A/HRC/18/41 12. Discussions were held on the best use of synergy between the special procedures and the High Commissioner for maximum impact in the implementation of human rights; how best to advocate in the Human Rights Council; effective strategies to attract more regular budget and extra-budgetary resources; and ways in which field presences could integrate the work of special procedures at the national and local levels and within United Nations country teams more fully, including through collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to enhance the understanding of country representatives of the human rights mechanisms. Mandate holders expressed appreciation that some of their concerns raised at the seventeenth annual meeting had been addressed, but indicated that work was required on outstanding issues and that the Coordination Committee would seek to address these in partnership with OHCHR. Concern was raised in relation to conference servicing constraints, such as with regard to translation and the recruitment of local interpreters rather than of those based at the United Nations Office at Geneva for the visits of mandate holders, taking into account the integrity of the process and the safety of those cooperating with mandate holders and the interpreters themselves. Furthermore, concerns were raised in relation to inconsistencies among working groups in terms of meeting time and the number of missions. The High Commissioner was asked to provide information on the focus of her future thematic priorities, as these could be drawn upon by mandate holders. The importance of capitalizing on the linkages among the special procedures, the treaty bodies, the Human Rights Council and the universal periodic review was highlighted. Proactive engagement by special procedures with the United Nations at large, and the importance of linkages between the work of special procedures and OHCHR, was emphasized, as was flow of information, including from United Nations country teams. V. Human Rights Council and the special procedures system 13. Participants exchanged views with the President of the Human Rights Council, Laura Dupuy Lasserre, Permanent Representative of Uruguay to the United Nations Office at Geneva, who highlighted the fact that the work of the special procedures was essential for the protection of human rights, as it alerted the Council to emerging problems, and provided information and expertise in an independent manner on thematic and countryspecific issues. She also stressed the importance of the regular participation of the special procedures in special sessions of the Council, including through innovative means, noting the recent example of a statement of all mandate holders delivered via video technology at the sixteenth special session. 14. The facilitator of the Human Rights Council review process on special procedures, Hannu Himanen, Permanent Representative of Finland to the United Nations Office at Geneva, underlined the good and regular contacts he had had with the previous chair of the Coordination Committee, in particular in the context of the Council review and discussed resolution 16/21 on the review of the work and functioning of the Council, as adopted by the General Assembly in its resolution 65/281 on the outcome of the review. Where special procedures were concerned, the outcome had addressed selection and appointment of mandate holders, working methods, resources and funding. 15. With regard to the selection process of mandate holders, the Human Rights Council, in the annex to resolution 16/21, envisaged that individual candidates would submit an application, accompanied by a short motivation letter, and the Consultative Group would interview shortlisted candidates to ensure equal treatment of all candidates. National human rights institutions in compliance with the Paris Principles now may also nominate candidates. With regard to working methods, the review reaffirmed that States should cooperate with mandate holders in the performance of their tasks; it was incumbent on mandate holders to exercise their functions in accordance with their mandates and in compliance with the code of conduct. Their integrity and independence and the principles 6