Constitution 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 SixtySecond Session of the FAO Council, Rome, Italy (29-30 November 1973)]
Source:
PREAMBLE
The Fourth Session of the Conference of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nation (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 provisions of the Draft Constitution drawn up at the Rice Meeting at Baguio.
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.
ARTICLE 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 provisions of Article VIII hereof. As regards Associate Members, the Constitution of the Commission shall, in accordance with the provisions of Article XIV5 of the Constitution of the Organization and Rule XXI3 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.
ARTICLE III
Seat
The seat of the Commission shall be the same place as the seat of the headquarters of the Organization's Regional Office for Asia and the Far East.
ARTICLE IV
Functions
The Commission shall have the functions of:
(a) keeping under review the scientific, technical and economic problems that bear upon the object of the Commission as stated in Article I;
(b) encouraging and coordinating research on the abovementioned problems and promoting its practical application;
(c) undertaking, where necessary and appropriate, cooperative projects directed to the solution of the above mentioned problems;
(d) recommending to Members of the Commission, through the DirectorGeneral 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;
(e) recommending to the DirectorGeneral of the Organization the provision of technical assistance to Members of the Commission in measures directed to that end;
(f) 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
(g) transmitting at appropriate intervals to the DirectorGeneral a report embodying its views, recommendations and decisions, and making such other reports to the DirectorGeneral of the Organization on matters relating to the production, conservation, distribution and consumption of rice, as the Commission itself may consider expedient or the DirectorGeneral 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.
ARTICLE V
Organization
1. 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 authorized to act for a delegate.
2. 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 or Rules of Procedure of the Commission, all decisions in a plenary meeting shall be taken by a majority of the votes cast.
3. The Commission shall elect, at the beginning of each regular session, a Chairman and two ViceChairmen from amongst the delegates, who shall serve until the beginning of the next regular session, without prejudice to the right of reelection.
4. The Commission may, by a vote of twothirds 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 Organization. The Rules of the Commission and any amendments thereto shall come into force as from the date of approval by the DirectorGeneral of the Organization.
5. The DirectorGeneral 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 DirectorGeneral of the Organization in consultation with the Chairman.
6. Any Member of the Commission shall have the right, with the concurrence of the DirectorGeneral 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.
7. The DirectorGeneral of the Organization shall appoint and provide the Secretariat of the Commission from the staff of the Organization, who shall be responsible to him.
ARTICLE VI
Committees and Working Parties
1. The Commission may establish temporary, special or standing committees to study and report on matters pertaining to the purpose of the Commission.
2. The Commission may establish working parties to study and recommend on specific technical problems. These working parties shall be convened by the DirectorGeneral of the Organization at such times and places as are in accordance with the objectives for which they were established.
3. 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 DirectorGeneral on the administrative and financial implications thereof.
4. 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 designated by their respective governments.
5. Each committee or working party shall elect its own chairman and the Organization shall provide its secretariat.
6. 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.
7. Committees or working parties shall report to the Commission.
ARTICLE VII
Expenses
1. 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.
2. The expenses of experts invited, with the concurrence of the DirectorGeneral, to attend meetings of the Commission, committees or working parties in their individual capacity shall be borne by the budget of the Organization.
3. 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.
4. Expenses for cooperative projects by Members as authorized in Article IV(c), 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 cooperative projects shall be paid into a trust fund to be established by the Organization and administered by the Organization in accordance with the Financial Regulations of the Organization.
ARTICLE VIII
Acceptance
1. 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 DirectorGeneral of the Organization and shall take effect on receipt of such instrument by the DirectorGeneral, who shall inform all the Member Nations of the Organization of such receipt.
2. 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 DirectorGeneral 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 to this Constitution.
ARTICLE 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 XII2 below, the scope of the territorial application may be modified by a subsequent declaration.
ARTICLE X
Amendments
This Constitution may be amended by the vote of a twothirds 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 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 DirectorGeneral of the Organization, who shall inform all the Members of the Commission as well as the SecretaryGeneral 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.
ARTICLE 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 out 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.
ARTICLE XII
Withdrawal
1. Any Member may give notice 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 DirectorGeneral of the Organization, who shall inform all Member Nations of the Organization and the SecretaryGeneral 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.
ARTICLE 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.
ARTICLE XIV
Entry into Force
This Constitution shall enter into force as soon as notifications of acceptance have been received by the DirectorGeneral 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 1947/1948 as shown by official statistics.
RULES OF PROCEDURE
RULE 1 - Sessions of the Commission
1. 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 DirectorGeneral in consultation with the Chairman.
2. In pursuance of Article V, paragraph 6, of the Constitution, the DirectorGeneral of the Organization shall, after consultation with the Chairman, convene the Commission to meet in special session at such time and place as the DirectorGeneral of the Organization may designate.
3. In accordance with the provisions of Rule XXXIII4 of the General Rules of the Organization, when determining the site of a session of the Commission, the DirectorGeneral 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.
