Contents -

A. Agenda introductory - Procedure of the session
B. Admission of associate members amendments to the constitution and rules of procedure
C. Amendments to Article Vl of the constitution and to Rules XXV, XXVI, XXVII and XXIX of the rules of procedure
D. Draft agreement between the Government of Venezuela and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations on the establishment of the Latin-American forestry research and training institute
E. Agreement between the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the Council of Europe
F. Scale of contributions for 1956 and 1957
G. Amendments to the financial regulations
H. Composition of FAO council since its formation in 1948
I. List of conference documents
J. Delegates and observers attending the eighth session of the conference

1. Election of Chairman and Vice-Chairmen (Rules of Procedure, Rule VIII and VII-2)

2. Appointment of General Committee and Credentials Committee (Rules of Procedure, Rule VIII)

3. Adoption of Agenda

4. Arrangements for the Session and Allocation of Agenda Items

5. Admission of Observers to the Session

PART I - PROGRAM TRENDS AND POLICY QUESTIONS IN FOOD AND AGRICULTURE

6. The World Situation and Outlook in respect of Food and Agriculture

Developments in the world food and agricultural situation since the Seventh Session of the Conference and action required in relation to:

7. Activities and Programs of the Organization

PART II - CONSTITUTIONAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS

8. Constitutional and Legal Questions

9. International Conventions and Agreements

Report on the Status of International Conventions and Agreements and on amendments there.

10. Agreements between FAO and Individual Member Governments or with other International Organizations

11. Administrative and Financial Questions

12. Appointments and Elections

13. Date and Place of the Ninth Session of the Conference

Additional item included in the Agenda after the opening of the Session:

(The words within brackets are to be deleted and those underlined are to be added)

1. Amendments to the Constitution

ARTICLE II

Membership and Associate Membership

1. The original Member[s] Nations of the Organization shall be such of the nations specified in Annex I as accept this Constitution in accordance with the provisions of Article XX.

2. The Conference may, by a two-thirds majority of the votes cast, provided that a majority of the [membership] Member Nations of the Organization is present, decide to admit as an additional Member of the Organization any nation which has submitted an application for membership and a declaration made in a formal instrument that it will accept the obligations of the Constitution as in force at the time of admission. Membership shall become effective on the date on which the Conference approves the application for memberships.

3. The Conference may, under the same conditions regarding the required majority and quorum as prescribed in paragraph 2 above, decide to admit as an Associate Member of the Organization any territory or group of territories which is not responsible for the conduct of its international relations upon application made on its behalf by the Member Nation or authority having responsibility for its international relations, provided that such Member Nation or authority has submitted a declaration made in a formal instrument that it will accept on behalf of the proposed Associate Member the obligations of the Constitution as in force at the time of admission, and that it will assume responsibility for ensuring the observance of the provisions of paragraph 4 of Article VIII, paragraphs 1 and 2 of Article XV, and paragraphs 2 and 3 of Article XVII of this Constitution with regard to the Associate Member.

4. The nature and extent of the rights and obligations of Associate Members are defined in the relevant provisions of this Constitution and the Rules and Regulations of the Organization.

5. Membership and Associate Membership shall become effective on the date on which the Conference approves the application.

ARTICLE III

The Conference

1. There shall be a Conference of the Organization in which each Member Nation and Associate Member shall be represented by one delegate. Associate Members shall have the right to participate in the deliberations of the Conference but shall not hold office nor have the right to vote.

2. Each Member Nation and Associate Member may appoint an alternate...

3. No delegate may represent more than one Member Nation or Associate Member.

ARTICLE IV

Functions of the Conference

3. The Conference may by a two-thirds majority of the votes cast make recommendations to Member Nations and Associate Members concerning questions relating to food and agriculture for consideration by them with a view to implementation by national action.

ARTICLE V

Council of [FAO] the Organization

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.

