CONSTITUTION
AND RULES OF PROCEDURE OF THE INTERNATIONAL RICE COMMISSION
as
amended by the Special Session of the International Rice Commission
Rome, Italy (24 November 1973) and approved by the Sixty-Second
Session of the FAO Council, Rome, Italy (29-30 November, 1973)
CONSTITUTION
PREAMBLE
The
Fourth Session of the Conference of the Food and Agriculture
Organisation of the United Nations (hereinafter referred to
as "the Organization"), having considered the recommendations
of the Rice Meeting held in Baguio, Philippines, in March 1948,
as approved in principle by the Council of the Organization
at its meeting in April 1948, approved the establishment of
an International Rice Commission (hereinafter referred to as
"the Commission") in accordance with the provision of the Draft
Constitution drawn up at the Rice Meeting at Baguio.
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ARTICLE
I Object
The
object of the Commission, which is established within the framework
of the Organization, shall be to promote national and international
action with respect to production, conservation, distribution
and consumption of rice, except matters relating to international
trade.
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II Membership
Members
of the Commission shall be such Member Nations and Associate
Members of the Organization as may accept this Constitution
in accordance with the provision of Article VIII hereof. As
regards Associate Members, the Constitution of the Commission
shall, in accordance with the provisions of Article XIV-5 of
the Constitution of the Organization and Rule XXI-3 of the General
Rules of the Organization, be submitted by the Organization
to the authority having responsibility for the international
relations of such Associate Members.
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III Seat
The
seat of the Commission shall be the same as the seat of the
headquarters of the Organization.
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IV Functions
The
Commission shall have the functions of:
- keeping under review the
scientific, technical and economic problems that bear upon
the object of the Commission as stated in Article I;
- encouraging
and co-ordinating research on the above-mentioned problems
and promoting its practical application;
- undertaking, where necessary
and appropriate, co-operative projects directed to the solution
of the above-mentioned problems;
- recommending
to Members of the Commission, through the Director-General
of the Organization, such national and international action
as may appear to the Commission to be necessary or desirable
for the solution of the above-mentioned problems;
- recommending
to the Director-General of the Organization the provision
of technical assistance to Members of the Commission in
measures directed to that end;
- assembling,
collating and disseminating through the publications of
the Organization or otherwise, information relating to the
problems and activities pertinent to the functions of the
Commission; and
- transmitting
at appropriate intervals to the Director-General a report
embodying its views, recommendations and decisions, and
making such other reports to the Director-General of the
Organization on matters relating to the production, conservation,
distribution and consumption of rice, as the Commission
itself may consider expedient or the Director-General or
the Conference of the Organization may request. Reports
of the committees and working parties of the Commission
established under Article VI shall be formally transmitted
to the Director-General through the Commission.
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V Organization
Each
Member of the Commission as defined in Article II hereof, shall
have the right to be represented at sessions of the Commission
by one delegate, who may be accompanied by an alternate and
advisers. Alternates and advisers shall be entitled to take
part in the proceedings of the Commission, but not to vote except
in the case of an alternate who is duly authorised to act for
a delegate.
Each
Member shall have one vote. The presence of delegates representing
a majority of the Members of the Commission shall constitute
a quorum. Except as otherwise provided by the Constitution of
Rules of Procedure of the Commission, all decisions in a plenary
meeting shall be taken by a majority of the votes cast.
The
Commission shall elect, at the beginning of each regular session,
a Chairman and two Vice-Chairmen from amongst the delegates,
who shall serve until the beginning of the next regular session,
without prejudice to the right of re-election.
The
Commission may, by a vote of two-thirds majority of the votes
cast, provided that such a majority is more than one half of
all Members of the Commission, adopt and amend it own Rules
of Procedure, which shall be consistent with the General Rules
of the Organization. The Rules of the Commission and any amendments
thereto shall come into force as from the date of approval by
the Director-General of the Organization, subject to confirmation
by the Council.
The
Director-General of the Organization after consultation with
the Chairman, shall convene a regular session of the Commission
at least once every four years, unless otherwise directed by
a majority of the Members. The site and date of all sessions
shall be determined by the Director-General of the Organization
in consultation with the Chairman.
Any
Member of the Commission shall have the right, with the concurrence
of the Director-General of the Organization, to call for a special
session of the Commission and such a session shall be convened
if at least one third of the Members so request.
The
Director-General of the Organization shall appoint and provide
the Secretariat of the Commission from the staff of the Organization,
who shall be responsible to him.
