Introduction to the AC

The Advisory Committee is a subsidiary body to the Agreement on the Conservation of Populations of European Bats, which was established in accordance with MoP Resolution 1.5 (Annex H), based on Article V of the Agreement.
 
The AC has the following general functions:
  • Provides expert advice and information to the Secretariat and the Meeting of the Parties on the conservation and management of bats and on other matters in relation to the running of the Agreement, having regard to the need not to duplicate the work of other international bodies and the desirability of drawing on their expertise;
  • May establish working groups, to work either between meetings of the Committee or during Committee meetings themselves;
  • Performs the tasks allocated to it in Resolutions at any Session of the Meeting of Parties in an effort to pursue the obligations at Article III. The Committee should continue to ensure the dissemination of information and co-operation between Parties is maximized to achieve these objectives;
  • May, with the assistance of the Secretariat, develop proposals and draft resolutions on the implementation of the Agreement. The Committee may then present these proposals and draft resolutions to the subsequent Session of the Meeting of Parties through the Secretariat.
 
The AC membership comprises:
 
(a) One appointed member of the Advisory Committee per Party;
(b) Each Committee member may be accompanied by advisers;
(c) Representatives of Non-Party Range States, invited by the Secretariat as instructed by the Committee;
(d) Experts invited by the Committee.
 
The Chairperson of the EUROBATS Standing Committee may be invited to the meetings of the AC as an observer ex officio.