ARTICLE VIII

Staff

2. The staff of the Organization shall be responsible to the Director-General. Their responsibilities shall be exclusively international in character and they shall not seek or receive instructions in regard to the discharge thereof from any authority external to the Organization. The Member Nations and Associate Members undertake fully to respect the international character of the responsibilities of the staff and not to seek to influence any of their nationals in the discharge of such responsibilities.

4. Each Member Nation and Associate Member undertakes, insofar as it may be possible under its constitutional procedure, to accord to the Director-General and senior staff diplomatic privileges and immunities and to accord to other members of the staff all facilities and immunities accorded to non-diplomatic personnel attached to diplomatic missions, or, alternatively, to accord to such other members of the staff the immunities and facilities which may hereafter be accorded to equivalent members of the staffs of other public international organizations.

ARTICLE XI

Reports by Member[s] Nations and Associate Members

1. Each Member Nation and Associate Member shall communicate periodically to the Organization reports...

4. The Director-General may request any Member Nation or Associate Member to submit information relating to the purpose of the Organization.

5. Each Member Nation and Associate Member shall, on request communicate to the Organization...

ARTICLE XIV

Conventions and Agreements

1. The Conference may... 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... approve and submit to Member Nations any convention or agreement... provided that:

2. The Council may,... approve and submit to Member Nations regulations or supplementary agreements...

3. As regards an Associate Member, the conventions, agreements, regulations and supplementary agreements shall be submitted to the authority having responsibility for the international relations of the Associate Member.

4. [3] The Conference shall make rules laying down the procedure...

5. Two copies in the authentic language or languages of any convention or agreement approved by the Conference or the Council shall be certified by the Chairman of the Conference or of the Council respectively and by the Director-General. Of these copies, one shall be deposited in the archives of the Organization and the other transmitted to the Secretary-General of the United Nations for registration in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 6 below. In addition, the Director-General shall certify copies of the conventions and agreements and transmit one copy to each Member Nation of the Organization and to such non-member Nations as may become parties to the conventions or agreements (See Resolution 31 /55).

6. [4.] The Director-General shall register with the United Nations...

ARTICLE XV

Legal Status

2. Each Member Nation and Associate Member undertakes, insofar as it may be possible under its constitutional procedure, to accord to the Organization all the immunities and facilities which it accords to diplomatic missions, including inviolability of premises and archives, immunity from suit, and exemptions from taxation.

ARTICLE XVII

Budget and Contributions

2. Each Member Nation and Associate Member undertakes to contribute annually to the Organization its share of the budget, as apportioned by the Conference. When determining the contributions to be paid by Member Nations and Associate Members, the Conference shall take into account the difference in status between Member Nations and Associate Members.

3. Each Member Nation and Associate Member shall upon approval of its application pay...

ARTICLE XVIII

Withdrawal

Any Member Nation may give notice of withdrawal from the Organization at any time after the expiration of four years from the date of its acceptance of this Constitution. The notice of withdrawal of an Associate Member shall be given by the Member Nation or authority having responsibility for its international relations. Such notice shall take effect one year after the date of its communication to the Director-General. The financial obligation to the Organization of a Member Nation which has given notice of withdrawal, or of an Associate Member on whose behalf notice of withdrawal has been given, shall include the entire financial year in which the notice takes effect.

ARTICLE XIX

Amendment of Constitution

1. The Conference may amend this Constitution by a two-thirds majority of the votes cast, provided that such majority is more than one-half of the [Membership] Member Nations of the Organization.

2. An amendment not involving new obligations for Member Nations or Associate Members shall take effect forthwith, unless the resolution by which it is adopted provides otherwise. Amendments involving new obligations shall take effect for each Member Nation and Associate Member accepting the amendment on acceptance by two-thirds of the. [Membership] Member Nations of the Organization and thereafter for each remaining Member Nation or Associate Member on acceptance by it. As regards an Associate Member the acceptance of amendments involving new obligations shall be given on its behalf by the Member Nation or authority having responsibility for the international relations of the Associate Member.

NOTE: See also Appendix C for new text of Article VI of the Constitution.

II. Amendments to the Rules of Procedure

RULE I

Session of the Conference

3. Notices convening a regular session of the Conference shall be dispatched to the Member Nations and Associate Members, and to international organizations which may be represented at the Conference...

