Member Countries

As the INSG is an intergovernmental organization, its members are governments of nickel producing, consuming and trading countries or other intergovernmental organizations responsible for implementing international agreements. Current membership comprises:

Australia	Brazil	Cuba
European Union	Finland	France
Germany	Italy	Japan
Norway	Portugal	Russian Federation
Sweden	United Kingdom

Any Government interested in becoming a member of the INSG should contact the Secretary-General for further information.

Costs and Obligations of INSG Membership

Membership obligations include contributing to the Group’s operating costs, submitting statistics and other information as agreed by the Group as a whole, and participating in meetings of the Group. The Secretariat already receives data on nickel production, trade, stocks and apparent consumption from some prospective members, although further improvements are always be welcomed.

The Group’s annual budget is apportioned under a formula whereby each member pays an equal share of 50 % of the budget, plus a share of the remaining 50 % according to its importance in international nickel trade.

Permanent Observers

The INSG Terms of Reference allow for arrangements to maintain contact with other intergovernmental organizations, non-governmental organizations and private sector institutions. These may be invited to attend INSG meetings either periodically or as permanent observers, and to cooperate in the exchange of information on nickel. Observing organizations have no financial obligations to the Group but are expected to reciprocate in inviting the INSG to certain of their own meetings. Organizations that have permanent observer status with the INSG include the Nickel Institute, Eurometaux, Eurofer and UNCTAD. Countries and their governments cannot be designated permanent observers but may be invited to observe a limited number of meetings.

INSG Documents

• INSG Terms of Reference (file)
• INSG Rules of Procedure (file)