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Composition of the Council
Nomination and voting procedures
Traveling expenses of members
Rotation of seats

Composition of the Council

274. In accordance with the instructions of the Conference at its Sixth Session, the Council at its Fifteenth and Sixteenth Sessions examined the question of an increase in the number of members in the Council. The recommendations of the Council were before the Conference.

The Conference

Decides that the membership of the Council should be increased from the present figure of eighteen to twenty-four, and therefore

Resolves to amend the Constitution and the Rules of Procedure of the Organization as follows:

Replace the text of Article V, paragraph I of the Constitution by the following:

ARTICLE V

1. A Council of the Food and Agriculture Organization consisting of twenty-four Member Nations shall be elected by the Conference. Each Member Nation on the Council shall have one representative. The tenure and other conditions of office of the Members of the Council shall be subject to rules made by the Conference.

Replace the first sentence of Rule XXIII, paragraph I and its sub-paragraph (a) by the following:

RULE XXIII

1.

(a) Except as provided in Rule XXIII-3 Members of the Council shall be elected for a term of three years.

(b) The Conference shall make such provision as will ensure that the terms of office of eight Members of the Council shall expire in each calendar year.

(c) The terms of office of all the Members of any one group shall expire simultaneously either on the termination of the regular session of the Conference in a year in which such a session is held, or on 31 December in other years.

2. (a) The Conference shall, at each regular session and after considering any recommendations of the General Committee, fill all vacancies due to the expiration of the terms of office of Council Members at the end of that session or at the end of the following year, in conformity with Rule XXIII-1 (c).

Insert the following text after present paragraph 2 (present paragraphs 3 and 4 to be renumbered 4 and 5 respectively):

3. The Conference shall, at any regular or special session, fill all other vacancies on the Council which may have occurred since the last regular session. In the case of a special session the General Committee shall recommend to the Conference such readjustments as circumstances may warrant to the time-limits provided for in Rule XXIII-2 (c).

The term of office of a Member elected to take the place of a Member who has resigned or withdrawn from the Council before the expiration of his term of office shall be for the remainder of the term of office of the Member replaced.

Delete present paragraph 5, and insert the following text after present paragraph 6 as paragraph 7 (present paragraphs 7, 8 and 9 to be renumbered 8, 9 and 10 respectively):

7. In selecting Members of the Council the Conference shall give due consideration to the desirability of:

(a) including in its membership a balanced' geographical representation of nations interested in the production, distribution and consumption of food and agricultural products:

(b) ensuring the participation in the work of the Council of such Member Nations as contribute in a large measure towards the success of the Organization;

(c) giving to the greatest possible number of Member Nations an opportunity, by rotation of membership, to serve 021 the Council.

275. In connection with the text of present paragraph 6 and of the new paragraph 7 the Conference decided to adopt the following resolution:

Considering the provisions of Rule XXIII 6 and 7 of the Rules of Procedure laying down principles with respect to the selection of the Members of the Council?

Requests the Council to consider the possibility, by amendment of the Rules of Procedure or by other means, of giving effect to these principles and to submit recommendations to the next Session of the Conference.

Nomination and voting procedures

276. The Conference had before it the recommendations formulated by the Council at its Sixteenth Session regarding the system that should be adopted with respect to nomination and voting procedures for the election of Council Members, and decided to adopt the following resolution:

Having regard to the desirability of making provision in the Rules of Procedure for the method to be used in the nomination and voting procedures for the election of Council Members,

Resolves to amend Rule XII of the Rules of Procedure by the insertion of the following text as paragraph 10 (present paragraphs 10 to 19 to be renumbered 11 to 20 respectively):

RULE XII

10. In election to the Council, the following special procedure shall apply:

(a) A single ballot shall be taken for each group of seats becoming vacant:

(b) Each vacant seat shall be identified on the ballot-paper by reference to the Nation vacating the seat:

(c) Each delegate participating in the ballot shall write on the ballot-paper opposite each vacant seat the name of the candidate Nation for which he wishes to vote;

(d) Any ballot-paper carrying a vote for more than one candidate Nation for any one of the seats to be voted upon or carrying a vote for a Nation which was not validly nominated for that seat, shall be considered defective and void in relation to that seat;

(e) Any ballot-paper carrying any notation 02 mark other than those required for the purpose of indicating the votes, shall be considered defective and void in relation to all the seats on that ballot-paper;

(f) The candidate Nation obtaining a majority of the votes cast for the seat for which it has been nominated shall be declared elected. Should none of the candidate Nations nominated for a specific seat receive a majority of the votes cast for that seat on the first ballot, separate successive ballots shall then be taken in relation to each of the seats remaining unfilled until one of the candidate Nations obtains a majority of the votes cast.