RULE II

Agenda

1. A provisional agenda for each regular session of the Conferences shall be drawn up by the Director-General and dispatched to the Member Nations and Associate Members, and to participating international organizations not less than 90 days before the date fixed for the opening of the session.

2. The provisional agenda for a regular session shall consist of:

3. A provisional agenda for each special session of the Conference shall be drawn up by the Director-General and dispatched to [the] Member Nations and Associate Members, and to participating international organizations...

4. The provisional agenda for a special session shall consist of:

5. Any Member Nation, or Associate Member acting within the limits of its status, may not less than 30 days before the date fixed for the opening of a session, request the Director-General to include specific items on the agenda. These items shall be placed on a supplementary list, which shall be dispatched to [the] Member Nations and Associate Members not less than...

6. During any session the Conference may, by a two-thirds majority of the votes east, add to the agenda any item proposed by a Member Nation, or an Associate Member acting within the limits of its status. No such item...

7. Proposals by Member Nations or Associate Members for the agenda of any session of the Conference, if not made at a session, shall be made to the Director-General... All agenda proposals made by Member Nations or Associate Members shall be accompanied by explanatory memoranda...

9. Copies of all reports and other documents to be submitted to the Conference at any session, in connection with any item which may be on the agenda, shall be furnished by the Director-General to the Member Nations and Associate Members, and to participating international organizations at the same time as the item.

RULE III

Delegations and Credentials

1. For the purpose of these Rules the term " delegation " means all the persons appointed by a Member Nation or an Associate Member to attend...

RULE X

General Committee

4. A Member Nation which is not represented on the General Committee [and] or an Associate Member, either of which has requested the inclusion of an item on the agenda of the Conference in accordance with the provisions of Rule II may attend 7 any meeting of the General Committee at which its request is discussed, and may participate, without vote, in the discussion of the item.

RULE XII

Quorum and Voting Arrangements at Plenary Meetings

1. Except as otherwise provided by the Constitution or these Rules, a majority of Member Nations shall constitute a quorum.

For the purpose of the Constitution and these Rules, the term " majority" means more than one-half, unless the context requires otherwise.

7. Elections and the admission of [new Members] additional Member Nations and Associate Members shall be decided by...

21. Associate Members shall have the right to participate with Member Nations in matters pertaining to the conduct of business of meetings of the Conference, its Commissions and Committees, in accordance with the provisions of the foregoing paragraphs of this Rule, subject, however, to the limitations on voting and the holding of office stipulated in Article III-l of the Constitution, and Rule X1113. Rule XIV-1 and Rule XV-1 of the Rues of Procedure.

RULE XIII

Commissions of the Conference

3. Each delegate shall be entitled to sit or be represented by another member of his delegation on each such commission and may be accompanied at meetings by one or more members of his delegation, who may speak but shall not vote. Delegates of Associate Members shall have the right to participate in the deliberations of each such commission but shall not hold office nor have the right to vote.

RULE XIV

Committees of Commissions

1. Any commission may set Up such committees as it considers necessary. Delegates of Associate Members shall have the right to participate in the deliberations of these committees, but shall not hold office nor have the right to vote.

RULE XV

Other Committees of the Conference

1. The Conference may appoint, or authorize the appointment of any temporary or special committee which it deems necessary. Delegates of Associate Members shall have the right to participate in the deliberations of any such committee, but shall not hold office nor have the right to vote.

RULE XVIII

Record of Proceedings

3. As soon as possible after the end of the session copies of all... shall be transmitted by the Director-General to Member Nations and Associate Members.

RULE XIX

Admission of [new Members] Additional Member Nations and Associate Members

1. Any nation which desires to become a Member of the [Food and Agriculture] Organization [of the United Nations] and any Member Nation or authority which wishes to request admission to associate membership on behalf of a territory or a group of territories for whose international relations it is responsible, shall submit an application to the Director-General. This application shall be accompanied or followed by the formal instrument of acceptance of the Constitution, required under Article II [paragraph 2] paragraphs 2 or 3 of the Constitution..

