Internal Regulations of the Consultative Committee of the European Coal and Steel Community 1995 (Eighth edition)
Date: 1995-03-31
Institutions: Consultative Committee of the European Coal and Steel Community
Subjects: ECSC, administrative structures, rules of procedure













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31995Y0606(01)

Internal Regulations of the Consultative Committee of the European Coal and Steel Community 1995 (Eighth edition)  


Official Journal C 140 , 06/06/1995 P. 0001 - 0012 





INTERNAL REGULATIONS OF THE  CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEEof the European Coal and Steel Community1995Eighth edition(95/C  140/01)Text adopted by the Committee at its 319th Session of 31 March 1995 pursuant to the  fifth paragraph of Article 18 of the ECSC TreatyCONTENTS TITLE IORGANIZATION OF THE  CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEEPageArticle 1 - Business period . 4Article 2 - Bureau organized on an age  basis . 4Article 3 - Bureau . 41. Composition . 42. Election . 43. Term of office and powers .  4Article 4 - Subcommittees . 51. Establishment . 52. Composition . 53. Appointment of members .  54. Term of office of members . 55. Subcommittee bureau . 5TITLE IIFUNCTIONING OF THE  CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEEArticle 5 - Sessions . 6Article 6 - Convocation of the Consultative  Committee . 61. Subsequent to a request by the European Commission . 62. Subsequent to a request  by the majority of the members of the Consultative Committee . 63. Subsequent to a request from  other Committee members . 6Article 7 - Written consultations . 6Article 8 - Agenda . 61.  Drafting of the agenda . 62. Motions . 7Article 9 - Periods of notice for sessions - procedure  for urgent cases . 7Article 10 - Preparatory work in subcommittee . 71. Delegation of tasks to  the subcommitees . 72. Powers of the subcommittees' bureaux . 7Article 11 - Procedure at  subcommitee meetings . 81. Chairman . 82. Quorum and voting . 83. Deputies . 84. Technical  advisers . 85. Participation of persons other than subcommittee members . 86. Participation by  experts . 87. Subcommitee findings . 8Article 12 - Procedure at sessions of the Consultative  Committee . 91. Participation of persons other than members . 92. Quorum . 93. Absences -  representation . 94. Presidency . 95. Despatch of the dossier for the session . 106. Procedural  motion . 107. Discussion of subcommitte findings . 108. Moving of amendments and lodging of  proposals for opinion or resolution . 109. Referral back to subcommittee . 1010. Voting procedure  . 1011. Closure . 11Article 13 - Session documents . 111. Reports, opinions and resolutions .  112. Minutes . 113. Approval of the Minutes . 11Article 14 - Secretariat . 11TITLE  IIIMISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONSArticle 15 - Absences of long duration . 12Article 16 - Amendments to  the Internal Regulations . 12TITLE I ORGANIZATION OF THE CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE Article  1Business periodThe activity of the Consultative Committee shall be divided into business  periods of one year: the duration of the President's term of office shall correspond to the  duration of the business period. If the Consultative Committee members are not elected in time, the duration of the business year  and the authority of the Bureau may be extended until the new Bureau is appointed. Article 2Bureau organized on an age basisThe first session of each business year shall be  called by the senior member or, should he be unable to do so, by the next eldest member, within a  maximum of four weeks after the end of the business year or after the election of the Consultative  Committee. The chair at this first session shall be taken by the eldest member present, acting as senior  President. He shall be assisted by the four youngest members of the Consultative Committee present, acting as  secretaries. These five members shall form the bureau organized on an age basis. This bureau shall continue to exercise its functions until announcement of the final result of the  election of the Consultative Committee Bureau, which shall be held at the first meeting of every  business year. At the beginning of the first session following election of the Consultative Committee members, the  senior President shall inform the Consultative Committee of the list of the members nominated by  the Council of the European Union. Article 3Bureau1. Composition The Bureau of the Consultative Committee shall comprise the  President, two Vice-Presidents and 12 other committee members (1). In the absence of the resolution by the Consultative Committee to the contrary, passed by a  two-thirds majority of its members, the President shall be chosen in turn from members representing  the producers, workers and consumers or dealers, and shall come alternately from the coal sector  and the steel sector (2). A Vice-President shall be chosen from each of those categories to which the President does not  belong. There shall be equal representation of the categories amongst the members of the Consultative  Committee Bureau. Whenever it considers it necessary, the Bureau shall ask the chairmen of the subcommittees affected  by one or more questions appearing on the agenda to take part in its meeting. 