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VI Committees and Working Parties
The
Commission may establish temporary, special or standing committees
to study and report on matters pertaining to the purpose of
the Commission.
The
Commission may establish working parties to study and recommend
on specific technical problems. These working parties shall
be convened by the Director-General of the Organization at such
times and places as are in accordance with the objectives for
which they were established.
The
establishment of committees and working parties referred to
in paragraphs 1 and 2 above shall be subject to the availability
of the necessary funds in the relevant chapter of the approved
budget of the Organization; the determination of such availability
shall be made by the Director-General. Before taking any decision
involving expenditures in connection with the establishment
of committees and working parties, the Commission shall have
before it a report from the Director-General on the administrative
and financial implications thereof.
The
members of committees and working parties shall be Members of
the Commission. The Commission shall determine the membership
of such committees and working parties, and the representatives
of members on committees and working parties shall be designed
by their respective governments.
Each
committee or working party shall elect its own chairman and
the Organization shall provide its secretariat.
Each
committee or working party may adopt and amend its own rules
of procedure, which shall be consistent with the Rules of Procedure
of the Commission and the General Rules of the Organization.
Such rules of procedure shall come into force upon approval
by the Commission. In the absence of rules of procedure, the
Rules of Procedure of the Commission shall apply "mutatis
mutandis" to its committees and working parties.
Committees
or working parties shall report to the Commission.
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VII Expenses
Expenses
incurred by delegates and their alternates and advisers in attending
meetings of the Commission, and expenses incurred by representatives
sent to committees or working parties established in accordance
with Article VI, shall be determined and paid by their respective
governments.
The
expenses of experts invited, with the concurrence of the Director-General,
to attend meetings of the Commission, committees or working
parties in their individual capacity shall be borne by the budget
of the Organization.
The
expenses of the Secretariat of the Commission, and any expenses
incurred by the Chairman of the Commission in performing duties
connected with its work in intervals between sessions of the
Commission, shall be determined and paid by the Organization
within the limits of the budget of the Organization prepared
and approved by the Conference of the Organization in accordance
with the General Rules and Financial Regulations of the Organization
for the time being in force.
Expenses
for co-operative projects by Members as authorised in Article
IVc, unless they are met by the Organization or from any other
source, shall be determined and paid by Members in such manner
and proportions as they may mutually agree. Co-operative projects
shall be submitted to the Council of the Organization prior
to implementation. Contributions for co-operative projects shall
be paid into a trust fund to be established by the Organizaiton
and administered by the Organization in accordance with the
Financial Regulations of the Organization.
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VIII Acceptance
Acceptance
of this Constitution by any Member Nation or Associate Member
of the Organization shall be effected by the deposit of an instrument
of acceptance with the Director-General of the Organization
and shall take effect on receipt of such instrument by the Director-General,
who shall inform all the Member Nations of the Organization
of such receipt.
Acceptance of this Constitution may be made subject to reservations,
which shall become effective only upon unanimous approval by
the Members of the Commission. The Director-General of the Organization
shall notify forthwith all Members of the Commission of any
reservation. Members of the Commission not having replied within
three months from the date of the notification shall be deemed
to have accepted the reservation. Failing such approval, the
nation making the reservation shall not become a party of the
Constitution.
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IX Territorial Application
The
Members of the Commission shall, when accepting this Constitution,
state explicitly to which territories their participation shall
extend. In the absence of such a declaration, participation
shall be deemed to apply to all the territories for the international
relations of which the Member is responsible. Subject to the
provisions of Article XII-2 below, the scope of the territorial
application may be modified by a subsequent declaration.
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X Amendments
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 concurrence of the Council of the Organization
unless the Council considers it desirable to refer to the amendment
to the Conference for approval. An amendment shall become effective
as from the date of the decision of the Council or Conference
as appropriate. However, any amendment involving new obligations
for Members shall come into force with respect to each Member
only on acceptance of it by that Member. The instruments of
acceptance of amendments involving new obligations shall be
deposited with the Director-General of the Organization, who
shall inform all the Members of the Commission as well as the
Secretary-General of the United Nations of the receipt of acceptances
and the entry into force of such amendments. The rights and
obligations of any Member of the Commission that has not accepted
an amendment involving additional obligations shall continue
to be governed by the provisions of the Constitution as they
stood prior to the amendment.
