Article XII 
Entry into force This Agreement shall enter into force as from the date of receipt of the fifth instrument of acceptance. Article XIII Territorial application The Members of the Commission shall, when accepting this Agreement, 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 XIV below, the scope of the territorial application may be modified by a subsequent declaration. Article XIV Withdrawal 1. Any Member may withdraw from this Agreement at any time after the expiration of two years from the date upon which the Agreement entered into force with respect to that Member, by giving written notice of such withdrawal to the Director-General of the Organisation who shall immediately inform all the Members of the Commission and the Members of the Organisation of such withdrawal. Notice of withdrawal shall become effective three months from the date of its receipt by the Director-General. 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, with the exception of Associate Members. 3. Any Member of the Commission that gives notice of withdrawal from the Organisation shall be deemed to have simultaneously withdrawn from the Commission, and this withdrawal shall be deemed to apply to all the territories for the international relations of which the Member concerned is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 XV Interpretation and settlement of disputes Any dispute regarding the interpretation or application of this Agreement, 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, or, in the case of a Regional Economic Integration Organisation that is a Member of the Commission, it shall be submitted to arbitration unless the parties to the dispute agree to another method of settlement. Article XVI Termination This Agreement shall be automatically terminated if and when, as the result of withdrawals, the number of Members of the Commission drops below five, unless the remaining Members unanimously decide otherwise. Article XVII Certification and registration The text of this Agreement was originally formulated at Rome on the twenty-fourth day of September one thousand nine hundred and forty-nine in the French language. Two copies in the English, French and Spanish languages of this Agreement and of any amendments to this Agreement shall be certified by the Chairman of the Commission and by the Director-General of the Organisation. One of these copies shall be deposited in the archives of the Organisation. The other copy shall be transmitted to the Secretary-General of the United Nations for registration. In addition, the Director-General shall certify copies of this Agreement and transmit one copy to each Member of the Organisation and to such non-member nations of the Organisation that are or may become parties to this Agreement. RULES OF PROCEDURE OF THE GENERAL FISHERIES COMMISSION FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN Rule I For the purpose of these Rules, the following definitions apply: Agreement: The Agreement for the establishment of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean formulated at Rome (Italy), 24 September 1949 as amended in conformity with Article X thereof. Commission: The General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean. Chairman: The Chairman of the Commission. Vice-Chairman: The Vice-Chairman of the Commission. Delegate: The representative of a Member as specified in Article II(1) of the Agreement. Delegation: The delegate and his alternate, experts, and advisers. Member: Members and Associate Members of the Organisation, and non-members of the Organisation, as may be Members of the Commission. Secretary: The Secretary of the Commission. Organisation: The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations. Conference: The Conference of the Organisation. Observer nation, Associate Member or Organisation: A nation that is not a Member of the Commission or of the Organisation, or an international organisation invited to attend a session of the Commission, or a Member or Associate Member of the Organisation attending a session of the Commission while not a Member of the Commission. Observer: The representative of an observer nation or organisation. Rule II Sessions of the Commission 1. In pursuance of, and in accordance with, Article II(10) of the Agreement, the Commission, in consultation with the Director-General, shall at each regular session decide the time and place for the next session in accordance with the requirements of the Commission's programmes and the terms of the invitation of the country in which the session is to be held. The Chairman, accordingly, shall issue the announcement of the session. 2. The Chairman may convene a special session of the Commission at the request or with the approval of the majority of the Members. 3. Invitations to a regular session of the Commission shall be issued by the Secretary on behalf of the Chairman not less than sixty days in advance of the date fixed for the opening of the session. Invitations to special sessions shall be issued not less than forty days in advance of the date fixed for the opening of the session. 4. In order that a proposal to hold a session of the Commission or any of its organs, in a given country, may be considered, such country must have (a) ratified without reservation the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the Specialised Agencies of the United Nations, or (b) given the assurance that all delegates, representatives, experts, observers, or other persons entitled to attend such session in accordance with the terms of the Agreement or these Rules, will enjoy the privileges and immunities necessary for the independent exercise of their function in connection with the session. Rule III Credentials At each session the Secretary shall receive the credentials of delegations and observers. Such credentials shall conform to the standard form set by the Secretariat. Upon examination thereof the Secretariat shall report to the Commission for the necessary action. Rule IV Agenda 1. The agenda of each regular session shall include: (a) as appropriate, election of the Chairman and of two Vice-Chairmen as provided under Article II(9) of the Agreement; (b) adoption of the agenda; (c) a report by the Secretary on the financial affairs and activities of the Commission; (d) consideration of the proposed budget; (e) reports of committees; (f) consideration of the time and place of the next session; (g) proposals for amendments to the Agreement and the present Rules of Procedure; (h) applications for membership, in accordance with Article XI(2) of the Agreement, from States which, while not Members of the Organisation, are Members of the United Nations, any of its Specialised Agencies or the International Atomic Energy Agency; (i) items referred to the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean by the Conference, the Council or the Director-General of the Organisation. 2. The agenda shall also include, upon approval by the Commission: (a) items approved at the previous session; (b) items proposed by a Member. 3. The provisional agenda shall be sent by the Secretary to members and observer nations and organisations not less than 60 days before the date of the session, together with reports and documents available in connection therewith. 4. The agenda of a special session shall consist only of items relating to the purpose for which the session was called. Rule V The Secretariat 1. The Secretariat shall consist of the Secretary and such staff responsible to him as may be determined by the Director-General. 2. The duties of the Secretary shall include the receipt, collation, and circulation of documents, reports, and resolutions of the sessions of the Commission and its committees, the record of their proceedings, the certification of expenditures and financial commitments, and the performance of such other duties as the Commission may direct. 3. Copies of all communications concerning the affairs of the Commission shall be sent to the Secretary for purposes of information and record. Rule VI Plenary meetings of the Commission Plenary meetings of the Commission shall be held in public unless otherwise decided by the Commission. 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. Rule VII Election of Chairman and Vice-Chairmen 1. The Commission shall elect the Chairman and first and second Vice-Chairman of the Commission who shall assume office immediately following the regular session at which they were elected and who shall be elected for two regular sessions. 2. Nominees must be delegates or alternates present at the regular session at which they are to be elected. They shall be eligible for re-election for a further two regular sessions. Rule VIII Functions of the Chairman and Vice-Chairmen 1. The Chairman shall exercise the functions conferred on him elsewhere in these Rules and, in particular, shall: (a) declare the opening and closing of each plenary meeting of the Commission; (b) direct the discussions at such meetings and ensure observance of these Rules, accord the right to speak, put questions and announce decisions; (c) rule on points of order; (d) subject to these Rules, have complete control over the proceedings of the session; (e) appoint such committees of the session as the Commission may direct. 2. In the absence of the Chairman, or at his request, his functions shall be exercised by the first Vice-Chairman or, in the absence of the latter, by the second Vice-Chairman. 3. The Chairman or Vice-Chairmen, when acting as Chairman shall not vote and another member of their delegations shall represent their governments. 4. The Secretary shall temporarily exercise the functions of the Chairman in the event the Chairman and Vice-Chairmen are unable to serve. Rule IX Voting arrangements and procedures 1. Except as provided in paragraph 4 of this Rule, voting in plenary meetings shall be oral or by show of hands, except that a vote by roll call shall be taken if a special majority is required by the Agreement or these Rules, or if a request for a vote by roll call is made by any delegation. 2. A vote by roll call shall be conducted by calling upon delegations in the French alphabetical order. 3. The record of any roll call vote shall show the votes cast by each delegate and any abstention. 4. Voting on matters relating to individuals, except the election of officers of the Commission and its committees, shall be by secret ballot. 5. When no nominee for an office obtains on the first ballot a majority of the votes cast, there shall be taken a second ballot confined to the two candidates obtaining the largest number of votes. If, on the second ballot, the votes are equally divided, the Chairman shall decide between the candidates by drawing lots. 6. If the Commission is equally divided when a vote is taken on a question other than election, a second vote shall be taken at the next meeting of the current session. If the Commission is then again equally divided, the proposal shall be regarded as rejected. 7. Voting arrangements and other related matters not specifically provided for by the Agreement, or by these Rules, shall be governed mutatis mutandis by the provisions of the General Rules of the Organisation. Rule X Committees 1. There shall be established a Committee on Aquaculture which shall be open to all members of the Commission and which shall: (a) monitor development and trends of aquaculture practices in the region; (b) monitor the interaction between aquaculture development and the environment; (c) oversee and guide work of the four networks created as a result of the activities of MEDRAP II and in particular by monitoring the progress, evaluating the proposed programmes of the various networks, and directing the work of the SIPAM network through the FAO Secretariat; (d) seek additional support to complement the contribution of the institutions, which support the established networks, namely, CIHEAM, MAP-PAP/RAC and FAO, and to enhance the work of the four networks; (e) carry out other duties related to aquaculture promotion and development that may be referred to it by the Commission. 2. (a) There shall be established a Scientific Advisory Committee which shall provide scientific, social and economic information, data, or advice relating to the work of the Commission. (b) The Committee shall be open to all members of the Commission. Each Member of the Commission may designate a member of the Committee, and a member may be accompanied by experts. (c) The Committee may establish working groups to analyse data and to advise the Committee on the state of shared and straddling resources. (d) The Committee shall provide independent advice on the technical and scientific bases for decisions concerning fisheries conservation and management, including biological, social and economic aspects, and in particular, it shall: (1) assess information provided by members and relevant fisheries organisations or programmes on catches, fishing effort, and other data relevant to the conservation and management of fisheries; (2) formulate advice to the Commission on the conservation and management of fisheries; (3) identify cooperative research programmes and coordinate their implementation; (4) undertake such other functions or responsibilities as may be conferred on it by the Commission. (e) Members have an obligation to provide information on catches and other data relevant to the functions of the committee in such a way as to enable the Committee to fulfil its responsibilities under this paragraph. 3. The Commission may establish such other committees and working parties as it considers desirable. 4. The establishment of committees and working parties under this Rule shall be subject to the provisions of Article VII(4) of the Agreement. 