A/RES/50/208 Page 2 I CONDITIONS OF SERVICE OF THE PROFESSIONAL AND HIGHER CATEGORIES A. Examination of the Noblemaire principle and its application Recalling its resolutions related to the study of all aspects of the application of the Noblemaire principle, 5/ Recalling also section I.B of its resolution 44/198 of 21 December 1989, by which it reaffirmed that the Noblemaire principle should continue to serve as the basis of comparison between United Nations emoluments and those of the highest-paying civil service, Taking note of chapter III of the report of the International Civil Service Commission 1/ in respect of grade equivalencies with the comparator civil service, the evolution of the margin, the identification of the highest-paid national civil service and the collection of reference data from other international organizations, as well as the views expressed thereon by Member States in the Fifth Committee of the General Assembly, Reconfirming the continued application of the Noblemaire principle, Reaffirming the need to continue to ensure the competitiveness of the United Nations common system conditions of service, 1. Decides to defer its consideration of chapter III.A of the report of the International Civil Service Commission until its resumed fiftieth session, and requests the Commission to review its recommendations and conclusions, taking into account the views expressed by Member States in the Fifth Committee of the General Assembly, in particular regarding the appropriateness of reduction of dominance and the treatment of bonuses in determining net remuneration comparisons, so as to assist in that consideration, and to adjust its programme of work accordingly; 2. Takes note of the results of the study to identify the highest-paid national civil service, as set out in paragraph 172 (b) of the report of the Commission, bearing in mind the views expressed thereon by the Member State concerned; 3. Requests the Commission and the national civil service authorities concerned to resolve the outstanding difficulties in comparing differently designed civil services and grading systems, within the approved methodology, and to clarify the conclusions set out in paragraph 172 (b) (ii) and (iii) of its report, in order to complete the study on the highest-paid national civil service, and to report thereon to the General Assembly; 4. Takes note of the recruitment and retention problems faced by some organizations in respect of certain specialized occupations, recalls its endorsement in principle of the use of special occupational rates in organizations with problems of recruitment and retention, and, in this context, requests the organizations to collect data to substantiate those problems, and the Commission to make recommendations regarding the conditions for the application of such rates, as appropriate; 5/ Resolution 46/191 A, sects. IV and VI; resolution 47/216, sect. II.C; resolution 48/224, sects. II.A and B; and resolution 49/223, sect. III.A. /...