What is registration?
Registration is defined in 3/CMP.1, Annex, paragraph 36:
Registration is the formal acceptance by the Executive Board of a validated project as a CDM project activity. Registration is the prerequisite for the verification, certification and issuance of CERs relating to that project activity (3/CMP.1, Annex, paragraph 36).
The procedures for registration of a CDM project activity for review of a request for registration apply equally to a Programme of Activities (PoA):
The procedures for registration of a CDM project activity as referred to in paragraph 40 of Decision 3/CMP.1 and the procedures for review as contained in Annex III to Decision 4/CMP.1 shall apply to a PoA (EB 47, Annex 29, paragraph 14).
Note that 38/CMP.5 revoked Annex III to decision 4/CMP.1. However, the Executive Board will continue to apply Annex III until revised procedures are finalised.
To have a PoA registered the coordinating or managing entity must have provided:
... the framework to the Board, in accordance with the guidance and provisions, so that CDM programme activities under a programme of activities can be registered as a single CDM project activity (EB 32, Annex 38, Acronyms, (c)).
The Procedures for Registration of a Programme of Activities as a Single CDM Project Activity and Issuance of Certified Emission Reductions for a Programme of Activities (Version 03) (EB 47, Annex 29) outline the specific procedure which must be followed to register a PoA with the Executive Board (in addition to the general procedures for registration of CDM project activities).
Essentially, once validation is complete, the DOE will submit a request for registration of a proposed PoA to the Executive Board using the PoA registration request form (F-CDM-POA-REG), together with the validation report and any supporting documentation:
A designated operational entity (DOE) shall submit a request for registration of a proposed PoA using the "Programme of Activities registration request form" (F-CDM-POA-REG) along with a validation report and supporting documentation (EB 32, Annex 39, paragraph 6).
If the DOE considers that the PoA meets that validation requirement, it shall submit a request for registration of a proposed PoA using the "Programme of Activities registration request form" (F-CDM-POA-REG) along with a validation report and supporting documentation (EB 47, Annex 29, paragraph 13).
With respect to the start date of CPAs, initially CPAs were not allowed to start until the PoA as a whole was registered. At EB 47, it was decided that a CPA could start before the PoA's registration date on the basis that it demonstrates CPA additionality. This enables CPAs which have assured financing to commence operation and resolve any technical issues before the crediting period starts. However, there is still a restriction that a CPA cannot start before the validation of the PoA:
5. The coordinating/managing entity shall prepare the PoA specific CDM Programme Activity Design Document (CDM-CPA-DD) using the provisions of the proposed PoA. The template CDM-CPA-DD provides for the submission of the following information:
(a) Geographic reference or other means of identification, name/contact details of the entity/individual responsible for the operation of the CPA;
(b) The Host Party;
(c) Starting date, type (fixed or renewable) and duration of the crediting period of the CPA taking into account that the starting date of a crediting period of the CPA shall be the date of its inclusion in the registered PoA or any date thereafter and that the duration of the crediting period shall not exceed the end date of the PoA;
(d) Confirmation that the start date of any CPA is not, or will not be, prior to the commencement of validation of the programme of activities, i.e. the date on which the CDM-POA-DD is first published for global stakeholder consultation (EB47, Annex 29, paragraph 5).