5. The procedures of such committees and working parties shall be governed mutatis mutandis by the Rules of Procedure of the Commission. Rule XI Budget and finance 1. Except as otherwise provided in these Rules, the Financial Regulations of the Organisation, as amplified by the Administrative Manual and memoranda and the procedures based thereon, shall apply to the Commission. 2. A proposed budget of the Commission for the next succeeding financial period consisting of proposed expenses of the Secretariat, including publications and communications, the proposed travelling expenses of the Chairman and Vice-Chairmen, when engaged in the work of the Commission between its sessions, and the expense, if any, of the committees, shall after approval by the Commission be submitted to the Director-General for consideration in the preparation of the general budget estimates of the Organisation. 3. When adopted by the Conference as part of the general budget of the Organisation, the budget of the Commission shall constitute the limits within which funds may be committed for purposes approved by the Conference. 4. All cooperative projects shall be submitted to the Council or the Conference of the Organisation prior to implementation. Rule XII Participation by observers 1. Participation of international organisations in the work of the Commission and the relations between the Commission and such organisations shall be governed by the relevant provisions of the Organisation, as well as by the rules on relations with international organisations adopted by the Conference or Council of the Organisation. 2. Members and Associate Members of the Organisation 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. 3. States that are not Members of the Commission, nor Members or Associate Members of the Organisation, but are Members of the United Nations, any of its Specialised Agencies or the International Atomic Energy Agency may, upon request, and with the approval of the Council of the Organisation and of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean, 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. 4. Unless the Commission expressly determines otherwise, observers may attend the plenary meetings of the Commission and participate in the discussions at any technical committee sessions which they may be invited to attend. In no case will they be entitled to vote. Rule XIII Cooperative projects In the furtherance of cooperative projects provided for in Article III(1)(e) of the Agreement, and of studies undertaken outside the region referred to in the Preamble of the Agreement, arrangements may be made with governments that are not members of the Commission. All such arrangements shall be made by the Director-General of the Organisation. Rule XIV Records, reports and recommendations 1. Summary records shall be made of each plenary meeting of the Commission and each committee meeting, and shall be distributed as soon as possible to the participants. 2. A summary shall be prepared of the proceedings of each session of the Commission and shall be published together with such reports of committees, technical papers and other documents as the Commission may consider advisable. 3. At each session the Commission shall approve a report embodying its views, recommendations, resolutions and decisions, including, when requested, a statement of minority views. 4. Subject to the provisions of Article V of the Agreement, the conclusions and recommendations of the Commission shall be transmitted to the Director-General of the Organisation at the close of each session, who shall circulate them to Members of the Commission, nations and international organisations that were represented at the session and make them available to other Members and Associate Members of the Organisation for their information. 5. Recommendations having policy, programme or financial implications for the Organisation shall be brought by the Director-General to the attention of the Conference through the Council of the Organisation for action. 6. Subject to the provisions of the preceding paragraph, the Chairman may request Members of the Commission to supply the Commission or the Director-General with information on action taken on the basis of recommendations made by the Commission. Rule XV Recommendations to Members 1. The Commission may take recommendations for action by Members on any matter pertaining to the functions described in Article III of the Agreement. 2. The Secretary shall receive on behalf of the Commission the replies of the Members in respect of such recommendations and shall prepare a summary and an analysis of such communications for presentation at the next session. Rule XVI Amendments to the Agreement 1. Proposals for the amendment of the Agreement as provided by Article X of the Agreement may be made by any Member in a communication addressed to the Secretary. The Secretary shall transmit to all Members and to the Director-General a copy of such proposals for amendment immediately upon their receipt. 2. No action on a proposal for the amendment of the Agreement shall be taken by the Commission at any session unless it has been included in the provisional agenda of the session. Rule XVII Suspension and amendment of Rules 1. Subject to the provisions of the Agreement any of the foregoing Rules, other than Rules IV, V, X(3) and (4), XI, XII, XIV(4) and XVI, may be suspended on the motion of any delegation by a majority of the votes cast at any plenary meeting of the Commission, provided that announcement is made at a plenary meeting of the Commission and copies of the proposal for suspension have been distributed to the delegations not less than 48 hours before the meeting at which action is to be taken. 2. Amendments of, or addition to, these Rules may be adopted on the motion of any delegation by a two-thirds majority of the Members of the Commission, at any plenary meeting of the Commission, provided an announcement is made at a plenary meeting and copies of the proposal for the amendment or addition have been distributed to delegations not less than 24 hours before the meeting at which action is to be taken. 3. Any amendment to Rule XVI 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. Rule XVIII Official languages 1. The official languages of the Commission shall be such languages of the Organisation as the Commission itself may decide. The delegations may use any one of these languages at sessions and for their reports and communications. A delegation using a non-official language shall provide for interpretation into one of the official languages. 2. During the meetings, interpretation in one or more of the official languages will be provided by the Secretariat when requested by one of the delegates present. 3. Publications of reports and communications shall be in the language in which they are submitted and, when required by the Commission, abstracts in translation may be published.
Article XIII 
Territorial application The Members of the Commission shall, when accepting this Agreement, 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 XIV below, the scope of the territorial application may be modified by a subsequent declaration. Article XIV Withdrawal 1. Any Member may withdraw from this Agreement at any time after the expiration of two years from the date upon which the Agreement entered into force with respect to that Member, by giving written notice of such withdrawal to the Director-General of the Organisation who shall immediately inform all the Members of the Commission and the Members of the Organisation of such withdrawal. Notice of withdrawal shall become effective three months from the date of its receipt by the Director-General. 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, with the exception of Associate Members. 3. Any Member of the Commission that gives notice of withdrawal from the Organisation shall be deemed to have simultaneously withdrawn from the Commission, and this withdrawal shall be deemed to apply to all the 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 XV Interpretation and settlement of disputes Any dispute regarding the interpretation or application of this Agreement, 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, or, in the case of a Regional Economic Integration Organisation that is a Member of the Commission, it shall be submitted to arbitration unless the parties to the dispute agree to another method of settlement. Article XVI Termination This Agreement shall be automatically terminated if and when, as the result of withdrawals, the number of Members of the Commission drops below five, unless the remaining Members unanimously decide otherwise. Article XVII Certification and registration The text of this Agreement was originally formulated at Rome on the twenty-fourth day of September one thousand nine hundred and forty-nine in the French language. Two copies in the English, French and Spanish languages of this Agreement and of any amendments to this Agreement shall be certified by the Chairman of the Commission and by the Director-General of the Organisation. One of these copies shall be deposited in the archives of the Organisation. The other copy shall be transmitted to the Secretary-General of the United Nations for registration. In addition, the Director-General shall certify copies of this Agreement and transmit one copy to each Member of the Organisation and to such non-member nations of the Organisation that are or may become parties to this Agreement. RULES OF PROCEDURE OF THE GENERAL FISHERIES COMMISSION FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN Rule I For the purpose of these Rules, the following definitions apply: Agreement: The Agreement for the establishment of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean formulated at Rome (Italy), 24 September 1949 as amended in conformity with Article X thereof. Commission: The General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean. Chairman: The Chairman of the Commission. Vice-Chairman: The Vice-Chairman of the Commission. Delegate: The representative of a Member as specified in Article II(1) of the Agreement. Delegation: The delegate and his alternate, experts, and advisers. Member: Members and Associate Members of the Organisation, and non-members of the Organisation, as may be Members of the Commission. Secretary: The Secretary of the Commission. Organisation: The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations. Conference: The Conference of the Organisation. Observer nation, Associate Member or Organisation: A nation that is not a Member of the Commission or of the Organisation, or an international organisation invited to attend a session of the Commission, or a Member or Associate Member of the Organisation attending a session of the Commission while not a Member of the Commission. Observer: The representative of an observer nation or organisation. Rule II Sessions of the Commission 1. In pursuance of, and in accordance with, Article II(10) of the Agreement, the Commission, in consultation with the Director-General, shall at each regular session decide the time and place for the next session in accordance with the requirements of the Commission's programmes and the terms of the invitation of the country in which the session is to be held. The Chairman, accordingly, shall issue the announcement of the session. 2. The Chairman may convene a special session of the Commission at the request or with the approval of the majority of the Members. 3. Invitations to a regular session of the Commission shall be issued by the Secretary on behalf of the Chairman not less than sixty days in advance of the date fixed for the opening of the session. Invitations to special sessions shall be issued not less than forty days in advance of the date fixed for the opening of the session. 4. In order that a proposal to hold a session of the Commission or any of its organs, in a given country, may be considered, such country must have (a) ratified without reservation the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the Specialised Agencies of the United Nations, or (b) given the assurance that all delegates, representatives, experts, observers, or other persons entitled to attend such session in accordance with the terms of the Agreement or these Rules, will enjoy the privileges and immunities necessary for the independent exercise of their function in connection with the session. Rule III Credentials At each session the Secretary shall receive the credentials of delegations and observers. Such credentials shall conform to the standard form set by the Secretariat. Upon examination thereof the Secretariat shall report to the Commission for the necessary action. Rule IV Agenda 1. The agenda of each regular session shall include: (a) as appropriate, election of the Chairman and of two Vice-Chairmen as provided under Article II(9) of the Agreement; (b) adoption of the agenda; (c) a report by the Secretary on the financial affairs and activities of the Commission; (d) consideration of the proposed budget; (e) reports of committees; (f) consideration of the time and place of the next session; (g) proposals for amendments to the Agreement and the present Rules of Procedure; (h) applications for membership, in accordance with Article XI(2) of the Agreement, from States which, while not Members of the Organisation, are Members of the United Nations, any of its Specialised Agencies or the International Atomic Energy Agency; (i) items referred to the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean by the Conference, the Council or the Director-General of the Organisation. 