Resolves to amend Rule XXIII, paragraph 1(b) and paragraph 2 by substituting for these provisions the following:

RULE XXIII

2.

(b) In addition to the relevant provisions of Rule XII governing procedure, the following rules of this paragraph shall apply:

(c) As soon as possible after the opening of the Conference Session, and in. any case before the end of the third day of the Session, the Conference, on the recommendation of its General Committee? shall decide the date of the election and the date by which nominations for the vacant seats on the Council must be submitted, in accordance with paragraph (e) below.

(d) Each nomination shall be made for a specific seat on the Council.

(e) Each nomination shall be supported, in writing, by two delegates to the Conference other than the delegate of the Nation nominated, and shall be accompanied by a formal written acceptance of the nomination by the delegate of the Nation nominated. Any nomination reaching the Secretary-General after the date and time determined by the Conference for the submission of nominations shall not be valid.

(f) The General Committee shall, at least three working days before the date selected for the election, communicate to the Conference in alphabetical order the valid nominations received for each scat. The names of the nominators shall not be communicated by the General Committee to the Conference.

(g) Before submitting the nominations to the Conference, the General Committee shall ensure that the conditions regarding eligibility contained in paragraph to of this Rule are fulfilled.

(h) The General Committee shall make recommendations to the Conference upon any other aspect of the election which the Committee may consider desirable.

Traveling expenses of members

277. The Conference had before it a suggestion formulated by the Council at its Sixteenth Session that the Conference might wish to consider whether the Organization should continue to hear entirely or in part travel expenses of Council Members. After careful consideration of this matter, the Conference decided that the present practice should be continued and adopted the following resolution:

Having regard to the desirability of laying down more explicitly the actual terms under which reimbursement for travel costs should be made,

Resolves to amend Rule XXV, paragraph by substituting for if the following text:

RULE XXV

2. The traveling expenses of the representative of each Member of the Council properly incurred in traveling, by the most direct route, from the representatives capital city or duty station, whichever is less, to the site of the Council Session and return to his capital city or duty station' shall be borne by the Organization.

Rotation of seats

278. The Conference had before it a proposal that candidatures for the additional seats of the Council should be restricted at this Session to Member Nations that have not heretofore been elected to the Council After careful consideration of this matter, the Conference adopted the following resolution:

Realizing the desirability of affording an opportunity to as large a number of Member Nations as possible to serve on the Council;

Appreciating that the decision that has been made at this Session to increase the number of seats on the Council provides an opportunity for giving effect to this principle;

Believing that it would be desirable that the new Council seats be filled in the first instance by countries that have never been members of the Council;

Recommends that Member Nations elect for these seats only Member Nations which have never been members of the Council.

279. The Conference considered a proposal submitted by the Government of India to amend the Constitution in order to provide for associate membership in FAO for non-self-governing territories. The proposal, which was on the lines of that adopted by both WHO and UNESCO, would provide for the admission of such territories as associate members of the Organization upon application by the Member or other authority having responsibility for the international relations of the territory concerned. In accordance with this proposal, the representatives of associate members should be qualified by their technical competence in the field of food and agriculture, and should be chosen from the native population.

280. The Conference agreed to the principle of associate membership in the Organization, but saw some difficulties in considering and approving all the necessary modifications to the Constitution, the Rules of Procedure and the Financial Regulations during the course of its current Session. Furthermore, certain Members had expressed the view that the wording of the proposed amendment concerning choice of representatives was ambiguous. In addition, the budgetary implications would need further study, and the wording of the amendment in the official languages would require careful scrutiny.

281. In view of all these circumstances, the Conference decided to refer the proposal of the delegation of India to the Council for study, with a request that a report be submitted to the next Session of the Conference.

