Terms of Reference for Working Group

Introduction

1. Following advice from their Consultative Forum on Sustainable Development, the member countries of the three international non-ferrous metals study groups - the International Copper Study Group, the International Lead and Zinc Study Group and the International Nickel Study Group - are establishing three ad-hoc working groups with a mandate to bring together existing work, share information, identify gaps and to rapidly initiate relevant activities related to the recommendations identified by the Forum for future action.

Objective

2. Overall objective for each group is to initiate some actions of common interest to all the stakeholders, that will enhance the contribution non-ferrous metals make to sustainable development, and proceed as quickly as possible.

Membership

3. Any country, governmental or other organisation or stakeholder group, e.g. industry, user, NGO, keen to become actively involved in taking the work forward can participate in any of the working groups.

Leadership of Groups

4. Each group will be led by a team of ideally three delegates - minimum of one from government, plus preferably one from industry and one from an NGO. This team will be responsible for chairing the discussion within the group and driving the work programme forward. The Groups should strive to seek consensus. Secretariat support for each group will be provided by one of the Study Groups. The Study Group Secretariats should be represented on all three groups to keep each group informed about what the other two are doing, ensure cross fertilisation and to avoid duplication of effort.

Initial Actions

5. Each working group should review all the outcomes from the Brussels meeting and draw up and execute a plan of action to take forward those of greatest common interest which will produce rapid results within available resources.

Resources

6. Each working group can use the resources made available to it through members of the group and can request, but not commit, additional resources from the Study Group. The Study Groups themselves will have to agree what commitment they can make in response to such requests.

Meetings

7. Working groups will meet either in person or by telephone conference or a mix of both to carry out their business in order to maximise participation by all group members. The first meetings will be as soon as possible on dates, (and venues if necessary) and at times convenient for the majority of the group member. Each group will determine its own timetable for action and dates for progress meetings to suit the work plan upon which they agree. Where possible meetings will be held alongside other appropriate meetings to minimise resource implications for participants.

Website

8. The existing joint Study Group Web site, which following the Forum meeting, is being expanded to act as a clearing house for information exchange, will be used to facilitate the work of the working groups. Notes of the working group meetings will be posted on the site and each working group will have an open discussion forum to facilitate communication between the members and the other groups.

Report Back

9. The secretariats of the working groups will report on progress back to the Study Groups Advisory Committee on Sustainable Development. The Advisory Committee reports to the Standing Committees of the Study Groups, keeping them informed on progress and of the need for additional resources, and arranging ad-hoc meetings of the Non-Ferrous Metals Consultative Forum on Sustainable Development to review overall progress. The Forum is likely to meet in October/November 2001 back to back with an appropriate meeting of one of the Study Groups.