2. The agenda shall also include, upon approval by the Commission: (a) items approved at the previous session; (b) items proposed by a Member. 3. The provisional agenda shall be sent by the Secretary to members and observer nations and organisations not less than 60 days before the date of the session, together with reports and documents available in connection therewith. 4. The agenda of a special session shall consist only of items relating to the purpose for which the session was called. Rule V The Secretariat 1. The Secretariat shall consist of the Secretary and such staff responsible to him as may be determined by the Director-General. 2. The duties of the Secretary shall include the receipt, collation, and circulation of documents, reports, and resolutions of the sessions of the Commission and its committees, the record of their proceedings, the certification of expenditures and financial commitments, and the performance of such other duties as the Commission may direct. 3. Copies of all communications concerning the affairs of the Commission shall be sent to the Secretary for purposes of information and record. Rule VI Plenary meetings of the Commission Plenary meetings of the Commission shall be held in public unless otherwise decided by the Commission. 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. Rule VII Election of Chairman and Vice-Chairmen 1. The Commission shall elect the Chairman and first and second Vice-Chairman of the Commission who shall assume office immediately following the regular session at which they were elected and who shall be elected for two regular sessions. 2. Nominees must be delegates or alternates present at the regular session at which they are to be elected. They shall be eligible for re-election for a further two regular sessions. Rule VIII Functions of the Chairman and Vice-Chairmen 1. The Chairman shall exercise the functions conferred on him elsewhere in these Rules and, in particular, shall: (a) declare the opening and closing of each plenary meeting of the Commission; (b) direct the discussions at such meetings and ensure observance of these Rules, accord the right to speak, put questions and announce decisions; (c) rule on points of order; (d) subject to these Rules, have complete control over the proceedings of the session; (e) appoint such committees of the session as the Commission may direct. 2. In the absence of the Chairman, or at his request, his functions shall be exercised by the first Vice-Chairman or, in the absence of the latter, by the second Vice-Chairman. 3. The Chairman or Vice-Chairmen, when acting as Chairman shall not vote and another member of their delegations shall represent their governments. 4. The Secretary shall temporarily exercise the functions of the Chairman in the event the Chairman and Vice-Chairmen are unable to serve. Rule IX Voting arrangements and procedures 1. Except as provided in paragraph 4 of this Rule, voting in plenary meetings shall be oral or by show of hands, except that a vote by roll call shall be taken if a special majority is required by the Agreement or these Rules, or if a request for a vote by roll call is made by any delegation. 2. A vote by roll call shall be conducted by calling upon delegations in the French alphabetical order. 3. The record of any roll call vote shall show the votes cast by each delegate and any abstention. 4. Voting on matters relating to individuals, except the election of officers of the Commission and its committees, shall be by secret ballot. 5. When no nominee for an office obtains on the first ballot a majority of the votes cast, there shall be taken a second ballot confined to the two candidates obtaining the largest number of votes. If, on the second ballot, the votes are equally divided, the Chairman shall decide between the candidates by drawing lots. 6. If the Commission is equally divided when a vote is taken on a question other than election, a second vote shall be taken at the next meeting of the current session. If the Commission is then again equally divided, the proposal shall be regarded as rejected. 7. Voting arrangements and other related matters not specifically provided for by the Agreement, or by these Rules, shall be governed mutatis mutandis by the provisions of the General Rules of the Organisation. Rule X Committees 1. There shall be established a Committee on Aquaculture which shall be open to all members of the Commission and which shall: (a) monitor development and trends of aquaculture practices in the region; (b) monitor the interaction between aquaculture development and the environment; (c) oversee and guide work of the four networks created as a result of the activities of MEDRAP II and in particular by monitoring the progress, evaluating the proposed programmes of the various networks, and directing the work of the SIPAM network through the FAO Secretariat; (d) seek additional support to complement the contribution of the institutions, which support the established networks, namely, CIHEAM, MAP-PAP/RAC and FAO, and to enhance the work of the four networks; (e) carry out other duties related to aquaculture promotion and development that may be referred to it by the Commission. 2. (a) There shall be established a Scientific Advisory Committee which shall provide scientific, social and economic information, data, or advice relating to the work of the Commission. (b) The Committee shall be open to all members of the Commission. Each Member of the Commission may designate a member of the Committee, and a member may be accompanied by experts. (c) The Committee may establish working groups to analyse data and to advise the Committee on the state of shared and straddling resources. (d) The Committee shall provide independent advice on the technical and scientific bases for decisions concerning fisheries conservation and management, including biological, social and economic aspects, and in particular, it shall: (1) assess information provided by members and relevant fisheries organisations or programmes on catches, fishing effort, and other data relevant to the conservation and management of fisheries; (2) formulate advice to the Commission on the conservation and management of fisheries; (3) identify cooperative research programmes and coordinate their implementation; (4) undertake such other functions or responsibilities as may be conferred on it by the Commission. (e) Members have an obligation to provide information on catches and other data relevant to the functions of the committee in such a way as to enable the Committee to fulfil its responsibilities under this paragraph. 3. The Commission may establish such other committees and working parties as it considers desirable. 4. The establishment of committees and working parties under this Rule shall be subject to the provisions of Article VII(4) of the Agreement. 5. The procedures of such committees and working parties shall be governed mutatis mutandis by the Rules of Procedure of the Commission. Rule XI Budget and finance 1. Except as otherwise provided in these Rules, the Financial Regulations of the Organisation, as amplified by the Administrative Manual and memoranda and the procedures based thereon, shall apply to the Commission. 2. A proposed budget of the Commission for the next succeeding financial period consisting of proposed expenses of the Secretariat, including publications and communications, the proposed travelling expenses of the Chairman and Vice-Chairmen, when engaged in the work of the Commission between its sessions, and the expense, if any, of the committees, shall after approval by the Commission be submitted to the Director-General for consideration in the preparation of the general budget estimates of the Organisation. 3. When adopted by the Conference as part of the general budget of the Organisation, the budget of the Commission shall constitute the limits within which funds may be committed for purposes approved by the Conference. 4. All cooperative projects shall be submitted to the Council or the Conference of the Organisation prior to implementation. Rule XII Participation by observers 1. Participation of international organisations in the work of the Commission and the relations between the Commission and such organisations shall be governed by the relevant provisions of the Organisation, as well as by the rules on relations with international organisations adopted by the Conference or Council of the Organisation. 2. Members and Associate Members of the Organisation 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. 3. States that are not Members of the Commission, nor Members or Associate Members of the Organisation, but are Members of the United Nations, any of its Specialised Agencies or the International Atomic Energy Agency may, upon request, and with the approval of the Council of the Organisation and of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean, 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. 4. Unless the Commission expressly determines otherwise, observers may attend the plenary meetings of the Commission and participate in the discussions at any technical committee sessions which they may be invited to attend. In no case will they be entitled to vote. Rule XIII Cooperative projects In the furtherance of cooperative projects provided for in Article III(1)(e) of the Agreement, and of studies undertaken outside the region referred to in the Preamble of the Agreement, arrangements may be made with governments that are not members of the Commission. All such arrangements shall be made by the Director-General of the Organisation. Rule XIV Records, reports and recommendations 1. Summary records shall be made of each plenary meeting of the Commission and each committee meeting, and shall be distributed as soon as possible to the participants. 2. A summary shall be prepared of the proceedings of each session of the Commission and shall be published together with such reports of committees, technical papers and other documents as the Commission may consider advisable. 3. At each session the Commission shall approve a report embodying its views, recommendations, resolutions and decisions, including, when requested, a statement of minority views. 4. Subject to the provisions of Article V of the Agreement, the conclusions and recommendations of the Commission shall be transmitted to the Director-General of the Organisation at the close of each session, who shall circulate them to Members of the Commission, nations and international organisations that were represented at the session and make them available to other Members and Associate Members of the Organisation for their information. 5. Recommendations having policy, programme or financial implications for the Organisation shall be brought by the Director-General to the attention of the Conference through the Council of the Organisation for action. 6. Subject to the provisions of the preceding paragraph, the Chairman may request Members of the Commission to supply the Commission or the Director-General with information on action taken on the basis of recommendations made by the Commission. Rule XV Recommendations to Members 1. The Commission may take recommendations for action by Members on any matter pertaining to the functions described in Article III of the Agreement. 2. The Secretary shall receive on behalf of the Commission the replies of the Members in respect of such recommendations and shall prepare a summary and an analysis of such communications for presentation at the next session. Rule XVI Amendments to the Agreement 1. Proposals for the amendment of the Agreement as provided by Article X of the Agreement may be made by any Member in a communication addressed to the Secretary. The Secretary shall transmit to all Members and to the Director-General a copy of such proposals for amendment immediately upon their receipt. 2. No action on a proposal for the amendment of the Agreement shall be taken by the Commission at any session unless it has been included in the provisional agenda of the session. Rule XVII Suspension and amendment of Rules 1. Subject to the provisions of the Agreement any of the foregoing Rules, other than Rules IV, V, X(3) and (4), XI, XII, XIV(4) and XVI, may be suspended on the motion of any delegation by a majority of the votes cast at any plenary meeting of the Commission, provided that announcement is made at a plenary meeting of the Commission and copies of the proposal for suspension have been distributed to the delegations not less than 48 hours before the meeting at which action is to be taken. 2. Amendments of, or addition to, these Rules may be adopted on the motion of any delegation by a two-thirds majority of the Members of the Commission, at any plenary meeting of the Commission, provided an announcement is made at a plenary meeting and copies of the proposal for the amendment or addition have been distributed to delegations not less than 24 hours before the meeting at which action is to be taken. 3. Any amendment to Rule XVI 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. Rule XVIII Official languages 1. The official languages of the Commission shall be such languages of the Organisation as the Commission itself may decide. The delegations may use any one of these languages at sessions and for their reports and communications. A delegation using a non-official language shall provide for interpretation into one of the official languages. 2. During the meetings, interpretation in one or more of the official languages will be provided by the Secretariat when requested by one of the delegates present. 3. Publications of reports and communications shall be in the language in which they are submitted and, when required by the Commission, abstracts in translation may be published.
