1. Three sessions of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) have been held since 1996 when the Committee on Aquaculture (CAQ) held its First Session. The sessions of the Commission have coincided with the process of reform of this body.

2. At its Twenty-second Session, Rome, 13 to 16 October 1997, the Commission received the report of the First Session of CAQ and agreed that the Second Session of CAQ could be held using extra-budgetary funds. The Commission recommended that FAO should continue to support the activities of the Committee through its Regular Programme.

3. The Twenty-third Session of GFCM, Rome, 7 to 10 July 1998, discussed the progress of work of the networks on aquaculture and the organization of a Consultation on the Application of Article 9 of the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries in the Mediterranean Region. Both Italy and the European Commission emphasized the importance of aquaculture development in the GFCM area and expressed interest in fostering cooperation on aquaculture in GFCM countries. Due to the transitional situation on the autonomous budget, the highest priority was given to holding the statutory meetings and to activities for which funding had been assured, such as the Consultation cited above. This session of the GFCM initiated discussions on the proposals for an autonomous budget, the scheme and scale of contribution, as well as the annual budget as a starting point for future negotiations. Aquaculture activities, both for statutory meetings and for the networks under the GFCM were considered in the proposed budget.

4. The Twenty-fourth Session of GFCM took place in Alicante, Spain, from 12 to 15 July 1999, and was preceded by an extraordinary session on the financing of GFCM activities. This extraordinary session, while discussing a level of annual budget for the Commission, concurred that a significant proportion of it had to be allocated to activities in support of aquaculture. In the absence of an autonomous budget, it was requested that extra-budgetary funds be sought to organize the second meeting of the Committee on Aquaculture. Priorities were also established at higher and lower levels for activities to be carried out by the networks. For economical reasons, it was agreed that during this transitional situation, the Second Session of the Committee on Aquaculture should be conducted in only two languages. Spain offered to fund a number of unspecified activities in aquaculture.