor, including his/her audit plan; (iii) Exchanging information and views with the external auditor, including his/her audit plan; (iii) Promoting effective coordination of activities between the internal and external audit function and reviewing the collective internal oversight coverage of various WIPO functions, including inter alia, the Internal Audit and Oversight Division, the Office of the Ombudsman, the Ethics Office and the Office of the Chief Financial Officer (Controller); () Promoting effective coordination between the internal and external audit function and reviewing the collective internal oversight coverage of various WIPO functions, includingthe Internal Oversight Division, the Office of the Ombudsman, the Ethics Office and the Office of theController; (iv) Promoting effective coordination between the internal and external audit function and reviewing the collective coverage of various WIPO functions, Internal Oversight Division, the Office of the , the Ethics Office and the Office of ; (iv) Promoting effective coordination between the internal and external audit function and reviewing the collective coverage of various WIPO functions, including the Internal Oversight Division, the Office of the Ombudsperson, the Ethics Office and the Office of the Controller;
(iv) Confirming audit and assurance arrangements have been conducted and delivered during the year to provide the necessary levels of assurance required by the General Assembly. () Confirming have been to provide assurance the General Assembly (v) Confirming that oversight functions have been carried out to provide reasonable assurance to the General Assembly; (v) Confirming that oversight functions have been carried out to provide reasonable assurance to the General Assembly; (vi) Providing input to the performance appraisals of the Director, Internal Oversight Division and of the Ethics Officer; (vi) Providing to the performance appraisals of the Director, Internal Oversight Division, as provided for in paragraph 45 of the Internal Oversight Charter, and of the Ethics Officer; (vii) Advising the Director General on the appointment and dismissal, if any, of the Director, Internal Oversight Division. (vii) Advising the Director General on the appointment and dismissal, if any, of the Director, Internal Oversight Division, as provided for in paragraph 44 of the Internal Oversight Charter, and of the Ethics Officer. (c) Overseeing audit performance by: (c) Overseeing by: (c) Overseeing compliance with internal and external oversight recommendations by (c) Overseeing compliance with internal and external oversight recommendations by: (i) Monitoring the timely, effective and appropriate responses from management with regard to audit recommendations; (i) Monitoring the management to audit recommendations; (i) Monitoring the timeliness, effectiveness and adequacy of management responses to audit, evaluation and investigation recommendations; (i) Monitoring the timeliness, effectiveness and adequacy of management responses to audit, evaluation and investigation recommendations; (ii) Monitoring the implementation of audit recommendations; (ii) Monitoring the implementation of recommendations; (ii) Monitoring the implementation of oversight recommendations; (ii) Monitoring the implementation of oversight recommendations;
requested by the Independent Advisory Oversight Committee. . The performance appraisal of the IAOC Secretary shall be done with input from and in consultation with the Chairperson of the IAOC 25. The performance appraisal of the IAOC Secretary shall be done with input from and in consultation with the Chairperson of the IAOC. G. BUDGET . BUDGET K. BUDGET K. BUDGET 17. In its biennial budget WIPO shall provide a specific budget allocation for the Independent Advisory Oversight Committee, providing for costs on an annual basis associated with the approved activities and related expenditures as provided in the terms of reference, namely four formal meetings of four to five days each in principle, attendance by Independent Advisory Oversight Committee members to the Program and Budget Committee and other meetings as required, secretarial and substantive support, and external consultancies. its biennial budget a specific allocation for the , providing for associated with the activities, namely four formal of four to five days each in principle, attendance by members Program and Budget Committee and other meetings as required, support external consultancies. . WIPO shall include in its biennial budget a specific allocation for the IAOC, providing for the costs associated with the Committee’s mandated activities, namely four formal sessions of four to five days each in principle, attendance by IAOC members at Program and Budget Committee sessions, at the General Assembly, and at other meetings as required, support by the IAOC Secretary, and, as required, external consultancies. 26. WIPO include in its biennial budget a specific allocation for the IAOC, providing for the costs associated with the Committee’s mandated activities, namely four formal sessions of four to five days each in principle, attendance by IAOC members at Program and Budget Committee sessions, at the General Assembly, and at other meetings as required, support by the IAOC Secretary, and, as required, external consultancies. 18. Expenses for members of the Independent Advisory Oversight Committee will be paid by WIPO in accordance with WIPO’s financial rules and regulations. H. INFORMATION REQUIREMENTS . INFORMATION REQUIREMENTS L. INFORMATION REQUIREMENTS L. INFORMATION REQUIREMENTS