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XI Interpretation and Settlement of Disputes
Any
dispute regarding the interpretation or application of this
Constitution, if not settled by the Commission, shall be referred
to a committee composed of one member appointed by each of the
parties to the dispute, and in addition an independent chairman
chosen by the members of the committee. The recommendations
of such a committee, while not binding in character, shall become
the basis for renewed consideration by the parties concerned
of the matter of which the disagreement arose. If as the result
of this procedure the dispute is not settled, it shall be referred
to the International Court of Justice in accordance with the
Statute of the Court, unless the parties to the dispute agree
to another method of settlement.
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XII Withdrawal
1.
Any Member may give note of withdrawal from the Commission at
any time after the expiration of one year from the date of its
acceptance of this Constitution. Such notice of withdrawal shall
take effect six months after the date of its receipt by the
Director-General of the Organization, who shall inform all Member
National of the Organization and the Secretary-General of the
United Nations of such receipt.
2.
A Member of the Commission may give notice of withdrawal with
respect to one or more of the territories for the international
relations of which it is responsible. When a Member gives notice
of its own withdrawal from the Commission, it shall state to
which territory or territories the withdrawal is to apply. In
the absence of such a declaration, the withdrawal shall be deemed
to apply to all the territories for the international relations
of which the Member of the Commission is responsible. Any Member
of the Commission that gives notice of withdrawal from the Organization
shall be deemed to have simultaneously withdrawn from the Commission,
and this withdrawal shall be deemed to apply to all territories
for the international relations of which the Member concerned
is responsible, except that such withdrawal shall not be deemed
to apply to an Associate Member.
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XIII Termination
This
Constitution shall be considered terminated if and when the
number of Members of the Commission drops below ten unless the
remaining Members of the Commission unanimously decide otherwise.
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XIV Entry into Force
This
Constitution shall enter into force as soon as notifications
of acceptance have been received by the Director-General of
the Organization from at least ten Member Nations of the Organization,
representing in the aggregate not less than half of the world
production of rice in the crop year 1947-48 as shown by official
statistics.
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RULES
OF PROCEDURE
RULE
I Sessions of the Commission
The
regular sessions of the Commission shall be held once every
four years unless otherwise directed by a majority of the Members
of the Commission. The date and site of any regular session
of the Commission shall be determined by the Director-General
in consultation with the Chairman.
In
pursuance of Article V, paragraph 6, of the Constitution, the
Director-General of the Organization shall, after consultation
with the Chairman, convene the Commission to meet in special
session at such time and place as the Director-General of the
Organization may designate.
In
accordance with the provision of Rule XXXIII-4 of the General
Rules of the Organization, when determining the site of a session
of the Commission, the Director-General should be satisfied
that the host government is willing to grant to all delegates,
representatives, experts, observers and members of the Secretariat
of the Organization attending such a session, the immunities
that are necessary for the independent exercise of their functions
in connection with the session.
Notices
convening a session of the Commission shall be issued by the
Director-General of the Organization or his authorised representative,
not less than fifty days in advance of the date fixed for the
opening of the session, to Members of the Commission and international
organisation eligible to participate.
Participation
of international organizations in the work of the Commission
and the relations between the Commission and such organizations
shall be governed by the relevant provisions of the Constitution
and the General Rules of the Organization as well as by the
rules on relations with international organizations adopted
by the Conference or Council of the Organization. All such relations
shall be dealt with by the Director-General of the Organization.
Member
Nations and Associate Members of the Organization that are not
members of the Commission may, upon their request, be represented
by an observer at sessions of the Commission and its subsidiary
bodies in accordance with the Statement of Principles adopted
by the Conference of the Organization relating to the granting
of observer status to nations.
Nations
which, while not Members of the Commission, nor Members or Associate
Members of the Organization, are Members of the United Nations,
may, upon request, and with the approval of the Council of the
Organization and of the Commission, attend sessions of the Commission
and its subsidiary bodies in an observer capacity, in accordance
with the Statement of Principle adopted by the Conference relating
to the granting of observer status to nations.
In
the furtherance of co-operative projects provided for in Article
IVc of the Constitution of the Commission, arrangements may
be made with governments that are not Members of the Commission.
All such arrangements shall be made by the Director-General
of the Organization.
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II Agenda
A
provisional agenda of each session of the Commission shall be
sent by the Director-General of the Organization, or his authorised
representative, to Members of the Commission and to participating
international organizations not less than fifty days before
the date fixed for the opening of the session, except as provided
in Rule XII, paragraph 2.
