Panel Process
When the Panel receives a Request for Inspection, the Panel undertakes a technical analysis concerning its admissibility on several aspects of the Request. This analysis is used to determine whether the Request complies with the requirements of the Panel’s legal framework (the Panel’s Resolution and the Panel’s Operating Procedures) and would therefore be registered through the issuance of a Notice of Registration. No Request for Inspection can be processed by the Panel, or the Dispute Resolution Service, until the Panel has determined the steps laid out below are complete and the criteria met in compliance with the requirement of the Panel’s legal framework.
After the Panel registers a Request for Inspection, the eligibility phase commences. Management is given 21-business days to respond to the claims raised in the Request and, subsequently, the Panel has a further 21-business days to determine whether the Requesters and the Request for Inspection meet the eligibility criteria. If the Panel determines that the eligibility criteria are met, it considers whether the matters raised in the Request merit an investigation and makes a recommendation to the Board of Executive Directors.
The Panel’s investigation takes approximately six months to complete from the issuance of an investigation plan.
The Panel’s investigation process involves three phases:
- Investigation preparation and identification of expert consultants,
- Review of documentation, staff interviews, and a field visit, and
- Report drafting and finalization.
Panel investigations include consultations with the Requesters, community members, Bank staff, the implementing agency, relevant ministries, development partners, and other relevant stakeholders. After finalization and submission of the investigation report, the Panel shares the report and findings with the Requesters in order to enable them to participate more effectively in the Management-led consultations on any proposed remedial actions. These actions constitute a Management Action Plan (MAP) and would be included in the Management’s response to the Panel’s investigation findings.
The Panel’s verification is a tool used to verify whether the implementation of Management’s actions is in accordance with the Board-approved MAP. This generally take place after substantial implementation of MAP. The Panel recommends the type of process to be adopted for verification, subject to Board approval, based on the urgency and complexity of the environmental and social issues being addressed by the implementation of the MAP. Panel follows the Framework for Proportionality Criteria and Modalities for Independent Verification of Management Action Plan Implementation for verificaiton process. The Panel’s verification focuses solely on the Bank’s actions as outlined in the MAP.