5 The basic document considered was a joint submission by the Governments of Austria and Italy proposing draft elements for an international legal instrument against illegal trafficking and transport of migrants, which contained elements from the work done by the Committee. The Meeting agreed that the proposals submitted by Governments and comments made during the session should be reflected in the revised version of the draft protocol prepared for the next session.
6 Information provided by the Secretariat on IMO's relevant ongoing work and the text of MSC/Circ. 896, which had been submitted to the session, as requested by MSC 70, was noted by the Ad Hoc Committee, which agreed, in principle, that the relevant provisions of MSC/Circ. 896 should be incorporated as far as possible in the appropriate chapter for sea transport of the draft protocol.
7 The next meetings of the Ad Hoc Committee to consider this particular draft protocol further will be held in Vienna from 28 April to 3 May and from 4 to 15 October 1999. Their outcome will, in due course, be reported in an addendum to MSC 71/17 and the progress report to the twentieth Assembly (MSC 71/17/1, annex) respectively.
8 The work of the Ad Hoc Committee on the draft Convention and the draft protocols is expected to be finalized in August 2000 with a view to adoption by a plenipotentiary conference in September 2000.
Action requested of the Committee
9 The Committee is invited to note the above information and take action as deemed appropriate.
