Statutes of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, Paris, 1960, as Revised, Paris, 1970, and Amended, Paris, 1987

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Article 1

1. (a) The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, hereafter called the Commission, is established as a body with functional autonomy within the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

(b) It guides the conception and follows the implementation of its programme as approved by the General Conference in the framework of the latter's adopted budget.

2. The purpose of the Commission is to promote marine scientific investigations and related ocean services, with a view to learning more about the nature and resources of the oceans through the concerted action of its members.

3. The Commission shall seek to collaborate with all international organizations concerned with the work of the Commission and especially closely with those organizations of the United Nations system which are prepared to contribute to the Commission's Secretariat, to sustain the work of the Commission through the relevant parts of the programmes of such organizations, and to use the Commission for advice and review in the area of marine science.

Article 2

The functions of the Commission shall be to:

1. (a) define those problems the solution of which requires international co-operation in the field of scientific investigation of the oceans and review the results of such investigations;

(b) develop, recommend and co-ordinate international programmes for scientific investigation of the oceans and related ocean services which call for concerted actions by its members;

(c) develop, recommend and co-ordinate with interested international organizations, international programmes for scientific investigation of the oceans and related ocean services which call for concerted action with interested organizations;

(d) make recommendations to international organizations concerning activities of such organizations which relate to the Commission's programme;

(e) promote and make recommendations for the exchange of oceanographic data and the publication and dissemination of results of scientific investigation of the oceans;

(f) promote and co-ordinate the development and transfer of marine science and its technology, particularly to developing countries;

(g) make recommendations to strengthen education and training in marine science and its technology, and promote relevant projects in these fields as components of each of its programmes;

(h) develop and make recommendations for assistance programmes in marine science and its technology;

(i) make recommendations and provide technical guidance as to the formulation and execution of the marine science programmes of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization;

(j) promote scientific investigation of the oceans and application of the results thereof for the benefit of all mankind, and assist, on request, Member States wishing to co-operate to these ends. Activities undertaken under this sub-paragraph shall be subject, in accordance with international law, to the regime for marine scientific research in zones under national jurisdiction;

(k) promote, plan and co-ordinate observing and monitoring systems on the properties and quality of the marine environment, as well as the preparation and dissemination of processed oceanographic data and information, and of assessment studies;

(l) promote, recommend and co-ordinate, with international organizations, as appropriate, the development of standards, reference materials and nomenclature for use in marine science and related ocean services;

(m) undertake, as appropriate, any other action compatible with its purpose and functions concerning the scientific investigation of the ocean and its interfaces.

2. The Commission, in carrying out its functions, shall take into account the special needs and interests of developing countries, including in particular the need to further the capabilities of these countries in marine science and technology.

3. Nothing in this Article shall imply the adoption of a position by the Commission regarding the nature or extent of the jurisdiction of coastal States in general or of any coastal State in particular.

Article 3

1. The Commission shall give due attention to supporting the objectives of the international organizations with which it collaborates. On the other hand, the Commission may request these organizations to take its requirements into account in planning and executing their own programmes.

2. The Commission may act also as a joint specialized mechanism of the organizations of the United Nations system that have agreed to use the Commission for discharging certain of their responsibilities in the fields of marine science and ocean services, and have agreed accordingly to sustain the work of the Commission.

Article 4

1. Membership of the Commission shall be open to any Member State of any one of the organizations of the United Nations system.

2. States covered by the terms of paragraph 1 above shall acquire membership of the Commission by notifying the Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, either directly or through the executive head of any organization of the United Nations system. Membership will take effect from the date of receipt by the Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization of such notification.

3. Any Member State of the Commission may withdraw from it by giving notice of its intention to do so to the Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. The date of such notice shall be that of its receipt by the Director-General. The notice shall take effect on the first day of the next ordinary session of the Assembly following the date of notice of withdrawal if the notice is given more than one year before the first day of said session; if the notice of withdrawal is given less than one year before the first day of the said session, it shall take effect one year after the date of notice of withdrawal.

4. A Member State of the Commission which practises apartheid may be suspended from exercise of the rights and privileges entailed by membership of the Commission by decision of the General Conference. Exercise of those rights and privileges may be restored by decision of the General Conference.

