The International Civil Service Commission (ICSC) is an independent expert body established by the United Nations General Assembly. Its mandate is to regulate and coordinate the conditions of service of staff in the United Nations common system (see below), while promoting and maintaining high standards in the international civil service.

Mandate

The Commission’s mandate covers all facets of staff employment conditions, but the type of action it is empowered to take in a specific area is regulated under its statute. 

On some matters (e.g. establishment of daily subsistence allowance; schedules of post adjustment, i.e. cost-of-living element; hardship entitlements), the Commission itself may take decisions. 

In other areas, it makes recommendations to the General Assembly which then acts as the legislator for the rest of the common system. Such matters include Professional salary scales, the level of dependency allowances and education grant. 

On still other matters, the Commission makes recommendations to the executive heads of the organizations; these include, in particular, human resources policy issues.