Considering the desirability of associating non-self-governing territories more directly with the work of FAO,

Approves in principle the amendment proposed by the Government of India to provide for the admission of associate members, but

Finding that such an amendment would necessitate considerable modification of the Constitution, the Rules of Procedure and the Financial Regulations of the Organization

Requests the Council to study this proposal, paying particular attention to the question of the choice of representatives of associate members from among nationals of these territories, and to submit to the next Session of the Conference a report thereon embodying draft amendments.

The French delegation wished to have recorded that it reserved its position on this point as there had been but little time to study the text and as this text differed from the corresponding text adopted by UNESCO and WHO.

282. The Conference, having considered Rule XXVI, paragraph 3 (a) of the Rules of Procedure providing for the election of members of the Coordinating Committee at the Council Session immediately following the Conference of FAO, decided to remove the provision restricting the choice of the Council to individuals having participated in that Conference.

RULE XXVI

3. (a) The Members of the Coordinating Committee will be elected by the Council for a period of two years at the session immediately following the Conference of FAO from among qualified individuals who have shown a deep interest in the objectives of FAO and who have participated in Conferences or Council Sessions or other technical activities of the Organization.

283. The attention of the Conference was drawn to the fact that under the provisions of Financial Regulation 16.1 of the Organization the Committee on Financial Control is composed of a chairman, selected from the persons indicated to represent their governments on the Council, and four persons in the government service of Member Nations, selected for their special competence in finance and administration, and that any vacancy occurring during the term of office of a member should, if possible, be filled by another person in the government service of the same Nation.

284. Since the rule concerning the filling of vacancies was not in accordance with the provision requiring members of the Committee to be selected by the Council for their special competence, it was suggested that appropriate amendments should be made to Financial Regulation 16.1. The Conference having examined this matter, decided to amend this regulation by the of the following resolution:

Considering the desirability of amending Financial Regulation 16.1 in order to ensure that any vacancy occurring during the term of office of a member of the Committee on Financial Control shall be filled by a person selected for his special competence in finance and administration,

Decides to amend Financial Regulation 16.1 by substituting for it the following text:

REGULATION XVI

16.1 To assist the Council in performing its duties of financial control as provided for in Rule XXVI, paragraph 1 (e) (iii), the Council shall establish at its last meeting prior to the close of each financial year a Committee on Financial Control, consisting of not more than five members, to serve for a term not exceeding the next financial year under such conditions as may be established in the Rules of the Council. The Committee shall be composed of a chairman selected from among the persons indicated to represent their governments on the Council; and four [persons] other members and a first and second alternate in the government Service of Member Nations, all selected for their special competence in [financial] finance and administration. [Any vacancy occurring during the term of office of a member shall, if possible, be filled by another person in the government service of the same Nation]. An alternate member should attend a Committee session only when a member expects to be absent from the whole of that particular session of the Committee. No two of the members and alternates of the Committee shall be of the same nationality. Members and alternates of the Committee on Financial Control shall be eligible for reappointment, provided that at least one new member shall be elected each year when the Committee is established. The Committee on Financial Control shall adopt its own Rules of Procedure.

285. The Sixth Session of the Conference had reviewed the services rendered by national FAO Committees not only to the Organization but also to their respective Governments, and it had invited the Council to submit to its next Session " a Report on the manner in which the National FAO Committees may be invested with official status in the Organization, proposing within the prescribed time limits whatever amendments may be necessary to the Constitution and/or Rules of Procedure.'' In the report which it had accordingly submitted I the Council had analyzed the functions and composition of National FAO Committees and discussed their composition, recommending that Member Nations should be urged to consider setting up such machinery if they had not already done so.

286. The Council had further reported that while the position of National FAO Committees could appropriately be strengthened in certain member countries, it was desirable to avoid imposing new obligations on countries where the National Committee was already a suitable instrument and firmly established for maintaining relations with FAO. In particular, it should be left to each country to make such internal arrangements as would appear appropriate to enable consultations to take place with farmers and consumers' organizations.

287. The Council had finally suggested the text of an additional paragraph which might be inserted under Rule XXX of the Rules of Procedure to provide for appropriate recognition of National FAO Committees within the Organization.

288. The Conference adopted the following resolution:

Acting on a Report of the Council concerning the functions, composition and status of National FAO Committees.

