Decides that no changes to the budget methodology, to established budgetary procedures and practices or to the financial regulations may be implemented without prior review and approval by the General Assembly, in accordance with established budgetary procedures; decides that the staffing table for each year of the biennium 2002-2003 shall be as contained in annex II to the present resolution; endorses the conclusions and recommendations of the Committee for Programme and Coordination on the programme narrative of the proposed programme budget for the biennium 2002-2003 contained in the report of the Committee on the work of its 41st session, subject to the provisions of the present resolution; decides to make changes, as contained in annex I to the present resolution, to the programme narratives in the final published version of the proposed programme budget for the biennium 2002-2003, as reflected in the conclusions and recommendations of the Committee for Programme and Coordination at its 41st session and the provisions of the present resolution; decides that a vacancy rate of 6.5 per cent for Professional staff and 3.1 per cent for General Service staff shall be used as a basis for the calculation of the budget for the biennium 2002-2003; decides not to approve the upward reclassifications of the posts requested by the Secretary-General in the proposed budget for the biennium 2002-2003; decides to reduce the resources proposed by the Secretary-General for allocation for specific operational requirements, as follows: (a) travel of staff, by US$2.8 million; (b) contractual services, by $6.4 million; (c) general operating expenses, by $19.7 million; (d) supplies and materials, by $1.4 million; (e) furniture and equipment, by $7.2 million; (f) consultants and experts, with exception of resources allocated under section 9 for the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, and under sections 1-20 for the regional commissions, by $2 million; (g) Information technology, with exception of resources for the Economic Commission for Africa allocated under section 16, by $10 million.

Adopted without vote, 92nd plenary meeting

42 p.

"Annex 1: Changes to the programme narratives of the proposed programme budget for the biennium 2002-2003, as reflected in the conclusions and recommendations of the Committee for Programme and Coordination in its report on the work of its 41st session, and additional modifications": p. 19-41.
"Annex 2: Staffing table for 2002 and 2003": p. 42.