Rules for the Implementation of the ICOMOS World Heritage Directive!

The full form of ICOMOS is International Council on Monuments and Sites which is a non-governmental group of experts dedicated towards the preservation of the world's historic monuments and buildings. They have made some rules and strategies to save such assets for upcoming generations. It offers a forum for professional dialogue and a vehicle for the collection, evaluation, and propagation of information on preservation techniques, principles, and policies.

The purpose of this organization’s involvement with the WHC (World Heritage Convention) is to provide the highest available degree of professional expertise in the evaluation of World Heritage nominations and another facet of implementation of the World Heritage Convention. The purpose of ICOMOS Heritage Impact Assessment is to make sure that ICOMOS in performing well on those functions they have previously adopted.

The main reason for creating such policy is to avoid both situations where misperceptions may occur and those that raise real questions about the validity of its expert opinions. The teams of the ICOMOS World Heritage system has all persons involved in the process of the state of preservation reports, assessment of nominations, reactive monitoring and other programmes and missions, including amongst other professional consulted by ICOMOS.

To avoid possible conflicts of interest, the following shall apply:

1. 1. The evaluations and different opinions of the ICOMOS organization are based on their research and peer review.
2. 2. While as a standard practice ICOMOS discuss the condition of the property which is being evaluated by the national committee's other steps of the process gets drawn only on experts from countries rather than the State Parties concerned.
3. 3. ICOMOS does not use in its assessment of property or evaluation of threats to it, or for State of Conservation reports relating to it.
4. 4. In regards to progress the nomination of property, members of ICOMOS’ World Heritage work needs to disclose to ICOMOS any direct advice given on specific nomination files along with the particular circumstances of the service provided.
5. 5. All professionals and members working in the preparation of nominations files that include advising or in any way furthering such a nomination or providing recommendations but without any academic work not related to a particular appointment shall not take part in any discussion of the nomination at the WHWG.
6. 6. Experts and members of the organization are all made aware of the Ethical Commitment Statement of the ICOMOS and are needed to abide by its rules and principles.
7. 7. ICOMOS does not commend external missions to any of those whom it hires in its Secretariat, or in any other facility to process World Heritage.
8. 8. During discussion of a situation or report that concerns their country, members of the World Heritage Panel, as well as the WHWG, must absent themselves from the discussion and decision-making processes.
9. 9. A copy ICOMOS Heritage Impact Assessment must be given to every other member formally involved with ICOMOS World Heritage work all of whom must specify in advance that they understand and will abide by its rules.

Heritage 21 is a team of professional heritage property consultants & advisors dedicated to provide all round heritage advice for cultural heritage conservation.