Urges Member Nations which have not yet done 50 to make such arrangements as suit their particular conditions in order to promote action in the various fields set out in the Preamble and in Article I of the Constitution, preferably by establishing a National FAO Committee.

Approves the insertion of the following additional paragraph under Rule XXX of the Rules of Procedure:

RULE XXX

When a Member Nation has established a National FAO Committee, the Committee may, with the specific concurrence of the interested Government, be utilized as a suitable instrument for coordinating the participation of the said Nation in the activities of FAO, under such condition, as the Government may have determined.

289. Under the provisions of the Constitution and Rules of Procedure of the Organization the Conference may by a two-thirds majority of the votes cast approve and submit to Member Nations, with a view to their acceptance, conventions or agreements concerning questions relating to food and agriculture. These provisions were adopted at a time when the Conference met annually, rather than every two years as at present.

290. Attention was drawn to the fact that Member Nations of a given geographical area might wish to conclude a convention or agreement in order to meet a situation arising between two regular Sessions of the Conference, and that such Member Nations might consider it undesirable to postpone the conclusion of such convention or agreement in order to conform with the requirements of the Constitution.

291. It was therefore suggested that the Council of the Organization, by appropriate amendments to the Constitution and Rules of Procedure, be given authority to approve subject to the limitations stated conventions or agreements of interest to Member Nations of a given geographical area.

292. After careful consideration of this proposal, the Conference agreed to empower the Council to approve such conventions or agreements and therefore decided to make the necessary amendments to the Constitution and Rules of Procedure of the Organization by the adoption of the following resolution, to which However the delegations of Belgium, France, Israel, Spain, Switzerland and the Union of South Africa wished to record the reservations of their governments:

Resolution No. 51
Delegation of Powers to the Council

Considering the desirability of empowering the Council of the Organization to approve and submit to Member Nations, with a view to their acceptance, conventions or agreements of interest to Member Nations of a given geographical area,

Resolves to amend Article XIV, paragraphs 1 end 3, of the Constitution; Rule XXI, paragraphs 1, 3 and 4, and Rule XXVI, paragraph 1 (e) of the Rules of Procedure, as follows:

(i) Substitute for the provisions of Article XIV, Paragraphs 1 and 3 the following texts:

ARTICLE XIV

1. The Conference may by a two-thirds majority of the votes cast approve and submit to Member Nations conventions or agreements concerning questions relating to food and agriculture. The Council, under rules to be made by the Conference, may by a vote concurred in by at least two-thirds of the membership of the Council approve and submit to Member Nations any convention or agreement concerning questions relating to food and agriculture which is of particular interest to Member Nations of a geographical area specified in such convention or agreement, and is designed to apply only to such area provided that:

(a) the convention or agreement is submitted to the Council through the Director-General on behalf of a technical meeting or conference which has drafted the convention or agreement and has suggested that it be submitted to Member Nations concerned for acceptance;

(b) any such convention or agreement contains provisions concerning the nations which may become parties thereto and the number of acceptances by Member Nations necessary to bring it into force which should ensure that such convention or agreement through its coming into force will constitute a real contribution to the achievement of its objectives;

(c) such convention or agreement does not entail any financial obligations for Member Nations not parties to it other than their contribution to the Organization provided for in Article XVII, paragraph 2 of this Constitution.

Conventions or agreements approved by the Conference or Council shall come into force for each Member Nation only after acceptance by it in accordance with its constitutional procedure.

3. The Conference shall make rules laying down the procedure to be followed to secure proper consultation With governments and adequate technical preparations prior to consideration by the Conference or the Council of proposed conventions and agreements.

(ii) Substitute for the provisions of Rule XXI, paragraphs 1, 3 and 4 the following texts:

RULE XXI

1.

(a) To secure proper consultation pursuant to paragraph 3 of Article XIV of the Constitution, the Director-General shall notify Member Nations of any proposal for a convention or agreement under paragraph I of Article XIV not later than the time when he dispatches the agenda of the Session of the Conference of less than ninety days before the Session of the Council at which the matter is to be considered. Such notification shall be accompanied by:

(i) any reports on the matter by the Director-General, including a report on the technical, administrative and financial implications, if any, of such conventions or agreements; and

(ii) a request for comments and information on the matter and for such representations as the Member Nations may wish to make.