The
provisional agenda of each regular session of the Commission
shall consist of:
- a progress report by the
Executive Secretary of the work of the Commission since
its last regular session, including a review of expenditures
by the Organization in connection with work sponsored by
the Commission;
- a financial statement, audited
according to the established procedures of the Organization
regarding any co-operative projects sponsored by the Commission
to which the Members have made special contributions;
- budgetary proposals for
the ensuing years, covering any projects requiring special
contributions from Members;
- reports by committees and
working parties;
- approval of the reports
of the Commission;
- any items which have been
requested by Members of the Commission in accordance with
paragraph 3 of this Rule;
- any items which have been
determined by previous sessions of the Commission;
- any items which the Conference,
Council, or Director-General of the Organization refer to
the Commission; and
- other business arising
out of the Commission's functions.
Proposals
for items to be discussed, other than those included in the
provisional agenda, may be made by a Member of the Commission,
provided such items are received by the Director-General at
least ten days in advance of the opening of the session. Any
such items, if adopted by the Commission for inclusion in the
agenda, shall not be discussed until at least forty-eight hours
after the agenda has been adopted.
At
each session, the provisional agenda, together with any additions
proposed in accordance with paragraph 3 above or any proposed
deletions, shall be submitted to the Commission for approval
as soon as possible after the opening of the session and, on
approval of the Commission with or without amendments, shall
become the agenda of the Commission. The Commission may by a
two-thirds majority of the votes cast amend the adopted agenda
by the addition or modification of any item. However, no item
referred to the Commission by the Conference, Council or the
Director-General of the Organizaiton may be omitted from the
Agenda.
The
agenda of a special session of the Commission, convened by pursuance
of Rule I, paragraph 2, shall be subject to approval by the
Director-General of the Organization.
A
provisional agenda of each session of the Commission shall be
sent by the Director-General of the Organization, or his authorized
representative, to Members of the Commission and to participating
international organizations not less than fifty days before
the date fixed for the opening of the session, except as provided
in Rule XII, paragraph 2.
The
provisional agenda of each regular session of the Commission
shall consist of:
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III Credentials
1.
The credentials of delegates and the names of other members
of their delegations and of the representatives of the participating
international organizations shall, in so far as possible, be
deposited with the Executive Secretary not later than the opening
day of each session of the Commission.
2. The Executive Secretary shall examine the credentials and
report thereon to the Commission.
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IV Plenary Meetings of the Commission
Plenary
meetings of the Commission shall be held in public unless the
Commission decides otherwise. When the Commission decides to
hold a private meeting, it shall at the same time determine
the scope of such a decision with respect to observers.
Subject
to any decision of the Commission, the Executive Secretary shall
make arrangements for the admission of the public, and of representatives
of the press and other information agencies, to plenary meetings
of the Commission.
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V Secretariat
The
Secretariat of the Commission shall, as determined by the Director-General,
consist of an executive Secretary, technical secretaries and,
if necessary, a Secretary General together with other staff
members provided by the Organization in pursuance of Article
V, paragraph 7, of the Constitution. The Executive Secretary
shall serve in a continuing capacity and the rest of the Secretariat
shall serve only during the sessions of the Commission and its
working parties and committees.
The
Secretariat shall be responsible to the Director-General of
the Organization.
It
shall be the duty of the Secretariat to receive and circulate
documents, reports and resolutions of the Commission and of
its committees and working parties, to prepare the records of
their official meetings; to certify expenditures and financial
commitments; and to perform such other work as is required of
it by these Rules, or by the Commission or any of its committees
or working parties.
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VI Working Language
English,
French and Spanish shall be the working languages of the Commission.
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VII Election of Officers
Nominations
shall be called for by the Chairman from the floor for the offices
of Chairman and First and Second Vice-Chairmen of the Commission
for the ensuing term of office as provided for in the Constitution.
Each
nomination shall be supported by a mover and seconded, and shall
carry the endorsement of the nominee.
A
majority vote shall be required to elect.
The
elected officers shall hold office from the time of their election
to the time when their successors are elected at the next regular
session of the Commission.
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VIII Powers and Duties of Chairman and Vice-Chairmen
In
addition to exercising such powers as are conferred upon him
elsewhere by these Rules, the Chairman shall declare the opening
and closing of each plenary meeting of each session of the Commission.
He shall direct the discussions in the plenary meetings, and
at such meetings ensure observance of these Rules, accord the
right to speak, put questions and announce decisions. He shall
rule on points of order and, subject to these Rules, shall have
complete control over the proceedings at any meeting. He shall
request the Director-General of the Organization to organise
such committee and working parties as are recommended to be
established, observe their progress and help to co-ordinate
their efforts. When requested by the Director-General or the
Council of the Organization, he shall represent the Commission
at meetings of other international bodies, and undertake other
specified activities to help promote the objects of the Commission.