2. Election The President shall be elected by secret ballot, in the first and second ballots by  absolute majority of the members of the Consultative Committee, in the third ballot by relative  majority of the votes cast and, in the event of an equal vote, the deciding factor shall be  seniority. The other members of the Bureau shall be elected in like manner. They need not, however, be  appointed by separate ballots. In any one ballot, each voter may write in only one choice for each position to be filled and  account must be taken of the regulations governing the composition of the Consultative Committee's  Bureau: ballot papers will otherwise not be valid. Votes by secret ballot shall be individually cast in accordance with the nominal roll and votes may  not be delegated. By way of exception to the preceding conditions, the senior President may consult the Consultative  Commmittee as to the expediency of electing the Bureau of the Consultative Committee by a show of  hands. The expediency of such a measure must be approved unanimously. The rules for enforcement of the above provisions shall be determined by the Bureau organized on an  age basis. 3. Term of office and powers The Bureau of the Consultative Committee shall continue to exercise  its functions until the beginning of the first meeting of the following business year. The Bureau of the Consultative Committee shall have full authority to preside over the Consultative  Committee's work and to organize and guide its departments, under the conditions laid down in the  present Regulations and in accordance with the Treaty. The Bureau shall be responsible for external relations subject to the restrictions and terms laid  down by the Consultative Committee. The Bureau of the Consultative Committee shall be convened by the President, either ex officio or  at the request of three of its members. In the event of an equal vote at meetings of the Consultative Committee's Bureau, the resolution  under debate shall be referred to the Consultative Committee. The Vice-Presidents shall deputize for the President in the latter's absence. The order of  substitution shall be determined by the Bureau of the Consultative Committee at its first meeting.  In the absence of both Vice-Presidents, the eldest member shall deputize for the President. In the event of the resignation or death of one of its members, the Bureau shall ask the category  to which the member belonged to make a proposal for his replacement. The Bureau of the Consultative Committee may delegate its assigned tasks to the President, who  shall carry them out with the assistance of the secretariat. Article 4Subcommittees1. Establishment The Consultative Committee may establish standing or  special subcommittees within its own framework in which the number of seats shall in principle be  limited to 48. In urgent cases, special subcommittees may be created by the President, with the agreement of the  majority of the Consultative Committee Bureau. The procedure of appointment for members of standing or special subcommittee is set out in section  3. 2. Composition Members of the Consultative Committee may be nominated as members of standing or  special subcommittees. In the absence of prior special arrangements requiring approval by the Consultative Committee, the  composition of standing or special subcommittees must ensure the proportional representation of the  various categories. 3. Appointment of members Members of standing or special subcommittees shall be appointed by the  Consultative Committee. Any member of the Consultative Committee may be a candidate. Proposals shall be submitted to the  Consultative Committee by its Bureau. In urgent cases, members of special subcommittees may be appointed by the President, on proposals  from the members of the Bureau representing each category. If, in the course of a business year, a seat on a standing or special subcommittees becomes vacant  following the resignation or death of a Consultative Committee member, the seat shall be given  without further formalities to that member's successor, the provisions of paragraph 1 of this  section being waived. 