3. The first contribution of [a new] an additional Member Nation or Associate Member shall he determined...

RULE XX

Budget and Finance

1. The Conference shall at each regular session

RULE XXI
Conventions and Agreements

1. (a) To secure proper consultation pursuant to paragraph [3] 4 of Article XIV of the Constitution, the Director-General shall notify Member Nations and Associate Members of any proposal for a convention or agreement under paragraph 1 of Article XIV not later than...

Such notification shall be accompanied by:

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

(c) The Director-General shall, at the same time as he is requesting [governments] Member Nations and Associate Members for their comments on the proposed convention consult the United Nations and other specialized agencies...

2. The Council shall consider regulations or supplementary agreements...:

5. The receipt of the official text of a convention, agreement, regulation, or supplementary agreement shall constitute due notice to each Member Nation concerned, and to the authority having responsibility for the international relations of an Associate Member, that its consideration thereof is invited with a view to acceptance by the appropriate constitutional procedure. Each Member Nation accepting shall communicate its acceptance to the Director-General, who shall promptly inform the other Member Nations.

RULE XXII

Amendment of the Constitution

1. Proposals for the amendment of the Constitution under Article XIX of the Constitution may be made either by the Council or by a Member Nation in a communication addressed to the Director-General. The Director-General shall immediately inform all Member Nations and Associate Members of all proposals for amendments.

2. No proposal for the amendment of the Constitution shall be included in the agenda of any session of the Conference unless notice thereof has been dispatched by the Director-General to Member Nations and Associate Members at least 120 days before the opening of the session.

RULE XXIII

Election of the Council

2. (e) Each nomination shall be supported in writing by [two] the delegates of two Member Nations to the Conference other than the delegate of the Member Nation nominated, and shall be accompanied by a formal written acceptance of the nomination by the delegate of the Member Nation nominated

RULE XXV

Sessions of the Council

3.

5. Any Member Nation not represented on the Council and any Associate Member may submit memoranda and participate without vote in any discussion of the Council.

7. The Council shall make provision for keeping all Member Nations and Associate Members of the Organization informed of its activities.

RULE XXVI

Functions of the Council

1.

3. The Co-ordinating Committee established by the Council pursuant to paragraph 5 of Article V of the Constitution, shall be composed of seven members selected by the Council, in a personal capacity on the basis of their wide practical experience of [FAO's] the work and responsibilities of the Organization. Each member of the Committee shall be a national of a different Member Nation.

RULE XXIX

Functions of the Director-General

2. (g) request and receive payments of contributions of Member Nations and Associate Members and report thereon;

RULE XXX

Consultation by the Director-General with Governments under Article XIII, Paragraph 4, of the Constitution

In order to secure proper consultation with governments under paragraph 4 of Article XIII of the Constitution, the procedure, in general, shall be that the Director-General shall not establish formal or official relations with nationals or national institutions without consulting in advance, the Member Nation or Associate Member concerned [in advance].

When a Member Nation or Associate Member has established a National FAO Committee, the Committee may, with the specific concurrence of the interested Government, be utilized as a suitable instrument for co-ordinating the participation of the said Member Nation or Associate Member in the activities of [FAO] the Organization, under such conditions as the Government may have determined.

III. Amendments to the Financial Regulations

The provisions regarding Associate Members are to be found in the following Financial Regulations as adopted by the present Session of the Conference and appearing in Appendix " G ":

Article Vl of the Constitution (Committees and Conferences) is to be replaced by the following text:

ARTICLE VI

Commissions, Committees, Conferences, Working Parties and Consultations

1. The Conference or Council may establish commissions, the membership of which shall be open to all Member Nations and Associate Members, or regional commissions open to all Member Nations and Associate Members whose territories are situated wholly or in part in one or more regions, to advise on the formulation and implementation of policy and to co-ordinate the implementation of policy.