The
First Vice-Chairman shall assume the duties of the Chairman
while he is in office in the event that the Chairman is unable
to be present or if he is otherwise prevented from service in
the capacity of Chairman. The Second-Vice-Chairman shall replace
the First Vice-Chairman if the latter is unable to serve.
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IX Procedures and Voting Arrangements
When
any delegate is unable to attend any plenary meetings, his place
may be taken by another member of his delegation designated
by him.
Voting
arrangements and other related matters not specifically provided
for by the Constitution of the Commission or by these Rules,
shall be governed "mutatis mutandis" by the
provisions of the General Rules of the Organization.
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X Records, Reports and Recommendations
Summary
records of the meetings of the Commission, committees and working
parties shall be kept by the Executive Secretary and shall be
circulated as soon as possible to participating members of delegations.
At
each session the Commission shall approve a report embodying
its views, recommendations, resolutions and decisions, including,
when requested, a statement of minority views.
The
conclusions and recommendations of the Commission shall be transmitted
to the Director-General of the Organization at the close of
each session, who shall circulate them to Members of the Commission,
nations and international organizations that were represented
at the session and make them available to other Member Nations
and Associate Members of the Organizations, for their information.
Recommendations
having policy, program or financial implications for the Organization
shall be brought by the Director-General to the attention of
the Conference through the Council of the Organization for appropriate
action.
Subject
to the provisions of the preceding paragraph, the Director-General
may request Members of the Commission to supply the Commission
with information on action taken on the basis of recommendations
made by the Commission.
Pending
the formal transmission of the reports of Committees and working
parties to the Director-General through the Commission as provided
for in Article IV(g) of the Constitution of the Commission,
the Director-General may transmit informally these reports to
the members of the Commission.
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XI Finance
Except
as may be otherwise provided in these Rules, the Financial Regulations
of the Organization as implemented by the financial rules, Administrative
Manual and memoranda and procedures bases thereon, shall apply
to the activities of the Commission.
The
Commission shall prepare a detailed budget estimate for the
ensuing first financial year, and a budget estimate for the
ensuing second financial year with as much detail as practicable,
covering any special projects which the Members may agree to
undertake and which require special contributions. These budget
estimates shall be submitted by the Director-General of the
Organization or his authorised representative to the participating
Members for determination of the extent to which each Member
shall contribute the funds. Any proposals for work involving
expenditures by the Organization shall be referred to the Director-General
for consideration in preparing the program of work and budget
of the Organization.
When
adopted by the Conference of the Organization as a part of the
general budget of the Organization, these budgetary provisions
shall constitute the limits within which the Secretariat may
commit funds for activities recommended by the Commission.
The
Executive Secretary shall submit monthly to the Director-General
of the Organization, on appropriate forms, statements accompanied
by appropriate vouchers, setting out the expenditures effected
and commitments incurred.
The
examination and audit of the accounts of the Commission shall
be conducted at the Headquarters of the Organization.
Funds
contributed by Members of the Commission for co-operative projects
under the terms of Article VII, paragraph 4 of the Constitution
shall be administered by the Organization in accordance with
its established procedures for the administration of such funds
and with any agreement made with the Members of the Commission
participating in such projects.
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XII Amendment of the Constitution
Proposals
for the amendment of the Constitution under Article X of the
Constitution may be made by any Member of the Commission in
a communication addressed to both the Chairman and the Director-General
of the Organization. The Director-General shall immediately
inform all Members of the Commission of all proposals for amendments.
No
proposal for the amendment of the Constitution shall be included
in the agenda of any session unless notice thereof has been
sent by the Director-General of the Organization to Members
of the Commission at least ninety days before the opening of
the session.
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XIII Suspension and Amendment of Rules
Subject
to the provisions of the Constitution, any of the foregoing
Rules other than Rule I, Rule II, paragraph 5, Rule V, Rule
X, paragraphs 2, 3, 4 and 5 and Rules XI and XII may be suspended
by a two-thirds majority of votes cast at any regular or special
session of the Commission, provided that notice of the intention
to propose the suspension has been communicated to the delegates
not less than twenty-four hours before the meeting at which
the proposal is to be made.
