Payment of contributions

The notice is issued in January. It specifies the amount due, the scale band, the reference to quote on the payment and the Organization's bank details. It is sent through the member area and by email to the focal point.

If the State has not received its notice by the end of January, it is for the State to inform the Member States Relations Directorate, which resends it without delay.

Transfer is the most common means. It must state the notice reference so that the Secretariat can allocate it without error. Bank charges are borne by the remitting State, so that the sum received matches the amount due.

Payment is deemed made on the date it is credited to the Organization's account. It is therefore prudent to authorize the transfer several days before the deadline.

Direct debit avoids oversights. The State signs a mandate, valid until revoked, authorizing the Organization to collect the sum on a fixed date, before 31 March. It receives advance notice fifteen days before each debit.

The State may revoke its mandate at any time, in writing. Direct debit is appreciated by administrations that wish to simplify their management.

If no payment has been received by 31 March, a first reminder is sent in April, then a second in June. They are addressed to the focal point and to the State's financial authority. The reminders are courteous and recall the options available.

A State may request a payment plan in several monthly instalments, without penalty as long as the plan is respected. The plan is validated by the Directorate and recorded in writing.

Each payment gives rise to an acknowledgement of receipt sent within forty-eight working hours (indicative time). It certifies the payment and states the financial year concerned. A tax or accounting receipt may be issued on request for the purposes of public accounting.

At the end of the financial year, the focal point receives a statement of its position: contribution due, sums paid and any balance. This statement makes it possible to reconcile entries with those of the Organization.