The format proposed below for the preparation of the national reports required under Article 26 of the Convention was approved by decision V/19 of the Conference of the Parties.

It is a series of questions based on the articles of the Convention and on the elements of decisions of the Conference of the Parties, and intended for Contracting Parties. The answers to these questions will help Contracting Parties assess the extent to which they are complying with their obligations under the Convention, and will enable the Conference of the Parties to determine the status of implementation of the Convention. The wording of the questions is based as much as possible on that of the Articles and Decisions