Article XIV 
Withdrawal 1. Any Member may withdraw from this Agreement at any time after the expiration of two years from the date upon which the Agreement entered into force with respect to that Member, by giving written notice of such withdrawal to the Director-General of the Organisation who shall immediately inform all the Members of the Commission and the Members of the Organisation of such withdrawal. Notice of withdrawal shall become effective three months from the date of its receipt by the Director-General. 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, with the exception of Associate Members. 3. Any Member of the Commission that gives notice of withdrawal from the Organisation shall be deemed to have simultaneously withdrawn from the Commission, and this withdrawal shall be deemed to apply to all the 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 XV Interpretation and settlement of disputes Any dispute regarding the interpretation or application of this Agreement, 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, or, in the case of a Regional Economic Integration Organisation that is a Member of the Commission, it shall be submitted to arbitration unless the parties to the dispute agree to another method of settlement. Article XVI Termination This Agreement shall be automatically terminated if and when, as the result of withdrawals, the number of Members of the Commission drops below five, unless the remaining Members unanimously decide otherwise. Article XVII Certification and registration The text of this Agreement was originally formulated at Rome on the twenty-fourth day of September one thousand nine hundred and forty-nine in the French language. Two copies in the English, French and Spanish languages of this Agreement and of any amendments to this Agreement shall be certified by the Chairman of the Commission and by the Director-General of the Organisation. One of these copies shall be deposited in the archives of the Organisation. The other copy shall be transmitted to the Secretary-General of the United Nations for registration. In addition, the Director-General shall certify copies of this Agreement and transmit one copy to each Member of the Organisation and to such non-member nations of the Organisation that are or may become parties to this Agreement. RULES OF PROCEDURE OF THE GENERAL FISHERIES COMMISSION FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN Rule I For the purpose of these Rules, the following definitions apply: Agreement: The Agreement for the establishment of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean formulated at Rome (Italy), 24 September 1949 as amended in conformity with Article X thereof. Commission: The General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean. Chairman: The Chairman of the Commission. Vice-Chairman: The Vice-Chairman of the Commission. Delegate: The representative of a Member as specified in Article II(1) of the Agreement. Delegation: The delegate and his alternate, experts, and advisers. Member: Members and Associate Members of the Organisation, and non-members of the Organisation, as may be Members of the Commission. Secretary: The Secretary of the Commission. Organisation: The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations. Conference: The Conference of the Organisation. Observer nation, Associate Member or Organisation: A nation that is not a Member of the Commission or of the Organisation, or an international organisation invited to attend a session of the Commission, or a Member or Associate Member of the Organisation attending a session of the Commission while not a Member of the Commission. Observer: The representative of an observer nation or organisation. Rule II Sessions of the Commission 1. In pursuance of, and in accordance with, Article II(10) of the Agreement, the Commission, in consultation with the Director-General, shall at each regular session decide the time and place for the next session in accordance with the requirements of the Commission's programmes and the terms of the invitation of the country in which the session is to be held. The Chairman, accordingly, shall issue the announcement of the session. 2. The Chairman may convene a special session of the Commission at the request or with the approval of the majority of the Members. 3. Invitations to a regular session of the Commission shall be issued by the Secretary on behalf of the Chairman not less than sixty days in advance of the date fixed for the opening of the session. Invitations to special sessions shall be issued not less than forty days in advance of the date fixed for the opening of the session. 4. In order that a proposal to hold a session of the Commission or any of its organs, in a given country, may be considered, such country must have (a) ratified without reservation the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the Specialised Agencies of the United Nations, or (b) given the assurance that all delegates, representatives, experts, observers, or other persons entitled to attend such session in accordance with the terms of the Agreement or these Rules, will enjoy the privileges and immunities necessary for the independent exercise of their function in connection with the session. Rule III Credentials At each session the Secretary shall receive the credentials of delegations and observers. Such credentials shall conform to the standard form set by the Secretariat. Upon examination thereof the Secretariat shall report to the Commission for the necessary action. Rule IV Agenda 1. The agenda of each regular session shall include: (a) as appropriate, election of the Chairman and of two Vice-Chairmen as provided under Article II(9) of the Agreement; (b) adoption of the agenda; (c) a report by the Secretary on the financial affairs and activities of the Commission; (d) consideration of the proposed budget; (e) reports of committees; (f) consideration of the time and place of the next session; (g) proposals for amendments to the Agreement and the present Rules of Procedure; (h) applications for membership, in accordance with Article XI(2) of the Agreement, from States which, while not Members of the Organisation, are Members of the United Nations, any of its Specialised Agencies or the International Atomic Energy Agency; (i) items referred to the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean by the Conference, the Council or the Director-General of the Organisation. 2. The agenda shall also include, upon approval by the Commission: (a) items approved at the previous session; (b) items proposed by a Member. 3. The provisional agenda shall be sent by the Secretary to members and observer nations and organisations not less than 60 days before the date of the session, together with reports and documents available in connection therewith. 4. The agenda of a special session shall consist only of items relating to the purpose for which the session was called. Rule V The Secretariat 1. The Secretariat shall consist of the Secretary and such staff responsible to him as may be determined by the Director-General. 2. The duties of the Secretary shall include the receipt, collation, and circulation of documents, reports, and resolutions of the sessions of the Commission and its committees, the record of their proceedings, the certification of expenditures and financial commitments, and the performance of such other duties as the Commission may direct. 3. Copies of all communications concerning the affairs of the Commission shall be sent to the Secretary for purposes of information and record. Rule VI Plenary meetings of the Commission Plenary meetings of the Commission shall be held in public unless otherwise decided by the Commission. 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. Rule VII Election of Chairman and Vice-Chairmen 1. The Commission shall elect the Chairman and first and second Vice-Chairman of the Commission who shall assume office immediately following the regular session at which they were elected and who shall be elected for two regular sessions. 2. Nominees must be delegates or alternates present at the regular session at which they are to be elected. They shall be eligible for re-election for a further two regular sessions. Rule VIII Functions of the Chairman and Vice-Chairmen 1. The Chairman shall exercise the functions conferred on him elsewhere in these Rules and, in particular, shall: (a) declare the opening and closing of each plenary meeting of the Commission; (b) direct the discussions at such meetings and ensure observance of these Rules, accord the right to speak, put questions and announce decisions; (c) rule on points of order; (d) subject to these Rules, have complete control over the proceedings of the session; (e) appoint such committees of the session as the Commission may direct. 2. In the absence of the Chairman, or at his request, his functions shall be exercised by the first Vice-Chairman or, in the absence of the latter, by the second Vice-Chairman. 3. The Chairman or Vice-Chairmen, when acting as Chairman shall not vote and another member of their delegations shall represent their governments. 4. The Secretary shall temporarily exercise the functions of the Chairman in the event the Chairman and Vice-Chairmen are unable to serve. Rule IX Voting arrangements and procedures 1. Except as provided in paragraph 4 of this Rule, voting in plenary meetings shall be oral or by show of hands, except that a vote by roll call shall be taken if a special majority is required by the Agreement or these Rules, or if a request for a vote by roll call is made by any delegation. 2. A vote by roll call shall be conducted by calling upon delegations in the French alphabetical order. 3. The record of any roll call vote shall show the votes cast by each delegate and any abstention. 4. Voting on matters relating to individuals, except the election of officers of the Commission and its committees, shall be by secret ballot. 