A/HRC/20/10 (a) The review has increased its transparency and rigorousness, as it is based on all the documented evidence provided by the applicant national human rights institution, as well as on the information received by civil society organizations. An appeal process also gives the opportunity to the applicant NHRI to challenge the recommendations issued by the Subcommittee; (b) The Subcommittee issued more focused recommendations to each NHRI (whether “A”, “B” or “C” status) to ensure its full compliance with the Paris Principles; (c) Subcommittee recommendations are more widely distributed among NHRIs and other stakeholders to ensure a more proactive role in the context of follow-up action by the United Nations or NHRI regional coordinating bodies. Subcommittee on Accreditation reports are posted on the internet (www.nhri.ohchr.org). 8. According to article 7 of the International Coordinating Committee Statute, one of the functions of the Committee is to promote the establishment and strengthening of NHRIs in conformity with the Paris Principles. In this regard, the International Coordinating Committee continues to give high importance to the accreditation process. According to its Strategic Plan for 2010–2013, its first objective is to maintain and strengthen the accreditation process, by better preparing national institutions for the accreditation review, tailoring and contextualizing Subcommittee recommendations for specific NHRIs, strengthening the transparency of the process, and improving accessibility to the Subcommittee for NHRIs, the regional networks and civil society. 9. In March 2010, the Bureau members of the International Coordinating Committee directed the Subcommittee on Accreditation to review the current accreditation process in order to expedite the revision of the accreditation status of a NHRI, where exceptional circumstances may arise and affect the independence and performance of the NHRI. Subsequently, the 24th annual meeting of the International Coordinating Committee, held in May 2011, adopted an amendment to the Statute, by which it included two new provisions: (a) Article 18.2 stipulates that where, in the opinion of the Chairperson of the International Coordinating Committee , an exceptional circumstance exists necessitating the urgent consideration of immediate suspension of an accredited “A” status institution, the Bureau may decide to immediately suspend accreditation classification of that institution and initiate a special review, and; (b) Article 18.3 regulates the procedure to be followed for the immediate suspension of accreditation in exceptional circumstances. A proposal to define the meaning of exceptional circumstances is scheduled to be considered at the 25th annual meeting of the International Coordinating Committee, in March 2012. 10. According to the accreditation procedure, as stipulated in article 12 of the International Coordinating Committee Statute, when the Subcommittee recommends to the Committee Bureau to make the final decision on the accreditation status of the national human rights institutions reviewed, the Bureau will make its decision after the following steps: (a) applicant; The recommendation of the Subcommittee shall first be forwarded to the (b) The applicant can challenge a recommendation by submitting a written challenge to the Committee Chairperson, through OHCHR as the International Coordinating Committee Secretariat, within 28 days of receipt of the recommendations; (c) Thereafter, the recommendation will be forwarded to the members of the International Coordinating Committee Bureau together with all relevant material received 4