Finance Committee

1. Education grant travel (EGT) is an entitlement which has been established to allow a child who is studying away from a staff member's duty station to return to the duty station to be reunited with the family. This entitlement, together with the Education Grant itself, is intended to enable parents to educate their children in such a way that they do not become alienated from their national system of education and are able to fit naturally into the life of their own country, when they return to it, whether for further education, to take up employment, or in any other way to make a life for themselves.

2. At present, travel costs of a child may be paid for an outward and return journey once in each scholastic year by a route approved by the Director-General between the educational institution and the staff member's duty station or, where this is justified by exceptional circumstances, another point approved by the Director-General, provided that the amount paid by the Organization does not exceed the cost of an outward and return journey between the staff member's home country and the duty station.

3. In line with discussions held within the Consultative Committee on Administrative Questions (CCAQ), recognizing the changing contexts in which United Nations organizations are operating, and in particular the need for policies that allow staff members to accommodate better their work and personal lives, it is proposed to introduce a more flexible approach to this entitlement, similar to that already followed by other United Nations organizations. Thus, it is proposed, within the overall limit of the cost of the entitlement, to allow travel of one or both parents in lieu of the child, in order to visit the child at the place of study or elsewhere. The staff member's child could continue to travel to the duty station country, but would also be able to travel to any third country, in order to visit one or both parents. FAO would not incur any extra costs, as compared with those already incurred under outstanding provisions, as the Organization's financial liability could not exceed the cost of an onward and return journey between the staff member's home country and the duty station. This proposal would allow FAO staff to benefit from the same conditions as their colleagues of other United Nations organizations serving at the same duty stations. The proposed measure could also facilitate field assignments and staff rotation.

4. The above would involve an amendment to Staff Regulation 301.0334 (i) as follows:

"In accordance with the conditions prescribed by the Director-General, travel costs of the child may also be paid for an outward and return journey once in each scholastic year by a route approved by the Director-General between the educational institution and the staff member's duty station or another point, provided that the amount paid by the Organization does not exceed the cost of an onward and return journey between the staff member's home country and the duty station. A staff member may be authorized to exchange this entitlement for an onward and return journey to be made by the staff member or the spouse of the staff member from the duty station to visit the child at the place of study or to meet the child in any other place, provided that the amount paid by the Organization shall not exceed that of travel by the child as per above."

5. The Committee is invited to review the proposal, under the terms of Rule XXVII.7 (r) of the General Rules of the Organization, and submit it to the Council for approval.