4. Term of office of members The term of office of members of standing subcommittees shall end  with the business year in which they are appointed. The term of office of members of special subcommittees shall end once the President of the  Consultative Committee ascertains that the Consultative Committee has completed its discussion of  the questions for examination of which the special subcommittees were set up. 5. Subcommittee bureau Subcommittee work shall be prepared and guided by the subcommittee's  bureau. It shall comprise not less than three and not more than 15 members of the subcommittee. The subcommittee shall appoint its chairman at the opening session of each business year, and the  two vice-chairmen and the other members of the subcommittee bureau at the first meeting of the  subcommittee. In electing the subcommittee's bureau, the subcommittee members shall ensure that the various  categories of the Consultative Committee are proportionally represented, in the absence of special  arrangements among categories. TITLE II ORGANIZATION OF THE CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE Article 5SessionsThe Consultative  Commmittee's reports shall be adopted, its opinion and resolutions shall be formulated and adopted  in plenary assembly, except for the case envisaged in Article 7, where consultation is held in  writing. The Consultative Committee shall meet in plenary assembly at ordinary and extraordinary sessions. The timetable of ordinary sessions shall be fixed by the Consultative Committee at the opening  session of each business year. The members shall sit in alphabetical order. Article 6Convocation of the Consultative Committee1. Subsequent to a request by the European  Commission The President shall convene the Consultative Committee to debate specific questions if  a request to this effect has been made by the European Commission. The European Commission's request shall be referred to the Bureau of the Consultative Committee. 2. Subsequent to a request by the majority of the members of the Consultative Committee If the  majority of the Consultative Committee's members so requests, the President shall convene the  Consultative Committee to debate specific questions. 3. Subsequent to a request from other Committee members If a unanimous category or one-third of  the Consultative Committee members requests that the Consultative Committee be convened to debate  specific questions, the Bureau of the Consultative Committee shall ascertain from the European  Commission whether it supports this request. When they are informed of the Commission's opinion,  the Bureau of the Consultative Committee shall decide whether to agree to this request or not. Article 7Written consultationsIf in a consultation by the Consultative Committee the time  allowed is too short to permit postponement to the next ordinary session, the Bureau of the  Consultative Committee may either convene an extraordinary session or - if they consider that the  Consultative Committee will in all probability approve the proposal of the European Commission -  propose that a written consultation be held, provided that a two-thirds majority of the members of  the Bureau has voted in favour of this step. Members of the Consultative Committee shall be notified of the proposal, which shall also contain a  date for the holding of an extraordinary session if a minimum of 15 members of the Consultative  Committee should oppose the proposal for a written consultation or demand an extraordinary  session. Opposition to the written consultation or the demand for an extraordinary session by a minimum of  15 members of the Consultative Committee annuls the written consultation and all the opinions given  by members of the Committee in connection with it. The extraordinary session must be organized in such a manner that the period set by the European  Commission under the third paragraph of Article 19 of the Treaty for the submission of an opinion  can be met even if the proposal for a written consultation is rejected. If a minimum of 15 Consultative Committee members request the holding of an extraordinary session,  the President shall notify all members by letter or any other suitable means that the session to  which provisional invitations had been issued will take place. The quorum rule under Article 15 (2) (1) does not apply to such an extraordinary session. Article 8Agenda1. Drafting of the agenda The agenda shall be drafted by the Bureau of the  Consultative Committee not less than three weeks prior to the session, unless the procedure for  urgent cases, envisaged in Article 9, is applied. It shall be sent immediately to the members of  the Consultative Committee and to the European Commission. The agenda may, however, be subsequently amended at the request of the European Commission or at  the suggestion of the Bureau of the Consultative Committee. The only questions admitted on the agenda are those relating to requests for the calling of a  session, as specified in Article 6, or motions adopted by the Consultative Committee and specified  in section 2. 2. Motions A motion for the inclusion of a specific question on the agenda with a view to  discussion may be brought at a session. It must be signed by 15 members of the Consultative  Committee. It must be sent to the President before the meeting of the Bureau which precedes the  session. In exceptional cases, it may be submitted during the session if it arises from the  discussion. The Bureau shall bring the motion before the Consultative Committee with its opinion as to the  competence of the Consultative Committee and the expediency of debating the question raised in the  motion. If the majority of members adopt the motion the question proposed therein shall be included  on the agenda for the next session, unless its immediate discussion is requested by a number of  members at least equal to half the number of Consultative Committee members. Article 9Periods of notice for sessions - procedure for urgent cases1. The dates of sessions  must be fixed in such a way as to enable the deadlines set by the European Commission under the  third paragraph of Article 19 of the Treaty for the submission of opinions to be met. At all  events, however, a session must be held within four weeks of a duly formulated request for a  session. 