(b) The Council shall consider conventions or agreements in accordance with paragraph 1 of Article XIV of the Constitution, after it has examined any representations that may have been made to it by Member Nations, and may approve only such conventions and agreements as contain provisions to the following effect:

(i) any international bodies or machinery to be set up or any activities to be undertaken under such convention or agreement, are within the framework of the Organization;

(ii) reports on activities carried out under such convention or agreement are submitted to the Conference or Council of the Organization at regular intervals.

(c) The Director-General shall, at the same time as he is requesting governments for their comments on the proposed convention, consult the United Nations and other specialized agencies in respect of any provision of the proposed convention which affects the activities of such organization or organizations, and the comments of such organization or organizations shall be brought before the Conference or Council together with the comments received from governments.

3. The Council shall report to the Conference any action it takes under paragraphs 1 or 2 of Article XIV of the Constitution.

4. Any convention or agreement submitted to Member Nations by the Conference or the Council pursuant to paragraph 1 of Article XIV of the Constitution or any regulations or supplementary agreements submitted to Member Nations by the Council pursuant to paragraph 2 of Article XIV, shall come into force as the convention, agreement, regulation or supplementary agreements may prescribe, provided that no Nation, shall be bound unless such Nation has accepted it in accordance with its constitutional procedure.

(iii) Insert the following provision in Rule XXVI as sub-paragraph 1 (e) (ix) after present sub-paragraph 1 (e) (viii); present subparagraph 1 (e) (ix) and (x) to be renumbered 1 (e) (x) and (XI):

RULE XXVI

1. (e) (ix) to consider and approve for submission to Member Nations, conventions and agreements as provided in paragraph I of Article XIV of the Constitution.

293. It was furthermore pointed out that the Constitution of the Organization contained no provision regarding the deposit in the archives of the Organization of authenticated copies of conventions or agreements approved by the Conference or Council, nor with respect to the issuance of certified copies.

294. The Conference agreed that the incorporation of a provision to that effect in the Constitution would be desirable. However, since the suggested amendment could not be adopted at this Session of the Conference, in view of the requirement of Rule XXII under which the days notice of any amendment to the Constitution must be given to Member Nations, which rule cannot be suspended under the terms of Rule XXXIV, the Conference decided to adopt the following resolution:

Considering the desirability of ensuring that authentic texts and certified copies of conventions and agreements shall be available:

Requests the Council to submit to Member Nations through the Director-General a proposal for amending Article XIV of the Constitution at the next Session of the Conference by incorporating the following provision:

And pending the decision of the Conference on this matter;

Requests the Director-General to apply the procedure provided for in the text quoted above.

295. Under Rule VII, paragraph I of the Rules of Procedure, it is the responsibility of the Nominations Committee to propose to the Conference a nomination for the office of Chairman of the Conference. The selection of such an important officer must be explored well in advance of the Conference Sessions, and since the Nominations Committee meets immediately before the opening of the Conference Session, the application of the provisions referred to above presents considerable difficulties.

296. Under Rule X, paragraph 2 (c), it is the responsibility of the General Committee to propose the Chairmen of the Commissions of the Conference. It is highly desirable that the nominees for these offices should have time to prepare for their assignments the General Committee, however, is constituted only after the opening of the Conference Session.

297. In order to improve on the present procedure in these respects, the Conference decided, by appropriate amendments to the Rules of Procedure, to confer upon the Council the responsibility of submitting nominations for the offices of Chairman of the Conference and Chairmen of the Commissions of the Conference.

Considering that present procedures regarding the submission of nominations for the off ices of Chairman of the Conference and Chairmen of the Commissions of the Conference,. should be modified in order to allow sufficient time for adequate consultation with Member Governments prig, to the sessions of the Conference;

Resolves to amend Rule VII, Rule VIII, Rule X paragraph 2 (C), Rule XIII, paragraph 2 and Rule XXVI, paragraph 1 (e) (vii) as follows:

(i) Substitute for the present provisions of Rule VII, paragraphs 1 and 2. the following texts :

RULE VII

1. The Chairman of the Conference and the Chairman of the Commissions of the Conference shall be nominated by the Council.