4. Notices convening a session of the Commission shall be issued by the DirectorGeneral of the Organization or his authorized 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 organizations eligible to participate.
5. 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 DirectorGeneral of the Organization.
6. 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.
7. 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 Specialized 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.
8. In the furtherance of cooperative projects provided for in Article IV(c) 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 DirectorGeneral of the Organization.
RULE II - Agenda
1. A provisional agenda of each session of the Commission shall be sent by the DirectorGeneral 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:
(a) 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;
(b) a financial statement, audited according to the established procedures of the Organization regarding any cooperative projects sponsored by the Commission to which the Members have made special contributions;
(c) budgetary proposals for the ensuing years, covering any projects requiring special contributions from Members;
(d) reports by committees and working parties;
(e) approval of the reports of the Commission;
(f) any items which have been requested by Members of the Commission in accordance with paragraph 3 of this Rule;
(g) any items which have been determined by previous session of the Commission;
(h) any items which the Conference, Council, or DirectorGeneral of the Organization refer to the Commission; and
(i) other business arising out of the Commissions' functions.
3. 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 DirectorGeneral 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.
4. 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 twothirds 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 DirectorGeneral of the Organization may be omitted from the agenda.
5. The agenda of a special session of the Commission, convened in pursuance of Rule 1, paragraph 2, shall be subject to approval by the DirectorGeneral of the Organization.
RULE 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.
RULE IV - Plenary meetings of the Commission
1. 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.
2. Subject to any decision of the Commission, the Executive Secretary shall make arrangement for the admission of the public, and of representatives of the press and other information agencies, to plenary meetings of the Commission.
RULE V - Secretariat
1. The Secretariat of the Commission shall, as determined by the DirectorGeneral, consist of an Executive Secretary, technical secretaries and if necessary a SecretaryGeneral, 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.
2. The Secretariat shall be responsible to the DirectorGeneral of the Organization.
3. 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.
RULE VI - Working Languages
English, French and Spanish shall be the working languages of the Commission.
RULE VII - Election of Officers
1. Nominations shall be called for by the Chairman from the floor for the offices of Chairman and First and Second ViceChairmen of the Commission for the ensuing term of office as provided for in the Constitution.
2. Each nomination shall be supported by a mover and seconded, and shall carry the endorsement of the nominee.
3. A majority vote shall be required to elect.
4. 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.
RULE VIII - Powers and Duties of Chairman and ViceChairmen
1. 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 those 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 DirectorGeneral of the Organization to organize such committees and working parties as are recommended to be established, observe their progress and help to coordinate their efforts. When requested by the DirectorGeneral 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.
2. The First ViceChairman 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 serving in the capacity of Chairman. The Second ViceChairman shall replace the First ViceChairman if the latter is unable to serve.
RULE IX - Procedures and Voting Arrangements
1. When any delegate is unable to attend any plenary meetings, his place may be taken by another member of his delegation designated by him.
2. 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.
RULE X - Records, Reports and Recommendations
1. Summary records of the meetings of the Commission, committees and working parties shall be kept by the Executive Secretary ant shall be circulated as soon as possible to participating members of delegations.
2. At each session the Commission shall approve a report embodying its views, recommendations, resolutions and decisions, including, when requested, a statement of minority views.
3. The conclusions and recommendations of the Commission shall be transmitted to the DirectorGeneral 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 Organization, for their information.
4. Recommendations having policy, program or financial implications for the Organization shall be brought by the DirectorGeneral to the attention of the Conference through the Council of the Organization for appropriate action.
5. Subject to the provisions of the preceding paragraph, the DirectorGeneral may request Members of the Commission to supply the Commission with information on action taken on the basis of recommendations made by the Commission.
6. Pending the formal transmission of the reports of Committees and working parties to the DirectorGeneral through the Commission as provided for in Article IV(g) of the Constitution of the Commission, the DirectorGeneral may transmit informally these reports to the Members of the Commission.
RULE XI - Finance
1. 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 based thereon, shall apply to the activities of the Commission.
2. 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 DirectorGeneral of the Organization or his authorized 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 DirectorGeneral for consideration in preparing the program of work and budget of the Organization.
3. 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.
4. The Executive Secretary shall submit monthly to the DirectorGeneral of the Organization, on appropriate forms, statements accompanied by appropriate vouchers, setting out the expenditures effected and commitments incurred.
5. The examination and audit of the accounts of the Commission shall be conducted at the Headquarters of the Organization.
6. Funds contributed by Members of the Commission for cooperative 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.
RULE XII - Amendment of the Constitution
1. 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 DirectorGeneral shall immediately inform all Members of the Commission of all proposals for amendments.
2. 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 DirectorGeneral of the Organization to Members of the Commission at least ninety days before the opening of the session.
RULE XIII - Suspension and amendment of Rules
1. 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 twothirds 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 twentyfour hours before the meeting at which the proposal is to be made.
2. 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 twothirds 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 twentyfour hours before the meeting at which the proposal is to be considered.
3. 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.
