× Information on this section of ECOLEX comes from the InforMEA Portal which compiled information from MEA Secretariats with the support of the European Union. The accuracy of the information displayed is the responsibility of the originating data source. In case of discrepancy the information as displayed on the respective MEA website prevails. French and Spanish as working languages of the commission Document type Resolution Reference number 2006-3 Date Jun 16, 2006 SourceUNEP, InforMEA Status Adopted Subject Wild species & ecosystems, Sea Treaty International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling (Dec 2, 1946) Meeting 58th Meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC58) Website crm.iwc.int Abstract Resolution 2006-3 FRENCH AND SPANISH AS WORKING LANGUAGES OF THE COMMISSION AWARE of the internationally accepted difference between ‘official languages’ and ‘working languages’ in the operations of international conventions; FURTHER AWARE of the necessity for international organizations to protect the Sovereign Rights and the cultural values of their members; WELCOMING the increasing number of French speaking countries becoming members of the Commission; CONSCIOUS of the difficulties inherent to the implementation of new working languages within the Commission, but wishing to make concrete progress in this direction; RECALLING the several discussions that took place since IWC56 regarding the introduction of French as working language of the Commission, as reported mainly in reports submitted to the Commission by the Finances and Administration Committee; NOTING with gratitude and appreciation the special contribution made by the Governments of France and Monaco towards an experimental implementation of the French language as a working language of the Commission; FURTHER NOTING with gratitude and appreciation efforts and contributions made by other members of the Commission to assist with the implementation of French as a working language; and RECOGNISING the excellent work performed by the Finances and Administration Committee and the Secretariat NOW THEREFORE THE COMMISSION: INSTRUCTS the Secretariat to provide translation and interpretation in French and Spanish in accordance with IWC/58/28 at the 2007 IWC Annual Meeting. REQUESTS the Secretariat to investigate the possibility of recognising French and Spanish as working languages of the Commission at the 2007 IWC Annual Meeting. FURTHER REQUESTS the Secretariat before IWC/59 to develop options for the implementation of French and Spanish at future meetings of the Commission, including possible time frame and cost implications for a final decision to be taken at the 2007 IWC Annual Meeting.