2. Urgent business shall be announced, either by the President, as a result of the period set by  the European Commission under the terms of the third paragraph of Article 19 of the Treaty, or by  the Consultative Committee following a proposal from the Consultative Committee's Bureau. In urgent cases, announced by the President, he shall be empowered to take all measures,  immediately and without prior consultation with the Bureau of the Consultative Committee, as he may  deem necessary to enable the Consultative Committee to give its opinion, except that he may not set  up a special subcommittee and appoint its members. He shall, however, inform the members of the  Bureau of these measures. Article 10Preparatory work in subcommittee1. Delegation of tasks to the subcommittees  Sessions shall be prepared by the President in cooperation with the other members of the Bureau of  the Consultative Committee. The Bureau of the Consultative Committee may cause prior examination to be made in subcommittee of  any question which is to be discussed at a plenary assembly. If it does not deem such examination  necessary, the Bureau of the Consultative Committee may appoint a rapporteur to raise the question  before the plenary assembly. In the absence of a resolution by the Consultative Committee, it shall be the responsibility of the  Bureau to ascertain whether the question comes within the scope of an existing standing  subcommittee or requires the establishement of a special subcommittee. In the latter case, a  subcommittee shall be established in accordance with the provisions of Article 4. On behalf of the Bureau of the Consultative Committee, the President shall notify the subcommittee  bureau of the points it is to discuss and shall, if appropriate, prescribe the periods within which  the subcommittee's work must be completed. The Bureau of the Consultative Committee shall ensure that deadlines are met and shall, in  principle, acquaint themselves with the work carried out by the subcommittee before it is submitted  to the Consultative Committee. Subcommittees shall not discuss jointly with other subcommittees. If, however, the Bureau of the  Consultative Committee considers that a question does not fall within the exclusive scope of any  one subcommittee and that there is no justification for establishing a special subcommittee, it may  ask two or more subcommittees' bureaux either to hold a joint meeting of their respective  subcommittees or to meet together themselves, after separate discussions by the subcommittees, to  draw up a single document for presentation to the plenary session. 2. Powers of the subcommittees' bureaux The subcommittee bureau shall determine the date and  agenda of subcommittee meetings in accordance with the notification sent to them by the Bureau of  the Consultative Committee. The agenda, together with the necessary documents, must be sent to subcommittee members at least  eight days before each meeting in the official Community languages. It shall also be sent, for  information, to the European Commission and to those members of the Consultative Committee who do  not sit on the subcommittee. The subcommittee bureau shall appoint from its members the rapporteur or rapporteurs for the  plenary assembly and, if appropriate, a drafting committee to assist the rapporteur or  rapporteurs. The subcommittee bureau may also, with their agreement, appoint as rapporteurs members of the  Consultative Committee who are not members of the subcommittee. The subcommittee bureau shall collect and prepare, where appropriate, documents necessary to  organize the work of the subcommittee. Article 11Procedure at subcommittee meetings1. Chairman Subcommittee meetings shall be  presided over by the subcommittee chairman or, if he is unable to attend, by one of the  vice-chairmen. 2. Quorum and voting In principle, votes shall not be held in subcommittees. If exceptionally a  vote is held, only subcommittee members and their deputies, provided the latter are members of the  Consultative Committee, may vote. Under no circumstances may a vote be held unless there is a  quorum at the time it is held. There shall be deemed to be a quorum if the number of those present with voting rights is more than  half the total number of the subcommittee's members. 