5. When no nominee for an office obtains on the first ballot a majority of the votes cast, there shall be taken a second ballot confined to the two candidates obtaining the largest number of votes. If, on the second ballot, the votes are equally divided, the Chairman shall decide between the candidates by drawing lots. 6. If the Commission is equally divided when a vote is taken on a question other than election, a second vote shall be taken at the next meeting of the current session. If the Commission is then again equally divided, the proposal shall be regarded as rejected. 7. Voting arrangements and other related matters not specifically provided for by the Agreement, or by these Rules, shall be governed mutatis mutandis by the provisions of the General Rules of the Organisation. Rule X Committees 1. There shall be established a Committee on Aquaculture which shall be open to all members of the Commission and which shall: (a) monitor development and trends of aquaculture practices in the region; (b) monitor the interaction between aquaculture development and the environment; (c) oversee and guide work of the four networks created as a result of the activities of MEDRAP II and in particular by monitoring the progress, evaluating the proposed programmes of the various networks, and directing the work of the SIPAM network through the FAO Secretariat; (d) seek additional support to complement the contribution of the institutions, which support the established networks, namely, CIHEAM, MAP-PAP/RAC and FAO, and to enhance the work of the four networks; (e) carry out other duties related to aquaculture promotion and development that may be referred to it by the Commission. 2. (a) There shall be established a Scientific Advisory Committee which shall provide scientific, social and economic information, data, or advice relating to the work of the Commission. (b) The Committee shall be open to all members of the Commission. Each Member of the Commission may designate a member of the Committee, and a member may be accompanied by experts. (c) The Committee may establish working groups to analyse data and to advise the Committee on the state of shared and straddling resources. (d) The Committee shall provide independent advice on the technical and scientific bases for decisions concerning fisheries conservation and management, including biological, social and economic aspects, and in particular, it shall: (1) assess information provided by members and relevant fisheries organisations or programmes on catches, fishing effort, and other data relevant to the conservation and management of fisheries; (2) formulate advice to the Commission on the conservation and management of fisheries; (3) identify cooperative research programmes and coordinate their implementation; (4) undertake such other functions or responsibilities as may be conferred on it by the Commission. (e) Members have an obligation to provide information on catches and other data relevant to the functions of the committee in such a way as to enable the Committee to fulfil its responsibilities under this paragraph. 3. The Commission may establish such other committees and working parties as it considers desirable. 4. The establishment of committees and working parties under this Rule shall be subject to the provisions of Article VII(4) of the Agreement. 5. The procedures of such committees and working parties shall be governed mutatis mutandis by the Rules of Procedure of the Commission. Rule XI Budget and finance 1. Except as otherwise provided in these Rules, the Financial Regulations of the Organisation, as amplified by the Administrative Manual and memoranda and the procedures based thereon, shall apply to the Commission. 2. A proposed budget of the Commission for the next succeeding financial period consisting of proposed expenses of the Secretariat, including publications and communications, the proposed travelling expenses of the Chairman and Vice-Chairmen, when engaged in the work of the Commission between its sessions, and the expense, if any, of the committees, shall after approval by the Commission be submitted to the Director-General for consideration in the preparation of the general budget estimates of the Organisation. 3. When adopted by the Conference as part of the general budget of the Organisation, the budget of the Commission shall constitute the limits within which funds may be committed for purposes approved by the Conference. 4. All cooperative projects shall be submitted to the Council or the Conference of the Organisation prior to implementation. Rule XII Participation by observers 1. Participation of international organisations in the work of the Commission and the relations between the Commission and such organisations shall be governed by the relevant provisions of the Organisation, as well as by the rules on relations with international organisations adopted by the Conference or Council of the Organisation. 2. Members and Associate Members of the Organisation 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. 3. States that are not Members of the Commission, nor Members or Associate Members of the Organisation, but are Members of the United Nations, any of its Specialised Agencies or the International Atomic Energy Agency may, upon request, and with the approval of the Council of the Organisation and of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean, 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. 4. Unless the Commission expressly determines otherwise, observers may attend the plenary meetings of the Commission and participate in the discussions at any technical committee sessions which they may be invited to attend. In no case will they be entitled to vote. Rule XIII Cooperative projects In the furtherance of cooperative projects provided for in Article III(1)(e) of the Agreement, and of studies undertaken outside the region referred to in the Preamble of the Agreement, arrangements may be made with governments that are not members of the Commission. All such arrangements shall be made by the Director-General of the Organisation. Rule XIV Records, reports and recommendations 1. Summary records shall be made of each plenary meeting of the Commission and each committee meeting, and shall be distributed as soon as possible to the participants. 2. A summary shall be prepared of the proceedings of each session of the Commission and shall be published together with such reports of committees, technical papers and other documents as the Commission may consider advisable. 3. At each session the Commission shall approve a report embodying its views, recommendations, resolutions and decisions, including, when requested, a statement of minority views. 4. Subject to the provisions of Article V of the Agreement, the conclusions and recommendations of the Commission shall be transmitted to the Director-General of the Organisation at the close of each session, who shall circulate them to Members of the Commission, nations and international organisations that were represented at the session and make them available to other Members and Associate Members of the Organisation for their information. 5. Recommendations having policy, programme or financial implications for the Organisation shall be brought by the Director-General to the attention of the Conference through the Council of the Organisation for action. 6. Subject to the provisions of the preceding paragraph, the Chairman may request Members of the Commission to supply the Commission or the Director-General with information on action taken on the basis of recommendations made by the Commission. Rule XV Recommendations to Members 1. The Commission may take recommendations for action by Members on any matter pertaining to the functions described in Article III of the Agreement. 2. The Secretary shall receive on behalf of the Commission the replies of the Members in respect of such recommendations and shall prepare a summary and an analysis of such communications for presentation at the next session. Rule XVI Amendments to the Agreement 1. Proposals for the amendment of the Agreement as provided by Article X of the Agreement may be made by any Member in a communication addressed to the Secretary. The Secretary shall transmit to all Members and to the Director-General a copy of such proposals for amendment immediately upon their receipt. 2. No action on a proposal for the amendment of the Agreement shall be taken by the Commission at any session unless it has been included in the provisional agenda of the session. Rule XVII Suspension and amendment of Rules 1. Subject to the provisions of the Agreement any of the foregoing Rules, other than Rules IV, V, X(3) and (4), XI, XII, XIV(4) and XVI, may be suspended on the motion of any delegation by a majority of the votes cast at any plenary meeting of the Commission, provided that announcement is made at a plenary meeting of the Commission and copies of the proposal for suspension have been distributed to the delegations not less than 48 hours before the meeting at which action is to be taken. 2. Amendments of, or addition to, these Rules may be adopted on the motion of any delegation by a two-thirds majority of the Members of the Commission, at any plenary meeting of the Commission, provided an announcement is made at a plenary meeting and copies of the proposal for the amendment or addition have been distributed to delegations not less than 24 hours before the meeting at which action is to be taken. 3. Any amendment to Rule XVI 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. Rule XVIII Official languages 1. The official languages of the Commission shall be such languages of the Organisation as the Commission itself may decide. The delegations may use any one of these languages at sessions and for their reports and communications. A delegation using a non-official language shall provide for interpretation into one of the official languages. 2. During the meetings, interpretation in one or more of the official languages will be provided by the Secretariat when requested by one of the delegates present. 3. Publications of reports and communications shall be in the language in which they are submitted and, when required by the Commission, abstracts in translation may be published.
