What is Periodic Reporting?
Every six years, the States Parties are invited to submit to the World Heritage Committee a periodic report on the application of the World Heritage Convention, including the state of conservation of the World Heritage properties located on its territories
Why Periodic Reporting?
The periodic reporting on the application of the World Heritage Convention is intended to serve four main purposes:
- to provide an assessment of the application of the World Heritage Convention by the State Party;
- to provide an assessment as to whether the World Heritage values of the properties inscribed on the World Heritage List are being maintained over time;
- to provide up-dated information about the World Heritage properties to record the changing circumstances and state of conservation of the properties;
- to provide a mechanism for regional co-operation and exchange of information and experiences between States Parties concerning the implementation of the Convention and World Heritage conservation.
Who is responsible for what?
While the General Assembly of States Parties to the World Heritage Convention and the World Heritage Committee have a standard-setting role, the management and monitoring of World Heritage properties remain the responsibility of the States Parties. The States Parties themselves are also responsible for the preparation of the periodic reports.
Article 29 of the Convention
"The States Parties to this Convention shall, in the reports which they submit to the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization on dates and in a manner to be determined by it, give information on the legislative and administrative provisions which they have adopted and other action which they have taken for the application of this Convention, together with details of the experience acquired in this field.
These reports shall be brought to the attention of the World Heritage Committee. The Committee shall submit a report on its activities at each of the ordinary sessions of the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization."