2. The Nominations Committee, elected by the Council in pursuance of Rule XXVI, paragraph 1 (e) (vii) shall propose to the Conference nominations for the offices of three Vice-Chairmen of the Conference for the Members of the Credentials Committee and for the elected Members of the General Committee provided for by Rule X, paragraph 1.

Present paragraph 2 of Rule VII to be renumbered paragraph 3.

(ii) Add the words in italics to the first sentence of paragraph I of Rule VIII:

RULE VIII

1. The Conference shall, after consideration of the Reports of the Council and the Nominations Committee, elect .....

(iii) Delete the words between brackets in Rule X, paragraph 2 (C).

RULE X

2. (c) Propose the allocation to the different commissions and committees of the Conference and of the various items of the agenda and propose the [Chairmen and] Vice Chairmen of the Commissions.

(iv) Add the words in italics to Rule XIII, paragraph 2:

RULE XIII

2. The Conference shall, after consideration of the recommendations of the Council and the General Committee. elect a Chairman and one or more Vice. Chairmen for each Commission.

(v) Add the words in italics to Rule XXVI, paragraph 1 (e) (vii):

RULE XXVI

1. (e) (vii) to nominate the Chairman of the Conference and the Chairmen of the Commissions of the Conference and to elect the Nominations Committee of the Conference, consisting of II Member Nations.

298. Resolution No. 54

Noting that nearly all the Member Nations of FAO have diplomatic missions accredited to the Government of the Italian Republic;

Noting further that the Member Nations have in practice generally designated either resident representatives who are members of their missions to Italy or liaison officers who also constitute officers of these missions;

Being desirous of facilitating, in every reasonable way, harmonious relations between the Organizations and the Host Government;

Recommends that Member Nations continue ,wherever possible, the existing general practice of selecting their resident representatives to FAO from their diplomatic missions accredited to the Italian Government or including them in such missions;

Recommends further that Member Nations, which wish to appoint resident representatives to the Organization who are not, and may not become members of diplomatic missions accredited to the Italian Government, consult the Director-General in order that he may seek the views of the Italian Government as to the nominations.

299. The Report of the Ten Nation Committee, which was established by the Sixth Session of the Conference to consider arrangements for coordinating the work of the International Office of Epizootics (OIE) and FAO, was presented to the Conference. Finish Report includes an Interim Agreement between FAO and OIE which the Sixteenth Session of the Council recommended should be put into effect pending its approval by the Seventh Session of the Conference.

300. The hope was expressed that this agreement would add to the efficiency of both FAO and OIE on matters concerning the control and dissemination of information on animal diseases. It was noted that the OIE had approved the Interim Agreement at the Twenty-first Session of the Committee of the Office.

Having considered the Report of the Ten Nation Committee, set up at its Sixth Session and the Interim Agreement between the International office of Epizootics and the Food and Agriculture Organization included therein.

Approves this Agreement (attached as Appendix C), and Requests the Director General to notify the OIE of the Conference approval of this Agreement and to take all action necessary to put it into effect.

Correction of the spanish authentic text of the International Plant Protection Convention

301. The Conference had before it a report on the Status of Conventions and Agreements, and on amendments thereto, submitted in accordance with the provisions of Rule XXI, paragraph 6 of the Rules of Procedure.

302. The Third Session of the International Rice Commission had adopted several amendments to its Constitution. In accordance with the provisions of the said Constitution. as in force at the that, the International Rice Commission had submitted these amendments to the FAO Council for approval.

303. At its Sixteenth Session, the FAO Council had approved the amendments in principle. However, as two of the amendments were of direct concern to the FAO Conference since their purpose was to transfer certain functions from the FAO Council to the FAO Conference, the Council had decided to refer them to the Conference.

Resolution No. 56

International Rice Commission

Having considered the proposed amendments to the Constitution of the International Rice Commission,

Approves these amend meets, specifically with regard to the new provisions of Article IV (g) and Article IX, which read as follows:

"Article IV - Functions:

(g) reporting at appropriate intervals on its activities, through the Director-General to the FAO Conference, and making such other reports to the Director-General of FAO on matters relating to the production, conservation, distribution and consumption of rice, as the Commission itself may consider expedient or the Director-General may request. "

This Constitution may be amended by the vote of a two-thirds majority of all the Members of the Commission, any amendment becoming effective only after conference of the FAO Conference. "

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