Reviewing Requirements for Exchanging Information on Non-Governmental Expeditions

The Representatives,

Noting Articles III (1)(a) and VII (5) of the Antarctic Treaty;
Conscious of the obligations within the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty (“the Environmental Protocol”) and its Annexes to exchange information;
Conscious also of decisions of the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (“ATCM”) in relation to the information to be exchanged by Parties;
Desiring to ensure that the exchange of information by Parties is conducted in the most efficient and timely manner;
Desiring also that the information to be exchanged by Parties can be readily identified;
Recalling Decision 4 (2012), which decided that the Parties will use the Electronic Information Exchange System (“EIES”) to exchange information in accordance with the Antarctic Treaty and the Environment Protocol and its Annexes and which specified that Parties will continue to work with the Secretariat of the Antarctic Treaty (“the Secretariat”) to refine and improve the EIES;
Noting that Decision 4 (2012) requires Parties to update relevant sections of the EIES regularly throughout the year, and at a minimum in accordance with Resolution 6 (2001), in order that such information be available and accessible to Parties as soon as practicable;

Decide that:

1. the Annex to this Decision represents a consolidated list of the information agreed to be exchanged by Parties;

2. the Secretariat shall modify the EIES to reflect the information contained in the Annex attached to this Decision, and make available, as soon as practicable, information submitted by Parties; and

3. the Annex to Decision 5 (2016) is no longer current.