3. Deputies Any subcommittee member unable to attend a meeting may, after notifying the  secretariat of the Consultative Committee, which shall inform the subcommittee chairman, appoint a  deputy who may be either another member of the Consultative Committee - to who he may delegate his  vote - or a person who is not a member of the Consultative Committee. The deputy's powers shall be expressly restricted to the meeting for which he is appointed. The  deputy shall enjoy the same prerogatives in debate as the person for whom he acts. A deputy who is  not a member of the Consultative Committee may not, however, vote. If a vote is held, he may ask  one of the subcommittee members to exercise the vote of the person for whom he acts. 4. Technical advisers Each member of a subcommittee and each member of the Consultative Committee  appointed as deputy for an absent subcommittee member may, after notifying the secretariat of the  Consultative Committee which shall inform the subcommittee chairman, avail himself at meetings of  the subcommittee of assistance from a technical adviser specially qualified in the questions for  debate. 5. Participation of persons other than subcommittee members Any member of the Consultative  Committee may participate in meetings of subcommittees of which he is not a member. Members of the European Commission shall automatically attend subcommittee meetings and address the  meeting if they wish. They shall be assisted or represented by officials of their own appointing. Subcommittee meetings shall not be public. A majority resolution of the subcommittee members  present may cause specific questions for discussion to be declared confidential. 6. Participation by experts The subcommittee bureau may, on its own initiative or that of the  subcommittee, call upon persons able to speak with special competence in the examination of the  matters for consideration. Such persons may be invited to participate in the work of the  subcommittee or report to it on particular points. 7. Subcommittee findings Subcommittee findings shall be forwarded by the subcommittee bureau to  the Bureau of the Consultative Committee, within the deadlines set by the latter, for presentation  to the plenary assembly. If the findings are recorded in a document, this document shall, depending on the nature of the  question discussed, take the form either of a subcommittee report or of a draft report, opinion or  resolution by the Consultative Committee. This document shall be accompanied, as far as possible, by the subcommittee's working dossier. This  shall comprise documents of hearings held by the subcommittee, surveys conducted and information  collected, the record of subcommittee discussions and, if appropriate, the documents provided by  the European Commission. The Bureau of the Consultative Committee may ask a subcommittee to hold fresh discussions if it  believes that their findings are not adequate to allow a final debate at a session. Article 12Procedure at sessions of the Consultative Committee1. Participation of persons other  than members Sessions shall not be public. A majority resolution by members of the Consultative  Committee present may cause specific questions for discussion to be declared confidential. Sessions may only be attended by: (a) members of the European Commission and officials designated by it; (b) persons empowered to represent a member prevented from attending for urgent reasons duly  substantiated under the terms of section 3; (c) members of the Consultative Committee secretariat; (d) other persons, exceptionally and by decision of the Bureau, for a clearly defined purpose. Members of the European Commission or officials delegated by them may address the session if they  so request, or may request that the officials accompanying them are permitted to speak. 2. Quorum The sessions of the Consultative Committee shall be validly convened when more than  half its members are present. If a quorum is not present, the Committee shall hold a working meeting. Where there is a question of a request by the European Commission for an opinion or a consultation,  and when the Committee has to vote on an opinion or a resolution, a second meeting shall be  convened within 10 days; the Committee shall be validly convened, to discuss the same question,  however many members are present. 3. Absences - representation Any member of the Consultative Committee unable to attend a session  may send the President, by letter, or telegram subsequently confirmed by letter or any other  suitable means, his opinion on the points raised in the agenda. The full text of this opinion shall  be appended to the analytical record. Any member of the Consultative Committee prevented from attending a session - with the exception of  the first session of each business year - for urgent reasons duly substantiated may send the  President an explicit request in writing to have himself represented by a spokesman named by him,  when the Consultative Committee examines one or more of the questions on the agenda. The President shall refer requests he has received to the Bureau of the Consultative Committee. The  Bureau of the Consultative Committee shall assess them, taking into account the reasons given and  the number of requests submitted during the business year by the party concerned to make use of the  provision referred to in paragraph 2 of this section (1). The President shall then inform the Consultative Committee of requests upheld by the Bureau, with  express mention of the reasons adduced by the party concerned. The Consultative Committee shall reserve the right to reject, without appeal, requests for which it  regards the urgent reasons put forward as inadequate. If the request is accepted by the Consultative Committee, the President shall invite the  representative to join the session, either to be present throughout its discussion or when the  points on the agenda for which he has been appointed come up for discussion. The representative shall take part in the discussion, but shall not take part in the voting. 