Pursuant to Council Decision No. 298, the Secretary General may refer matters arising under paragraph 2 of Article 8 of the Convention directly back to the Committee upon the request of a Contracting Party, provided that the request is made in writing not later than the end of the second month following the month during which a session of the Committee was closed. The Secretary General shall then place the matter on the Agenda of the following session of the Committee for re-examination. If requests relating to the same matter are received from different Contracting Parties for referral both to the Council and to the Committee, or if a Contracting Party does not specify whether the matter should be referred to the Council or directly to the Committee, the matter shall be referred to the Council. The Secretary General shall inform all Contracting Parties of the receipt of a request for referral of a matter to the Council or to the Committee. A Contracting Party making a request for referral of a matter to the Council or to the Committee may withdraw its request at any time before the matter is examined by the Council or re-examined by the Committee. However, the Committee will examine a matter if it has been referred by the Council. In the event that a Contracting Party withdraws a request, the original decision of the Committee shall be deemed to be approved, unless a request from another Contracting Party dealing with the same matter is pending. The Secretary General shall notify Contracting Parties of any withdrawal. Notifications to the Secretary General to refer any matter to the Council or Committee for re-examination pursuant to Article 8.2 of the Convention and Council Decision No. 298 may not be submitted before the day following the close of the Committee's session, but must be submitted by the end of the second month following the month during which that session was closed. When, pursuant to the provisions of paragraph 3 of Article 8 of the Convention and Council Decision No. 298, any matter is referred in whole or in part to the Committee for re-examination, the Contracting Party which has requested that the matter be re-examined shall submit to the Secretary General, not less than 60 days before the opening date of the next session of the Committee, a note setting out its reasons for requesting the re-examination, together with its proposals for resolving the matter. The Secretary General shall circulate this note to the other Contracting Parties.

Notifications to the Secretary General to refer any matter to the Council or Committee for re-examination pursuant to paragraph 2 of Article 8 of the Convention and Council Decision No. 298 may not be made before the day following the close of the Committee's session, but must be made by the end of the second month following the month during which that session was closed. A notification shall be considered made within the period if it was received by the Secretary General before 24:00 (Brussels time) of the last day of the period. Pursuant to Council Decision No. 298, the Secretary General may refer matters arising under paragraph 2 of Article 8 of the Convention directly back to the Committee upon the request of a Contracting Party, provided that the request is made within the period specified in the preceding paragraph. The Secretary General shall then place the matter on the Agenda of the following session of the Committee for re-examination. If requests relating to the same matter are received from different Contracting Parties for referral both to the Council and to the Committee, or if a Contracting Party does not specify whether the matter should be referred to the Council or directly to the Committee, the matter shall be referred to the Council. The Secretary General shall inform all Contracting Parties of the receipt of a request for referral of a matter to the Council or to the Committee. A Contracting Party making a request for referral of a matter to the Council or to the Committee may withdraw its request at any time before the matter is examined by the Council or re-examined by the Committee. However, the Committee will examine a matter if it has been referred by the Council. In the event that a Contracting Party withdraws a request, the original decision of the Committee shall be deemed to be approved, unless a request from another Contracting Party dealing with the same matter is pending. The Secretary General shall notify Contracting Parties of any withdrawal. When, pursuant to the provisions of paragraph 3 of Article 8 of the Convention and Council Decision No. 298, any matter is referred in whole or in part to the Committee for re-examination, the Contracting Party which has requested that the matter be re-examined shall submit to the Secretary General, not less than 60 days before the opening date of the next session of the Committee, a note setting out its reasons for requesting the re-examination, together with its proposals for resolving the matter. The Secretary General shall circulate this note to the other Contracting Parties.