5. The Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization shall inform the Chairman of the Commission, the executive heads of the organizations of the United Nations system and Member States of the Commission of all notifications received by him under the present Article.

Article 5

1. The Commission shall consist of an Assembly, an Executive Council, a Secretariat and such subsidiary bodies as it may establish.

2. The Assembly shall be the principal organ of the Commission and, without prejudice to the provisions of paragraph 3 of this Article, shall make all decisions necessary to accomplish the purpose of the Commission.

3. The Executive Council shall exercise the responsibilities delegated to it by the Assembly and act on its behalf in the implementation of decisions of the Assembly; for these purposes the Executive Council shall provide guidance to the Secretariat of the Commission. It shall convene as is laid down in the Rules of Procedure. It shall, in any case, convene when five of its members or the Chairman so request.

4. During the course of each ordinary session, the Assembly, taking into account the principles of geographical distribution, shall elect:

(a) a Chairman and four Vice-Chairmen who shall be the officers of the Commission, its Assembly and its Executive Council;

(b) a number of Member States to the Executive Council, which number shall not exceed one quarter of the Member States of the Commission; each Member State so elected shall designate its representative on the Executive Council.

5. The Chairman, the four Vice-Chairmen and the representatives of the Member States so elected shall constitute the Executive Council.

(a) Each member of the Executive Council shall represent his State.

(b) Each member of the Executive Council shall have one vote.

(c) Members of the Executive Council may be accompanied by alternates and advisers.

(d) The Executive Council may not include among its members more than one national of a Member State.

6. The term of office of the members of the Executive Council shall commence at the end of the session of the Assembly during which they have been elected and expire at the end of the next ordinary session of the Assembly.

Article 6

The Commission may create, for the examination and execution of specific projects, committees or other subsidiary bodies composed of Member States interested in such projects, or of individual experts. Committees or other bodies composed of Member States or individual experts may also be established or convened by the Commission jointly with other organizations.

Article 7

1. The Assembly shall be convened in ordinary session every two years. Extraordinary sessions may be convened under conditions specified in the Rules of Procedure.

2. Each Member State shall have one vote and may send such representatives, alternates and advisers as it deems necessary to sessions of the Assembly.

3. The Assembly shall determine the Commission's Rules of Procedure.

Article 8

Subject to provisions in the Rules of Procedure regarding closed meetings, participation in the meetings of the Assembly, of the Executive Council and subsidiary bodies, without the right to vote, is open to:

(a) representatives of Member States of organizations in the United Nations system which are not members of the Commission;

(b) representatives of the organizations in the United Nations system;

(c) representatives of such other intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations as may be invited subject to conditions to be determined in the Rules of Procedure.

Article 9

1. With due regard to the applicable Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the Secretariat of the Commission shall consist of a Secretary and such other staff as may be necessary, provided by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, as well as such personnel as may be provided, at their expense, by the United Nations, the World Meteorological Organization and the International Maritime Organization and other organizations of the United Nations system.

2. The Secretary of the Commission shall be appointed by the Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization following consultation with the Executive Council of the Commission.

Article 10

1. The programmes sponsored and co-ordinated by the Commission and recommended to its Member States for their concerted action shall be carried out with the aid of the resources of participating Member States, in accordance with the obligations that each State is willing to assume.

2. The expenditure of the Commission shall be financed from funds appropriated for this purpose by the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, from contributions by Member States of the Commission that are not Member States of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, as well as from such additional resources as may be made available by other organizations of the United Nations system and by Member States, and from other sources.

3. Voluntary contributions may be accepted and established as trust funds in accordance with the financial regulations of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and administered by the Director-General of the Organization. Such contributions shall be allocated by the Commission for its programmes.

Article 11

The Commission may decide upon the mechanism through which it may obtain scientific advice.

Article 12

The Commission shall prepare regular reports on its activities, which shall be submitted to the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. These reports shall also be addressed to the Member States of the Commission as well as to the organizations within the United Nations system covered by paragraph 3 of Article 1. Article 13

The General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization may amend these Statutes following a recommendation of, or after consultation with, the Commission. Unless otherwise provided by the General Conference, an amendment to these Statutes shall enter into force on the date of its adoption by the General Conference.