The Bureau of the Conference of the Parties (COP) of the Stockholm Convention met on 19 and 20 May 2008 in Geneva, Switzerland. It was the first such meeting held during the intersessional period between meetings of the Conference of the Parties.
The Bureau reviewed progress in the implementation of decisions taken by the COP at its previous meeting including progress on the development of the business plan for a global partnership to promote alternatives to DDT for disease vector control, work of the POPs Review Committee in recommending chemicals to add to the Convention, selection of Stockholm Convention regional centers for the provision of technical assistance and technology transfer and the establishment of the global monitoring plan to facilitate the effectiveness evaluation of the Convention.
The Bureau considered the preparations for the next COP to be held in Geneva from 4-8 May 2009, including the organization of the planned high level segment aiming at achieving full participation from ministers in the discussions and decisions.
On the budget, the Secretariat reported that there is a significant balance from the previous biennium (2006-2007) and that in current biennium (2008-2009) there is a large shortfall in the general trust fund because many Parties have not provided their contributions for 2008.