2. The Conference, the Council, or the Director-General on the authority of the Conference or Council, may establish committees and working parties to study and report on matters pertaining to the purpose of the Organization and consisting either of selected Member Nations and Associate Members or of individuals appointed in their personal capacity because of their special competence in technical matters. Such individuals shall be designated either by the Conference, the Council, selected Member Nations or Associate Members or by the Director-General, as decided by the establishing authority.

3. The Conference, the Council, or the Director-General on the authority of the Conference or Council, shall determine the terms of reference and reporting procedures, as appropriate, of commissions, committees and working parties so established. Such commissions and committees may adopt their own rules of procedure, which shall come into force upon approval by the Director-General, subject to confirmation by the Conference or Council, as appropriate.

4. The Director-General may establish, in consultation with Member Nations, Associate Members and National FAO Committees, panels of experts, with a view to developing consultation with leading technicians in the various fields of activity of the Organization. The Director-General may convene meetings of some or all of these experts for consultation on specific subjects.

5. The Conference, the Council, or the Director-General on the authority of the Conference or Council, may convene general, regional, technical or other conferences, or working parties or consultations of Member Nations and Associate Members, laying down their terms of reference and reporting procedures, and may provide for participation in such conferences, working parties and consultations, in such manner as they may determine, of national and international bodies concerned with nutrition, food and agriculture.

6. When the Director-General is satisfied that urgent action is required he may establish the committees and working parties, and convene the conferences, working parties and consultations provided for in paragraphs 2 and 5 above. Such action shall be notified by the Director-General to Member Nations and Associate Members and reported to the following session of the Council.

7. Associate Members included in the membership of the commissions, committees or working parties, or attending the conferences, working parties or consultations referred to in paragraphs 1, 2 and 5 above, shall have the right to participate in the deliberations of such commissions, committees, conferences, working parties and consultations, but shall not hold office nor have the right to vote.

Paragraph 6 of Rule XXV of the Rules of Procedure (Sessions of the Council) is to be replaced by the following two paragraphs and the present paragraph 7 is to be renumbered paragraph 8:

RULE XXV

Sessions of the Council

6. The Council may set up at each of its sessions and for the duration of the session, such committees as it considers desirable and allocate to these committees the various items on its agenda.

7. The Council may make arrangements for participation by observers from nonmember nations in discussions on particular items of the Council agenda, in appropriate meetings of the Council or its committees, and for the submission of memoranda.

Rule XXVI (Functions of the Council), paragraph 1 (e) (iv) is to be replaced by the following text, and Rule XXVI, paragraph 2, is to be deleted, the present paragraph 3 being renumbered paragraph 2:

RULE XXVI

Functions of the Council

1. (e) (iv) to establish commissions, committees and working parties and convene general, regional, technical or other conferences, or working parties or consultations, or to authorize the Director-General to establish committees and working parties and convene general, regional, technical or other conferences, working parties or consultations, pursuant to Article VI of the Constitution;

Rule XXVII

(Technical and Regional Standing Committees and Commissions of the Organization) is to be replaced by the following text:

RULE XXVII

Commissions, Committees and Working Parties

1. Commissions, committees and working parties set up in pursuance of Article VI of the Constitution may establish sub-commissions, sub-committees or subsidiary working parties either to perform a substantive part of their functions or to carry out a specific task. Associate Members may participate in the deliberations of such sub-commissions, subcommittees or subsidiary working parties, but shall not hold office nor have the right to vote.

2. The first paragraph of this Rule shall be interpreted in conformity with the provisions of Rule XXVI, paragraph 1 (d).

3. The terms of office of members of committees or working parties appointed in their personal capacity in conformity with the provisions of paragraph 2 of Article VI of the Constitution shall not exceed three years but shall be renewable. Appointments to fill vacancies in membership due to the expiration of terms of office or to the death or retirement of a member, shall be effected in the same manner as the original appointments.

Rule XXIX

(Functions of the Director-General) is to be amended by the addition of the following third paragraph:

RULE XXIX

Functions of the Director-General

3. Pursuant to Article VI of the Constitution, the Director-General may:

Contents -