4. Presidency Sessions of the Consultative Committee shall be chaired by the President or, if he  is unable to attend, by the member appointed in accordance with Article 3 (3) (6). The President shall open, adjourn and close sessions. He shall ensure that the Regulations are  adhered to, maintain order, give leave to speak, declare discussions closed, hold votes and  announce voting results. He may take part in the discussion as a member if he so declares  beforehand. The Bureau of the Consultative Committee shall meet as often as they consider necessary and in any  case shall hold a meeting to organize the discussions before each session of the Consultative  Committee. Unless the Bureau decides otherwise, the secretary of the Consultative Committee shall  assume the tasks of secretary and teller of the session. 5. Despatch of the dossier for the session Documents relevant to the session, and in particular,  documents provided by the European Commission and those drawn up by subcommittees, must be sent, in  the official Community languages, to members of the Consultative Committee at least eight days  prior to each session, unless the procedure for urgent cases specified in Article 9 applies. 6. Procedural motion The President shall immediately give leave to speak - for no longer than  five miniutes - to a member who indicates his intention of proposing a procedural motion to demand  strict enforcement of the Regulations, a change in the order of the agenda, the limitation of  speaking time, the ending of discussion on the point under consideration or the holding over of  this point to another session. The President shall immediately have the motion put to the vote, if it does not give rise to  discussion. If there is discussion only the mover, a speaker 'for' and a speaker 'against', the  President and, if relevant, the rapporteur of the subcommittee concerned may take part. If carried by a majority of the members present, the proposed measure shall come into force  immediately. 7. Discussion of subcommittee findings The rapporteur of the subcommittee responsible for prior  examination of the question for discussion on the agenda shall report on the subcommittee's  discussions and introduce the document drawn up in its name. The Consultative Committee shall then hold a general discussion of this document. 8. Moving of amendments and lodging of proposals for opinion or resolution Any member of the  Consultative Committee may move amendments to the document drawn up in the subcommittee's name  provided this document has the form of a draft report, draft opinion or draft resolution by the  Consultative Committee. He may also lodge proposals for opinion or resolution. Amendments and proposals for opinion or resolution must be formulated in writing and lodged with  the Bureau of the Consultative Committee. During the session they must be proposed in writing and they are only admissible if they relate to  a change in the document under discussion, or if they are signed by at least 15 members of the  Consultative Committee. It shall then be the responsibility of the President, either at the session  or after consulting the Bureau of the Consultative Committee, to decide if these amendments of  proposal are to be discussed immediately or if the remainder of the debate should be deferred to a  later date. 9. Referral back to subcommittee The Consultative Committee may decide to refer back to  subcommittee a question it deems to have been insufficiently dealt with. 10. Voting procedure Only members of the Consultative Committee may vote. Any member of the Consultative Committee unable to attend a session may delegate his vote to  another member of the Consultative Committee. Each member of the Consultative Committee may receive  only two such delegations. Delegations of votes shall not be taken into consideration when  ascertaining the quorum required under section 2 of this Article. The Consultative Committee may cast their votes either by a show of hands or by rising or remaining  seated, or by roll call, except in the case envisaged in Article 3 (2). Votes shall be cast in the  following order: - members present, - delegated votes: first vote, - delegated votes: second vote. The decision to hold a vote by roll call shall be taken by the President. A roll call shall be  automatically held if 15 of the members present so request. A roll call shall be taken in  alphabetical order. The President may also hold a vote by roll call on a question already voted on by a show of hands  or by rising or remaining seated, if the vote appears in doubt or if it was not unanimous and he is  therefore of the opinion that the Minutes should contain the names of members who voted in the  majority and those who voted in the minority. A question previously voted on in another ballot may be put to the vote by roll call for final  settlement, if a roll call is immediately demanded under the conditions given in the fourth  paragraph. 