Subject
to the provisions of Article V, paragraph 4 of the Constitution,
amendments of, or additions to these Rules may be adopted at
any regular or special session of the Commission by a vote of
two-thirds majority of the votes cast, provided that such a
majority is more than half of all members of the Commission,
and that the intention to propose the amendment or addition
has been communicated to the delegates not less than twenty-four
hours before the meeting at which the proposal is to be considered.
Any
amendment to Rule XII which may be adopted in accordance with
the provisions of paragraph 2 of this Rule shall not become
effective until the next session of the Commission.
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INTERNATIONAL
RICE COMMISSION
Fifteenth
Session
Freetown,
Sierra Leone, 11-16 October 1982
AMENDMENTS
TO THE CONSTITUTION AND RULES OF PROCEDURE OF
THE
COMMISSION
Note
by the Secretariat
A.
Rules of Procedure of bodies established under Article VI or
Article XIV of the Constitution
A.
Rules of Procedure of bodies established under Article VI or
Article XIV of the Constitution
Article
VI, paragraph 3 of the FAO Constitution as in force until the
last Conference Session provided that Commissions and Committees
established under Article VI "... may adopt their own Rules
of procedure and amendments thereto, which shall come into force
upon approval by the Director-General subject to confirmation
by the Conference or Council, as appropriate".
By
Resolution 26/75 of the Eighteenth Session of the Conference
(November 1975), this provision was amended by the deletion
of the words "subject to confirmation by the Conference
or Council, as appropriate". Accordingly, any new Rules
of Procedure or amendments to existing Rules of Article VI bodies
will require only the approval of the Director-General.
The
aforementioned Conference Resolution also includes the following
operative paragraph:
[The
Conference]
"2.
Authorises the Director-General to amend the statutes of bodies
established under Article VI of the Constitution, so as to bring
them into line with the amended text of Article VI, paragraph
3, and to submit to the bodies established under Article VI
or Article XIV suitable draft amendments to the relevant conventions,
agreements or rules of procedure, as appropriate". (underlining
added).
B.
Participation of non-member States in FAO Bodies and Meetings.
By
Resolution 10/73 the FAO Conference, at its Seventeenth Session
(November 1973), amended inter alia Article XIV, paragraph 3(b)
of the Constitution, and paragraphs 1.3 and 7 of Section B of
the principles relating to the granting of observer status in
respect of Nations. Under this Resolution, the eligibility for
participation of non-member States in FAO bodies and meetings,
which had so far been limited to States that were members of
the United Nations, was extended also to States that were members
of any of its specialised Agencies or the International Atomic
Energy Agency.
The
Conference, in operative paragraph 3 of the Resolution invited
"the standing committees of the Council as well as bodies
established under Article VI and XIV of the Constitution to
similarly amend at the earliest appropriate occasion those provisions
of the applicable Conventions and Agreements or Rules of Procedure
that contain clauses restricting eligibility only to Non-Member
States that are Members of the United Nations."
C.
Recommendation
In
order to give effect to the aforementioned Conference Resolutions,
the Commission is invited to consider the following amendments
to the relevant provisions of its Constitution and Rules of
Procedure with a view to their adoption:
Article
V, paragraph 4 of the Constitution
The
commission may, by a vote of two-thirds majority of the votes
cast, provided that such a majority is more than one half of
all Members of the Commission, adopt and amend its own Rules
of Procedure, which shall be consistent with the General Rules
of the Organisation. The Rules of the Commission and any amendments
thereto shall come into force as from the date of approval by
the Director-General of the Organization. [subject to confirmation
by the Council].
Rule
I, paragraph 7 of the Rules of Procedure
[Nations]
States which, while not Members of the Commission, nor Members
or Associate Members of the Organization, are Members of the
United Nations, any of its Specialised Agencies or the International
Atomic Energy Agency, may, upon request, and with the approval
of the Council of the Organization and of the Commission, attend
sessions of the Commission and its subsidiary bodies in an observer
capacity, in accordance with the Statement of Principles adopted
by the Conference relating to the granting of observer status
to nations.
D.
Majority required for the adoption of the amendments
The
Secretariat wishes to draw the attention of the Members of the
Commission to the fact that in accordance with Article X, paragraph
1 of the IRC Constitution, this Constitution may be amended
by two-thirds majority of all the Members of the Commission.
As for the amendment to Rule I.7 of the Rules of Procedure,
the required majority, according to Rule XIII, paragraph 2,
is two-thirds of the votes cast, provided that such majority
is more than half of all the Members of the Commission.
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