Article XV 
Interpretation and settlement of disputes Any dispute regarding the interpretation or application of this Agreement, 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, or, in the case of a Regional Economic Integration Organisation that is a Member of the Commission, it shall be submitted to arbitration unless the parties to the dispute agree to another method of settlement. Article XVI Termination This Agreement shall be automatically terminated if and when, as the result of withdrawals, the number of Members of the Commission drops below five, unless the remaining Members unanimously decide otherwise. Article XVII Certification and registration The text of this Agreement was originally formulated at Rome on the twenty-fourth day of September one thousand nine hundred and forty-nine in the French language. Two copies in the English, French and Spanish languages of this Agreement and of any amendments to this Agreement shall be certified by the Chairman of the Commission and by the Director-General of the Organisation. One of these copies shall be deposited in the archives of the Organisation. The other copy shall be transmitted to the Secretary-General of the United Nations for registration. In addition, the Director-General shall certify copies of this Agreement and transmit one copy to each Member of the Organisation and to such non-member nations of the Organisation that are or may become parties to this Agreement. RULES OF PROCEDURE OF THE GENERAL FISHERIES COMMISSION FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN Rule I For the purpose of these Rules, the following definitions apply: Agreement: The Agreement for the establishment of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean formulated at Rome (Italy), 24 September 1949 as amended in conformity with Article X thereof. Commission: The General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean. Chairman: The Chairman of the Commission. Vice-Chairman: The Vice-Chairman of the Commission. Delegate: The representative of a Member as specified in Article II(1) of the Agreement. Delegation: The delegate and his alternate, experts, and advisers. Member: Members and Associate Members of the Organisation, and non-members of the Organisation, as may be Members of the Commission. Secretary: The Secretary of the Commission. Organisation: The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations. Conference: The Conference of the Organisation. Observer nation, Associate Member or Organisation: A nation that is not a Member of the Commission or of the Organisation, or an international organisation invited to attend a session of the Commission, or a Member or Associate Member of the Organisation attending a session of the Commission while not a Member of the Commission. Observer: The representative of an observer nation or organisation. Rule II Sessions of the Commission 1. In pursuance of, and in accordance with, Article II(10) of the Agreement, the Commission, in consultation with the Director-General, shall at each regular session decide the time and place for the next session in accordance with the requirements of the Commission's programmes and the terms of the invitation of the country in which the session is to be held. The Chairman, accordingly, shall issue the announcement of the session. 2. The Chairman may convene a special session of the Commission at the request or with the approval of the majority of the Members. 3. Invitations to a regular session of the Commission shall be issued by the Secretary on behalf of the Chairman not less than sixty days in advance of the date fixed for the opening of the session. Invitations to special sessions shall be issued not less than forty days in advance of the date fixed for the opening of the session. 4. In order that a proposal to hold a session of the Commission or any of its organs, in a given country, may be considered, such country must have (a) ratified without reservation the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the Specialised Agencies of the United Nations, or (b) given the assurance that all delegates, representatives, experts, observers, or other persons entitled to attend such session in accordance with the terms of the Agreement or these Rules, will enjoy the privileges and immunities necessary for the independent exercise of their function in connection with the session. Rule III Credentials At each session the Secretary shall receive the credentials of delegations and observers. Such credentials shall conform to the standard form set by the Secretariat. Upon examination thereof the Secretariat shall report to the Commission for the necessary action. Rule IV Agenda 1. The agenda of each regular session shall include: (a) as appropriate, election of the Chairman and of two Vice-Chairmen as provided under Article II(9) of the Agreement; (b) adoption of the agenda; (c) a report by the Secretary on the financial affairs and activities of the Commission; (d) consideration of the proposed budget; (e) reports of committees; (f) consideration of the time and place of the next session; (g) proposals for amendments to the Agreement and the present Rules of Procedure; (h) applications for membership, in accordance with Article XI(2) of the Agreement, from States which, while not Members of the Organisation, are Members of the United Nations, any of its Specialised Agencies or the International Atomic Energy Agency; (i) items referred to the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean by the Conference, the Council or the Director-General of the Organisation. 2. The agenda shall also include, upon approval by the Commission: (a) items approved at the previous session; (b) items proposed by a Member. 3. The provisional agenda shall be sent by the Secretary to members and observer nations and organisations not less than 60 days before the date of the session, together with reports and documents available in connection therewith. 4. The agenda of a special session shall consist only of items relating to the purpose for which the session was called. Rule V The Secretariat 1. The Secretariat shall consist of the Secretary and such staff responsible to him as may be determined by the Director-General. 2. The duties of the Secretary shall include the receipt, collation, and circulation of documents, reports, and resolutions of the sessions of the Commission and its committees, the record of their proceedings, the certification of expenditures and financial commitments, and the performance of such other duties as the Commission may direct. 3. Copies of all communications concerning the affairs of the Commission shall be sent to the Secretary for purposes of information and record. Rule VI Plenary meetings of the Commission Plenary meetings of the Commission shall be held in public unless otherwise decided by the Commission. 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. Rule VII Election of Chairman and Vice-Chairmen 1. The Commission shall elect the Chairman and first and second Vice-Chairman of the Commission who shall assume office immediately following the regular session at which they were elected and who shall be elected for two regular sessions. 2. Nominees must be delegates or alternates present at the regular session at which they are to be elected. They shall be eligible for re-election for a further two regular sessions. Rule VIII Functions of the Chairman and Vice-Chairmen 1. The Chairman shall exercise the functions conferred on him elsewhere in these Rules and, in particular, shall: (a) declare the opening and closing of each plenary meeting of the Commission; (b) direct the discussions at such meetings and ensure observance of these Rules, accord the right to speak, put questions and announce decisions; (c) rule on points of order; (d) subject to these Rules, have complete control over the proceedings of the session; (e) appoint such committees of the session as the Commission may direct. 2. In the absence of the Chairman, or at his request, his functions shall be exercised by the first Vice-Chairman or, in the absence of the latter, by the second Vice-Chairman. 3. The Chairman or Vice-Chairmen, when acting as Chairman shall not vote and another member of their delegations shall represent their governments. 4. The Secretary shall temporarily exercise the functions of the Chairman in the event the Chairman and Vice-Chairmen are unable to serve. Rule IX Voting arrangements and procedures 1. Except as provided in paragraph 4 of this Rule, voting in plenary meetings shall be oral or by show of hands, except that a vote by roll call shall be taken if a special majority is required by the Agreement or these Rules, or if a request for a vote by roll call is made by any delegation. 2. A vote by roll call shall be conducted by calling upon delegations in the French alphabetical order. 3. The record of any roll call vote shall show the votes cast by each delegate and any abstention. 4. Voting on matters relating to individuals, except the election of officers of the Commission and its committees, shall be by secret ballot. 5. When no nominee for an office obtains on the first ballot a majority of the votes cast, there shall be taken a second ballot confined to the two candidates obtaining the largest number of votes. If, on the second ballot, the votes are equally divided, the Chairman shall decide between the candidates by drawing lots. 6. If the Commission is equally divided when a vote is taken on a question other than election, a second vote shall be taken at the next meeting of the current session. If the Commission is then again equally divided, the proposal shall be regarded as rejected. 7. Voting arrangements and other related matters not specifically provided for by the Agreement, or by these Rules, shall be governed mutatis mutandis by the provisions of the General Rules of the Organisation. Rule X Committees 1. There shall be established a Committee on Aquaculture which shall be open to all members of the Commission and which shall: (a) monitor development and trends of aquaculture practices in the region; (b) monitor the interaction between aquaculture development and the environment; (c) oversee and guide work of the four networks created as a result of the activities of MEDRAP II and in particular by monitoring the progress, evaluating the proposed programmes of the various networks, and directing the work of the SIPAM network through the FAO Secretariat; (d) seek additional support to complement the contribution of the institutions, which support the established networks, namely, CIHEAM, MAP-PAP/RAC and FAO, and to enhance the work of the four networks; (e) carry out other duties related to aquaculture promotion and development that may be referred to it by the Commission. 2. (a) There shall be established a Scientific Advisory Committee which shall provide scientific, social and economic information, data, or advice relating to the work of the Commission. (b) The Committee shall be open to all members of the Commission. Each Member of the Commission may designate a member of the Committee, and a member may be accompanied by experts. (c) The Committee may establish working groups to analyse data and to advise the Committee on the state of shared and straddling resources. (d) The Committee shall provide independent advice on the technical and scientific bases for decisions concerning fisheries conservation and management, including biological, social and economic aspects, and in particular, it shall: (1) assess information provided by members and relevant fisheries organisations or programmes on catches, fishing effort, and other data relevant to the conservation and management of fisheries; (2) formulate advice to the Commission on the conservation and management of fisheries; (3) identify cooperative research programmes and coordinate their implementation; (4) undertake such other functions or responsibilities as may be conferred on it by the Commission. (e) Members have an obligation to provide information on catches and other data relevant to the functions of the committee in such a way as to enable the Committee to fulfil its responsibilities under this paragraph. 3. The Commission may establish such other committees and working parties as it considers desirable. 4. The establishment of committees and working parties under this Rule shall be subject to the provisions of Article VII(4) of the Agreement. 5. The procedures of such committees and working parties shall be governed mutatis mutandis by the Rules of Procedure of the Commission. Rule XI Budget and finance 1. Except as otherwise provided in these Rules, the Financial Regulations of the Organisation, as amplified by the Administrative Manual and memoranda and the procedures based thereon, shall apply to the Commission. 