In light of the rapidly evolving outbreak of coronavirus, the Secretariat developed a contingency plan for conducting the 85th and 86th meetings of the Executive Committee (“contingency plan”) and sent it to members of the Executive Committee on 16 March 2020 for their consideration. After taking into consideration the responses received from Executive Committee members on the contingency plan, and further to a consultation with the Chair and the Vice-Chair of the Executive Committee, the Secretariat informed the Executive Committee on the procedure to be followed for the 85th and 86th meetings, inter alia:

(a) Postponing the 85th meeting (originally scheduled for 25 to 29 May 2020) until immediately after the 42nd meeting of the Open‑ended Working Group (OEWG), for a duration of four days, from 19 to 22 July 2020, in Montreal, Canada, on the understanding that the meeting might be further postponed or cancelled in light of the evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic;
(b) Implementing an intersessional approval process for certain reports and projects including a password-protected forum under the Secretariat’s meeting portal for the 85th meeting to collect comments and decisions from members, on an exceptional basis due to the COVID‑19 pandemic and without setting a precedent, for the 85th meeting;
(c) Including in the report of the 85th meeting relevant information and decisions resulting from the intersssional approval process; and
(d) Proposing in due course a way forward for holding its 85th and 86th meetings, in the event that the 85th meeting cannot be held from 19 to 22 July 2020.

As the International Civil Aviation Organization Conference Center, the venue of the postponed 85th meeting, is closed until at least August 2020, the meeting will not take place. Accordingly, the Secretariat is currently preparing a proposal for holding the 85th and 86th meetings in consultation with the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Executive Committee. Once the Committee agrees on a way forward, the Secretariat will communicate it to all meeting participants.

The Secretariat is doing its utmost to reduce to the minimum the impact on the operation of the Multilateral Fund in light of COVID-19.

The Fund is dedicated to reversing the deterioration of the Earth's ozone layer. It was established by a decision of the Second Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol (London, June 1990) and began its operation in 1991. The main objective of the Fund is to assist developing country parties to the Montreal Protocol whose annual level of consumption of the ozone depleting substances (ODS) chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and halons is less than 0.3 kilograms per capita to comply with the control measures of the Protocol. Currently, 147 of the 197 Parties to the Montreal Protocol meet these criteria. They are referred to as Article 5 countries.

The Multilateral Fund is managed by an Executive Committee with equal membership from developed and developing countries. Since the inception of the Fund, the Executive Committee has held 84 meetings. The Fund Secretariat, located in Montreal, assists the Executive Committee in its tasks. Projects and activities supported by the Fund are implemented by four international implementing agencies.

As at December 2019, the contributions received by the Multilateral Fund from developed countries, or non-Article 5 countries, totalled over US$ 4.07 billion. The Fund has also received additional voluntary contributions amounting to US $25.5 million from a group of donor countries to finance fast-start activities for the implementation of the HFC phase-down.

To facilitate phase-out by Article 5 countries, the Executive Committee has approved 144 country programmes, 144 HCFC phase-out management plans and has funded the establishment and the operating costs of ozone offices in 145 Article 5 countries.

 Developing countries (Article 5)

- Bahrain
- Bangladesh
- Chile
- Djibouti
- India
- Rwanda
- Suriname

Developed countries (non-Article 5)

- Australia
- Belgium
- Czech Republic
- Japan
- Switzerland
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland  
- United States of America

Chair and Vice-Chair

Ms. Juliet Kabera (Rwanda) serves as Chair of the Executive Committee for one year beginning 1 January 2020. Mr. Alain Wilmart (Belgium) serves as Vice-Chair.

The 85th meeting has been postponed until immediately after the 42nd meeting of the Open-ended Working Group (OEWG), and will be held from 19 to 22 July 2020 (Postponed. New dates to be confirmed).

The 86th meeting will be held from 2 to 6 November 2020.

The 87th meeting will be held from 28 June to 2 July 2021.

The 88th meeting will be held from 15 to 19 November 2021.

All these meetings will be held in Montreal, Canada.