11. Closure At the President's request, the Consultative Committee shall declare whether the  session is to be closed. Following conclusion of the discussion, no one may address the session unless to give a brief  explanation of a vote. Article 13Session documents1. Reports, opinions and resolutions Reports, opinions and  resolutions by the Consultative Committee shall be distributed to the members of the Consultative  Committee. They shall be sent to the Presidents of the European Commission and of the Council of  the European Union. They may be inserted in the Official Journal of the European Communities. The subcommittee rapporteur or secretary of the session shall be responsible for the final editing  of these documents, under the supervision of the Bureau of the Consultative Committee. Opinions and resolutions shall only be concerned with texts put to the vote and adopted unanimously  or by a majority of the votes cast, together with the results of such votes. Texts obtaining only minority approval shall be recorded in the Minutes, with the details of the  voting results. 2. Minutes Minutes shall be kept for each meeting of the Consultative Committee, to be signed by  the President and the secretary of the session. The following items shall be appended to these Minutes where appropriate: 1. documents necessary for the understanding of the discussions; 2. an analytical record of the discussions; 3. the reports, opinions or resolutions voted at the session, showing the number and breakdown of  votes. After each session the Minutes and their appendices shall be sent, in accordance with Article 19  (5) of the Treaty, to the Presidents of the European Commission and the Council of the European  Union. The Minutes and their appendices shall also be distributed to the members of the Consultative  Committee. No other distribution may be made except by decision of the Consultative Committee. 3. Approval of the Minutes At the beginning of each session, the President shall submit the  Minutes of the previous session to the Consultative Committee for approval. The Minutes of the last session in each term of office shall be submitted, in writing, to members  whose terms of office have expired. The terms for enforcement of this procedure shall be laid down by the Bureau of the Consultative  Committee holding office when the procedure is enforced. Article 14SecretariatThe Consultative Committee shall have a secretariat, headed by the  secretary of the Consultative Committee. The secretary shall be appointed by the European  Commission, with the agreement of the Bureau of the Consultative Committee. The secretary shall be  assisted by as many staff as are necessary to enable the Consultative Committee and its  subcommittees to function properly. This secretariat shall be under the authority of the Bureau of the Consultative Committee,  represented by the President, who shall supervise implementation of the Bureau's decisions. The Bureau of the Consultative Committee shall take all measures concerning the organization and  activity of the secretariat. TITLE III MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS Article 15Absences of long durationIf a member of the  Consultative Committee, called in the proper manner, has not attended sessions of the Consultative  Committee for a period of six months and has not asked for leave of absence, the Bureau, after  asking the member concerned to account for his absences, may inform the Presidents of the European  Commission and the Council of the European Union of this situation, with a view to the possible  replacement of that member. The Bureau shall decide on a member's written request for leave of absence and suggest to the  Community any non-voting representative he may have proposed to replace him during his period of  absence. Article 16Amendments to the Internal RegulationsThe provisions of the present Internal  Regulations may be amended by the Consultative Committee, following a proposal by its Bureau or at  least one-third of the members of the Consultative Committee. Any amendments to the present Regulations shall be adopted by a two-thirds majority of the  Consultative Committee members at a plenary assembly. (1) Unless otherwise stated, all references to the President in the present  Regulations shall be to the President of the Consultative Committee. (2) The members shall be drawn from the following three categories: - producers, - workers, - consumers and dealers. (1) Whole-day sessions may not be attended by the member and his representative for half a day  each. Two-day sessions may be attended by the member and his representative for one day each.