HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE

Seventy-sixth session

Geneva

14 October-1 November 2002

PROVISIONAL AGENDA AND ANNOTATIONS

Note by the Secretary-General

1.The seventy-sixth session of the Human Rights Committee will be held at the United Nations Office at Geneva from 14 October to 1 November 2002. The first meeting will be convened at the Palais Wilson, Ground Floor Conference Room, on Monday, 14 October 2002 at 10 a.m.

2.In accordance with rule 6 of the Committee’s rules of procedure, the Secretary‑General has prepared, in consultation with the Chairperson of the Committee, the attached provisional agenda for the seventy-sixth session. Annotations to the provisional agenda are also attached.

3.Pursuant to rule 33 of the Committee’s rules of procedure, the meetings of the Committee will be held in public unless the Committee decides otherwise or it appears from the relevant provisions of the Covenant or the Optional Protocol that the meetings should be held in private.

4.The attention of States parties is drawn, in particular, to the annotations to item 6 which contains the tentative timetable for the consideration of reports during the seventy-sixth session. In accordance with rule 68 of the Committee’s rules of procedure, representatives of States parties are expected to be present at the meetings of the Committee when their reports are examined.

5.At its seventy-fifth session, the Committee decided that a working group, established under rule 89 of its rules of procedure, should meet for a period of one week prior to its seventy‑sixth session from 7 to 11 October 2002. The first meeting of the Working Group will be convened at the United Nations Office at Geneva, Palais Wilson, Ground Floor Conference Room, on Monday, 7 October 2002, at 10 a.m.

GE.02-44348 (E) 090902

PROVISIONAL AGENDA

1.Opening of the session by the representative of the Secretary-General.

2.Adoption of the agenda.

3.Organizational and other matters.

(a)Report of the Chairperson‑Rapporteur of the pre-sessional working group;

(b)Miscellaneous.

4.Consultation with representatives of non-governmental and intergovernmental organizations.

5.Second meeting with States parties to the Covenant.

6.Submission of reports by States parties under article 40 of the Covenant.

7.Consideration of reports submitted by States parties under article 40 of the Covenant.

8.Follow-up on concluding observations.

9.General comments of the Committee.

10.Consideration of communications under the Optional Protocol to the Covenant.

ANNOTATIONS

1.Opening of the session by the representative of the Secretary-General

A representative of the Secretary-General will open the seventy-sixth session of the Committee.

2.Adoption of the agenda

Under rule 8 of the Committee’s rules of procedure, the first item on the agenda for any session shall be the adoption of the agenda. In accordance with rule 9, the Committee may revise the agenda during a session and may, as appropriate, defer or delete items.

3.Organizational and other matters

Under this item, the Committee will (a) consider the report of the Chairperson‑Rapporteur of the pre‑sessional working group; and (b) consider miscellaneous issues relevant to the Committee’s business.

4.Consultation with representatives of non-governmental and intergovernmental organizations

At its seventy-fifth session, the Committee decided to hear representatives of non‑governmental and intergovernmental organizations during the first plenary meeting of the Committee. These consultations have accordingly been scheduled for the morning meeting on Monday, 14 October 2002.

5.Second meeting of States parties to the Covenant

At its seventy‑second session, in July 2001, the Committee decided to convene the second meeting with States parties to the Covenant during the seventy-sixth session. The plenary confirmed the decision at the seventy‑fifth session and approved the agenda for the meeting. The second meeting with States parties will be convened on Thursday, 24 October 2002, at 10 a.m.

6.Submission of reports by States parties under article 40 of the Covenant

A. Reports received

Apart from the reports which are scheduled for consideration by the Committee at its seventy‑sixth and seventy-seventh sessions (see the timetable for consideration of reports under item 7 below), the Secretary-General has received the periodic reports of El Salvador, Portugal and Slovakia.

B. Reports due

For the situation with regard to the submission of reports by States parties under article 40 of the Covenant reference is made to chapter III and annex IV of the Committee’s annual report to the General Assembly for 2002 (see A/57/40, vol. I).

7.Consideration of reports submitted by States parties under article 40 of the Covenant

A tentative timetable for the consideration of reports at the seventy-sixth session, prepared in consultation with the Chairperson and subject to approval by the Committee, is given below:

Suriname	Examination in absence of report (CCPR/C/75/L/SUR)	Tuesday, 15 October 2002 p.m. Wednesday, 16 October 2002 a.m.
Egypt	Third periodic report (CCPR/C/EGY/2001/3)	Thursday, 17 October 2002 p.m. Friday, 18 October 2002 a.m.
Togo	Third periodic report (CCPR/C/TGO/2001/3)	Monday, 21 October 2002 p.m. Tuesday, 22 October 2002 a.m.

In accordance with rule 68 of the Committee’s rules of procedure, the Secretary-General has informed the States parties concerned (Egypt and Togo) of the dates on which their respective reports are scheduled for consideration by the Committee at its seventy-sixth session; Suriname will be considered in the absence of a second periodic report, under the new procedure.

The reports to be considered during the seventy-seventh session are those of Israel, Luxembourg and Estonia. The situation of Mali will be considered in the absence of a report.

8.Follow-up on concluding observations

At its seventy-fourth session, the Committee adopted decisions governing the procedure for following up on concluding observations. During the seventy-fifth session, a Special Rapporteur for follow-up on concluding observations was appointed. He will provide an initial report on his activities during the seventy‑sixth session.

9.General comments of the Committee

Under this item, the Committee may continue consideration of a draft general comment on article 2 (provision of effective remedies for violations of the Covenant) which was begun at the seventy-fourth session. The scheduling of any discussion on the revised general comment will be subject to the availability of a revised draft general comment prepared by the rapporteur for the general comment.

10.Consideration of communications under the Optional Protocol to the Covenant

In accordance with the provisions of chapter XVII of the rules of procedure, the Committee will consider under this item communications which are or appear to be submitted to it under the Optional Protocol.

Two hundred and sixty-four communications are pending before the Committee. Pursuant to the Committee’s new rules of procedure allowing the joint examination of admissibility and merits in most cases, the Committee’s examination of these communications may result in the adoption of Views, or in decisions declaring the communications admissible or inadmissible.

In accordance with article 5, paragraph 3, of the Optional Protocol and rule 82 of the Committee’s rules of procedure, this agenda item will be considered in closed meetings.

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