2. A proposed budget of the Commission for the next succeeding financial period consisting of proposed expenses of the Secretariat, including publications and communications, the proposed travelling expenses of the Chairman and Vice-Chairmen, when engaged in the work of the Commission between its sessions, and the expense, if any, of the committees, shall after approval by the Commission be submitted to the Director-General for consideration in the preparation of the general budget estimates of the Organisation. 3. When adopted by the Conference as part of the general budget of the Organisation, the budget of the Commission shall constitute the limits within which funds may be committed for purposes approved by the Conference. 4. All cooperative projects shall be submitted to the Council or the Conference of the Organisation prior to implementation. Rule XII Participation by observers 1. Participation of international organisations in the work of the Commission and the relations between the Commission and such organisations shall be governed by the relevant provisions of the Organisation, as well as by the rules on relations with international organisations adopted by the Conference or Council of the Organisation. 2. Members and Associate Members of the Organisation 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. 3. States that are not Members of the Commission, nor Members or Associate Members of the Organisation, but are Members of the United Nations, any of its Specialised Agencies or the International Atomic Energy Agency may, upon request, and with the approval of the Council of the Organisation and of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean, 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. 4. Unless the Commission expressly determines otherwise, observers may attend the plenary meetings of the Commission and participate in the discussions at any technical committee sessions which they may be invited to attend. In no case will they be entitled to vote. Rule XIII Cooperative projects In the furtherance of cooperative projects provided for in Article III(1)(e) of the Agreement, and of studies undertaken outside the region referred to in the Preamble of the Agreement, arrangements may be made with governments that are not members of the Commission. All such arrangements shall be made by the Director-General of the Organisation. Rule XIV Records, reports and recommendations 1. Summary records shall be made of each plenary meeting of the Commission and each committee meeting, and shall be distributed as soon as possible to the participants. 2. A summary shall be prepared of the proceedings of each session of the Commission and shall be published together with such reports of committees, technical papers and other documents as the Commission may consider advisable. 3. At each session the Commission shall approve a report embodying its views, recommendations, resolutions and decisions, including, when requested, a statement of minority views. 4. Subject to the provisions of Article V of the Agreement, the conclusions and recommendations of the Commission shall be transmitted to the Director-General of the Organisation at the close of each session, who shall circulate them to Members of the Commission, nations and international organisations that were represented at the session and make them available to other Members and Associate Members of the Organisation for their information. 5. Recommendations having policy, programme or financial implications for the Organisation shall be brought by the Director-General to the attention of the Conference through the Council of the Organisation for action. 6. Subject to the provisions of the preceding paragraph, the Chairman may request Members of the Commission to supply the Commission or the Director-General with information on action taken on the basis of recommendations made by the Commission. Rule XV Recommendations to Members 1. The Commission may take recommendations for action by Members on any matter pertaining to the functions described in Article III of the Agreement. 2. The Secretary shall receive on behalf of the Commission the replies of the Members in respect of such recommendations and shall prepare a summary and an analysis of such communications for presentation at the next session. Rule XVI Amendments to the Agreement 1. Proposals for the amendment of the Agreement as provided by Article X of the Agreement may be made by any Member in a communication addressed to the Secretary. The Secretary shall transmit to all Members and to the Director-General a copy of such proposals for amendment immediately upon their receipt. 2. No action on a proposal for the amendment of the Agreement shall be taken by the Commission at any session unless it has been included in the provisional agenda of the session. Rule XVII Suspension and amendment of Rules 1. Subject to the provisions of the Agreement any of the foregoing Rules, other than Rules IV, V, X(3) and (4), XI, XII, XIV(4) and XVI, may be suspended on the motion of any delegation by a majority of the votes cast at any plenary meeting of the Commission, provided that announcement is made at a plenary meeting of the Commission and copies of the proposal for suspension have been distributed to the delegations not less than 48 hours before the meeting at which action is to be taken. 2. Amendments of, or addition to, these Rules may be adopted on the motion of any delegation by a two-thirds majority of the Members of the Commission, at any plenary meeting of the Commission, provided an announcement is made at a plenary meeting and copies of the proposal for the amendment or addition have been distributed to delegations not less than 24 hours before the meeting at which action is to be taken. 3. Any amendment to Rule XVI 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. Rule XVIII Official languages 1. The official languages of the Commission shall be such languages of the Organisation as the Commission itself may decide. The delegations may use any one of these languages at sessions and for their reports and communications. A delegation using a non-official language shall provide for interpretation into one of the official languages. 2. During the meetings, interpretation in one or more of the official languages will be provided by the Secretariat when requested by one of the delegates present. 3. Publications of reports and communications shall be in the language in which they are submitted and, when required by the Commission, abstracts in translation may be published.
Article XVI 
Termination This Agreement shall be automatically terminated if and when, as the result of withdrawals, the number of Members of the Commission drops below five, unless the remaining Members unanimously decide otherwise. Article XVII Certification and registration The text of this Agreement was originally formulated at Rome on the twenty-fourth day of September one thousand nine hundred and forty-nine in the French language. Two copies in the English, French and Spanish languages of this Agreement and of any amendments to this Agreement shall be certified by the Chairman of the Commission and by the Director-General of the Organisation. One of these copies shall be deposited in the archives of the Organisation. The other copy shall be transmitted to the Secretary-General of the United Nations for registration. In addition, the Director-General shall certify copies of this Agreement and transmit one copy to each Member of the Organisation and to such non-member nations of the Organisation that are or may become parties to this Agreement. RULES OF PROCEDURE OF THE GENERAL FISHERIES COMMISSION FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN Rule I For the purpose of these Rules, the following definitions apply: Agreement: The Agreement for the establishment of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean formulated at Rome (Italy), 24 September 1949 as amended in conformity with Article X thereof. Commission: The General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean. Chairman: The Chairman of the Commission. Vice-Chairman: The Vice-Chairman of the Commission. Delegate: The representative of a Member as specified in Article II(1) of the Agreement. Delegation: The delegate and his alternate, experts, and advisers. Member: Members and Associate Members of the Organisation, and non-members of the Organisation, as may be Members of the Commission. Secretary: The Secretary of the Commission. Organisation: The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations. Conference: The Conference of the Organisation. Observer nation, Associate Member or Organisation: A nation that is not a Member of the Commission or of the Organisation, or an international organisation invited to attend a session of the Commission, or a Member or Associate Member of the Organisation attending a session of the Commission while not a Member of the Commission. Observer: The representative of an observer nation or organisation. Rule II Sessions of the Commission 1. In pursuance of, and in accordance with, Article II(10) of the Agreement, the Commission, in consultation with the Director-General, shall at each regular session decide the time and place for the next session in accordance with the requirements of the Commission's programmes and the terms of the invitation of the country in which the session is to be held. The Chairman, accordingly, shall issue the announcement of the session. 2. The Chairman may convene a special session of the Commission at the request or with the approval of the majority of the Members. 3. Invitations to a regular session of the Commission shall be issued by the Secretary on behalf of the Chairman not less than sixty days in advance of the date fixed for the opening of the session. Invitations to special sessions shall be issued not less than forty days in advance of the date fixed for the opening of the session. 4. In order that a proposal to hold a session of the Commission or any of its organs, in a given country, may be considered, such country must have (a) ratified without reservation the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the Specialised Agencies of the United Nations, or (b) given the assurance that all delegates, representatives, experts, observers, or other persons entitled to attend such session in accordance with the terms of the Agreement or these Rules, will enjoy the privileges and immunities necessary for the independent exercise of their function in connection with the session. Rule III Credentials At each session the Secretary shall receive the credentials of delegations and observers. Such credentials shall conform to the standard form set by the Secretariat. Upon examination thereof the Secretariat shall report to the Commission for the necessary action. Rule IV Agenda 1. The agenda of each regular session shall include: (a) as appropriate, election of the Chairman and of two Vice-Chairmen as provided under Article II(9) of the Agreement; (b) adoption of the agenda; (c) a report by the Secretary on the financial affairs and activities of the Commission; (d) consideration of the proposed budget; (e) reports of committees; (f) consideration of the time and place of the next session; (g) proposals for amendments to the Agreement and the present Rules of Procedure; (h) applications for membership, in accordance with Article XI(2) of the Agreement, from States which, while not Members of the Organisation, are Members of the United Nations, any of its Specialised Agencies or the International Atomic Energy Agency; (i) items referred to the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean by the Conference, the Council or the Director-General of the Organisation. 2. The agenda shall also include, upon approval by the Commission: (a) items approved at the previous session; (b) items proposed by a Member. 3. The provisional agenda shall be sent by the Secretary to members and observer nations and organisations not less than 60 days before the date of the session, together with reports and documents available in connection therewith. 4. The agenda of a special session shall consist only of items relating to the purpose for which the session was called. Rule V The Secretariat 1. The Secretariat shall consist of the Secretary and such staff responsible to him as may be determined by the Director-General. 2. The duties of the Secretary shall include the receipt, collation, and circulation of documents, reports, and resolutions of the sessions of the Commission and its committees, the record of their proceedings, the certification of expenditures and financial commitments, and the performance of such other duties as the Commission may direct. 