(b) Procedural obligations of States under the CAT? Like the other committees of the core treaties, CAT monitors implementation of its treaty mainly by a reporting system. Since ratification does not guarantee compliance, each treaty body has such a committee made up of independent experts. States may choose to cooperate with the CAT on confidential inquiries - Article 20 and on individual complaints - Article 22. These are not automatic obligations but a matter of choice. [In addition those States who choose to ratify the Optional Protocol to the CAT must cooperate with the OPCAT treaty body, the SPT, which carries out monitoring visits in all places where people may be deprived of liberty and establish their own national preventive mechanisms, as part of a system of regular preventive visiting.] Ratification of the CAT obliges the State to comply with the reporting process. All States parties are obliged to submit regular reports to the Committee on how the rights under the Convention are being implemented. Ø New State Parties must report initially one year after acceding to the CAT Ø After that, they must make supplementary reports every four years on any new measures taken and they may be asked to submit other reports (rare) How does the Committee work and monitor implementation by States Parties? The Committee Against Torture (CAT) is the body of 10 independent experts that monitors implementation of the CAT in all States Parties to the CAT. The Committee meets for a four-week session twice a year in Geneva, normally in May and November and examines 8 or 9 reports per session. 20