In accordance with resolution 31/93 the Organization bears the travel and subsistence expenses of one representative of each Member State on the Committee for Programme and Coordination.  

Payment of travel and subsistence expenses of Members of the Committee for Programme (CPC)

The payment of travel and subsistence expenses for Members of the Committee for Programme and Coordination (CPC) is governed by relevant General Assembly resolutions and decisions, as well as by the rules set out in the Secretary‑General’s bulletin entitled “Rules governing payment of travel expenses and subsistence allowances in respect of Members of organs or subsidiary organs of the United Nations.” The most recent version of this bulletin is ST/SGB/107/Rev.6, issued in 1991.

Under these rules, the United Nations covers, for one representative of each Member State serving on the CPC:

• Subsistence expenses at the standard rates applicable to Secretariat officials plus 15 per cent; and
• Travel expenses, with maximum entitlements as follows:
• Economy class accommodation for journeys of less than nine hours;
• Accommodation in the class immediately below first class for journeys exceeding nine hours.

Designation of representative

Many Members choose to maintain the same representative throughout the full five-week period, as this allows for their continuous participation in all stages of the work and facilitates smoother engagement with the Committee’s evolving discussions.

Nevertheless, some capitals do designate different representatives for different segments of the session, based on their availability and other commitments. In such instances, given that Organization bears the travel and subsistence expenses of for one representative of each Member on the Committee to attend the session (see ST/SGB/107/Rev.6), travel (i.e. airfare and terminal expenses) will only be paid for one of the two representatives (chosen by the delegation), while the travel cost of the other representative is borne by the CPC Member. As regards the related subsistence allowance, for each calendar day of the Committee’s session, the Organization will provide daily subsistence allowance to a maximum of one travelling (i.e., non-local) representative, notwithstanding any overlapping calendar days between the two representatives’ respective periods of attendance.”

Chronology of key resolutions and decision related to CPC travel

1976: By paragraph 12 of its resolution 31/93, the General Assembly decided that, in order to encourage Member States to be represented at a high level of expertise and to ensure the continuity of their representation in the body whose central role and over-all responsibilities are recognized, the Organization shall bear from 1978 onwards, for an experimental period and subject to review by the General Assembly at its thirty-fourth session, as a special exception to the basic principles set out in paragraph 2 of Assembly resolution 1798 (XVII) concerning the payment out of United Nations funds of travel and subsistence expenses to Members of organs and subsidiary organs of the United Nations, the travel (on the basis of economy class) and subsistence expenses (at standard rates applicable to officials of the Secretariat plus 15 per cent) of one representative of each Member State on the Committee for Programme and Coordination.  

1983 and 1984: By its resolution 38/227 B, the Assembly requested the Economic and Social Council to consider the question and application of paragraph 12 of resolution 31/93 in the context of its review of the Joint Meetings of CPC and ACC. In response, in paragraph 5 of its resolution 1984/1 (see page 7), the Council recommended to the Assembly "the continuation of the current application of paragraph 12 of General Assembly resolution 31/93".

1990: In paragraph 3 of section XIII of resolution 45/248, the Assembly requests the Secretary-General to review the existing arrangements in regard to payment of subsistence allowance and standards of air travel by representatives of Member States in their official capacity to attend meetings of various intergovernmental bodies and for other United Nations official work.

1991: Pursuant to paragraph 3 of section XIII of resolution 45/248, an updated travel rules bulletin was issued as ST/SGB/107/Rev.6. Specifically, the rules for representatives of CPC Members were changed from the entitlement of economy class accommodation to the following, generally applicable, maximum entitlements:

• The cost of economy class accommodation for journeys of less than nine hours' duration;
• The cost of accommodation in the class immediately below first class for journeys exceeding nine hours' duration.

All other provisions, including the 15% supplement on daily subsistence allowance, remained unchanged.

The Secretary-General reported the revision of the bulletin to the Assembly in his report on the standards of accommodation for air travel issued as document A/C.5/46/3/Add.1 as well as subsequent reports to the Assembly. The Assembly subsequently reaffirmed these standards in a series of resolutions, including most recently resolution 77/263 B, deciding to maintain the current travel standards for Members of organs and subsidiary organs of the United Nations.