New optional reporting procedure adopted by the Committee against Torture

At its 38th session (May 2007), the Committee against Torture adopted (A/62/44, paras. 23 and 24) a new optional reporting procedure which consists in the preparation and adoption of lists of issues to be transmitted to States parties prior to the submission of their respective periodic report.

The State party's response to these lists of issues will constitute the State party's report under article 19 of the Convention. The Committee is of the view that this procedure will assist States parties to prepare and submit more focused reports. The lists of issues transmitted to States parties prior to the submission of their reports  will guide the preparation and content of their periodic reports, facilitate the reporting process by States parties and strengthen their capacity to fulfill their reporting obligations in a timely and effective manner.

On 15 May 2007, the Committee met with States parties to introduce and discuss the new procedure, which will not be applied to States parties' initial reports nor to periodic reports already submitted and awaiting consideration by the Committee. The Committee decided to initiate this procedure on a trial basis in relation to periodic reports that fall due in 2009 and 2010.

Considering the positive feedback received from States parties and the acceptance of this new procedure, the Committee decided (A/64/44, para. 27), at its 42nd session (May 2009), to continue, on a regular basis, with this procedure.

Therefore, the Committee will apply this procedure for all periodic reports, according to the mentioned criteria. These lists of issues prior to the submission of States reports will be adopted, depending on the year the reports are due, and transmitted to Sates parties, at least one year in advance of the due date.