43rd Meeting - Geneva, 5-9 July 2004

The Executive Committee decided:

(a) To note that:
(i) The May 2003 Technology and Economic Assessment Panel’s HCFC Task Force Report predicted a dramatic increase in HCFC consumption in China in the foreseeable future;
(ii) The intent of the proposed project was also to allow utilization of its results for all Article 5 countries; and
(iii) Established Executive Committee policies did not support conversion of capacity installed after July 1995 nor a second conversion and the study was therefore not aiming at preparing or initiating any conversion projects;

(b) To approve the project “Development of a suitable strategy for the long-term management of HCFCs, in particular HCFC-22, in China”, addressed in documents UNEP/Ozl.Pro/ExCom/43/21 and UNEP/OzL.Pro/ExCom/43/51, at the level of funding of US $300,300 plus support costs for the Government of Germany of US $39,039 on an exceptional basis on the condition that, as one of the outcomes, a study would look into the effects of management of HCFCs in China and in other Article 5 countries; and

(c) To further note that:
(i) A schedule for the study, indicating a project duration of 21 months, had been submitted to the Fund Secretariat.  Both the Government of Germany and the Government of China would strive to adhere to that schedule;
(ii) The Government of China intended to use relevant outcomes of the study as a basis for subsequent national action by the Government and expected that such action would take place within three years after finalization of the study; and
(iii) Interested Executive Committee members and implementing agencies would be invited to participate in an informal advisory group, which might discuss survey methodologies, the evaluation of information gathered, and policies.