3. Copies of all communications concerning the affairs of the Commission shall be sent to the Secretary for purposes of information and record. Rule VI Plenary meetings of the Commission Plenary meetings of the Commission shall be held in public unless otherwise decided by the Commission. 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. Rule VII Election of Chairman and Vice-Chairmen 1. The Commission shall elect the Chairman and first and second Vice-Chairman of the Commission who shall assume office immediately following the regular session at which they were elected and who shall be elected for two regular sessions. 2. Nominees must be delegates or alternates present at the regular session at which they are to be elected. They shall be eligible for re-election for a further two regular sessions. Rule VIII Functions of the Chairman and Vice-Chairmen 1. The Chairman shall exercise the functions conferred on him elsewhere in these Rules and, in particular, shall: (a) declare the opening and closing of each plenary meeting of the Commission; (b) direct the discussions at such meetings and ensure observance of these Rules, accord the right to speak, put questions and announce decisions; (c) rule on points of order; (d) subject to these Rules, have complete control over the proceedings of the session; (e) appoint such committees of the session as the Commission may direct. 2. In the absence of the Chairman, or at his request, his functions shall be exercised by the first Vice-Chairman or, in the absence of the latter, by the second Vice-Chairman. 3. The Chairman or Vice-Chairmen, when acting as Chairman shall not vote and another member of their delegations shall represent their governments. 4. The Secretary shall temporarily exercise the functions of the Chairman in the event the Chairman and Vice-Chairmen are unable to serve. Rule IX Voting arrangements and procedures 1. Except as provided in paragraph 4 of this Rule, voting in plenary meetings shall be oral or by show of hands, except that a vote by roll call shall be taken if a special majority is required by the Agreement or these Rules, or if a request for a vote by roll call is made by any delegation. 2. A vote by roll call shall be conducted by calling upon delegations in the French alphabetical order. 3. The record of any roll call vote shall show the votes cast by each delegate and any abstention. 4. Voting on matters relating to individuals, except the election of officers of the Commission and its committees, shall be by secret ballot. 5. When no nominee for an office obtains on the first ballot a majority of the votes cast, there shall be taken a second ballot confined to the two candidates obtaining the largest number of votes. If, on the second ballot, the votes are equally divided, the Chairman shall decide between the candidates by drawing lots. 6. If the Commission is equally divided when a vote is taken on a question other than election, a second vote shall be taken at the next meeting of the current session. If the Commission is then again equally divided, the proposal shall be regarded as rejected. 7. Voting arrangements and other related matters not specifically provided for by the Agreement, or by these Rules, shall be governed mutatis mutandis by the provisions of the General Rules of the Organisation. Rule X Committees 1. There shall be established a Committee on Aquaculture which shall be open to all members of the Commission and which shall: (a) monitor development and trends of aquaculture practices in the region; (b) monitor the interaction between aquaculture development and the environment; (c) oversee and guide work of the four networks created as a result of the activities of MEDRAP II and in particular by monitoring the progress, evaluating the proposed programmes of the various networks, and directing the work of the SIPAM network through the FAO Secretariat; (d) seek additional support to complement the contribution of the institutions, which support the established networks, namely, CIHEAM, MAP-PAP/RAC and FAO, and to enhance the work of the four networks; (e) carry out other duties related to aquaculture promotion and development that may be referred to it by the Commission. 2. (a) There shall be established a Scientific Advisory Committee which shall provide scientific, social and economic information, data, or advice relating to the work of the Commission. (b) The Committee shall be open to all members of the Commission. Each Member of the Commission may designate a member of the Committee, and a member may be accompanied by experts. (c) The Committee may establish working groups to analyse data and to advise the Committee on the state of shared and straddling resources. (d) The Committee shall provide independent advice on the technical and scientific bases for decisions concerning fisheries conservation and management, including biological, social and economic aspects, and in particular, it shall: (1) assess information provided by members and relevant fisheries organisations or programmes on catches, fishing effort, and other data relevant to the conservation and management of fisheries; (2) formulate advice to the Commission on the conservation and management of fisheries; (3) identify cooperative research programmes and coordinate their implementation; (4) undertake such other functions or responsibilities as may be conferred on it by the Commission. (e) Members have an obligation to provide information on catches and other data relevant to the functions of the committee in such a way as to enable the Committee to fulfil its responsibilities under this paragraph. 3. The Commission may establish such other committees and working parties as it considers desirable. 4. The establishment of committees and working parties under this Rule shall be subject to the provisions of Article VII(4) of the Agreement. 5. The procedures of such committees and working parties shall be governed mutatis mutandis by the Rules of Procedure of the Commission. Rule XI Budget and finance 1. Except as otherwise provided in these Rules, the Financial Regulations of the Organisation, as amplified by the Administrative Manual and memoranda and the procedures based thereon, shall apply to the Commission. 2. A proposed budget of the Commission for the next succeeding financial period consisting of proposed expenses of the Secretariat, including publications and communications, the proposed travelling expenses of the Chairman and Vice-Chairmen, when engaged in the work of the Commission between its sessions, and the expense, if any, of the committees, shall after approval by the Commission be submitted to the Director-General for consideration in the preparation of the general budget estimates of the Organisation. 3. When adopted by the Conference as part of the general budget of the Organisation, the budget of the Commission shall constitute the limits within which funds may be committed for purposes approved by the Conference. 4. All cooperative projects shall be submitted to the Council or the Conference of the Organisation prior to implementation. Rule XII Participation by observers 1. Participation of international organisations in the work of the Commission and the relations between the Commission and such organisations shall be governed by the relevant provisions of the Organisation, as well as by the rules on relations with international organisations adopted by the Conference or Council of the Organisation. 2. Members and Associate Members of the Organisation 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. 3. States that are not Members of the Commission, nor Members or Associate Members of the Organisation, but are Members of the United Nations, any of its Specialised Agencies or the International Atomic Energy Agency may, upon request, and with the approval of the Council of the Organisation and of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean, 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. 4. Unless the Commission expressly determines otherwise, observers may attend the plenary meetings of the Commission and participate in the discussions at any technical committee sessions which they may be invited to attend. In no case will they be entitled to vote. Rule XIII Cooperative projects In the furtherance of cooperative projects provided for in Article III(1)(e) of the Agreement, and of studies undertaken outside the region referred to in the Preamble of the Agreement, arrangements may be made with governments that are not members of the Commission. All such arrangements shall be made by the Director-General of the Organisation. Rule XIV Records, reports and recommendations 1. Summary records shall be made of each plenary meeting of the Commission and each committee meeting, and shall be distributed as soon as possible to the participants. 2. A summary shall be prepared of the proceedings of each session of the Commission and shall be published together with such reports of committees, technical papers and other documents as the Commission may consider advisable. 3. At each session the Commission shall approve a report embodying its views, recommendations, resolutions and decisions, including, when requested, a statement of minority views. 4. Subject to the provisions of Article V of the Agreement, the conclusions and recommendations of the Commission shall be transmitted to the Director-General of the Organisation at the close of each session, who shall circulate them to Members of the Commission, nations and international organisations that were represented at the session and make them available to other Members and Associate Members of the Organisation for their information. 5. Recommendations having policy, programme or financial implications for the Organisation shall be brought by the Director-General to the attention of the Conference through the Council of the Organisation for action. 6. Subject to the provisions of the preceding paragraph, the Chairman may request Members of the Commission to supply the Commission or the Director-General with information on action taken on the basis of recommendations made by the Commission. Rule XV Recommendations to Members 1. The Commission may take recommendations for action by Members on any matter pertaining to the functions described in Article III of the Agreement. 2. The Secretary shall receive on behalf of the Commission the replies of the Members in respect of such recommendations and shall prepare a summary and an analysis of such communications for presentation at the next session. Rule XVI Amendments to the Agreement 1. Proposals for the amendment of the Agreement as provided by Article X of the Agreement may be made by any Member in a communication addressed to the Secretary. The Secretary shall transmit to all Members and to the Director-General a copy of such proposals for amendment immediately upon their receipt. 2. No action on a proposal for the amendment of the Agreement shall be taken by the Commission at any session unless it has been included in the provisional agenda of the session. Rule XVII Suspension and amendment of Rules 1. Subject to the provisions of the Agreement any of the foregoing Rules, other than Rules IV, V, X(3) and (4), XI, XII, XIV(4) and XVI, may be suspended on the motion of any delegation by a majority of the votes cast at any plenary meeting of the Commission, provided that announcement is made at a plenary meeting of the Commission and copies of the proposal for suspension have been distributed to the delegations not less than 48 hours before the meeting at which action is to be taken. 2. Amendments of, or addition to, these Rules may be adopted on the motion of any delegation by a two-thirds majority of the Members of the Commission, at any plenary meeting of the Commission, provided an announcement is made at a plenary meeting and copies of the proposal for the amendment or addition have been distributed to delegations not less than 24 hours before the meeting at which action is to be taken. 3. Any amendment to Rule XVI 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. Rule XVIII Official languages 1. The official languages of the Commission shall be such languages of the Organisation as the Commission itself may decide. The delegations may use any one of these languages at sessions and for their reports and communications. A delegation using a non-official language shall provide for interpretation into one of the official languages. 2. During the meetings, interpretation in one or more of the official languages will be provided by the Secretariat when requested by one of the delegates present. 3. Publications of reports and communications shall be in the language in which they are submitted and, when required by the Commission, abstracts in translation may be published.
Article XVII 
Certification and registration The text of this Agreement was originally formulated at Rome on the twenty-fourth day of September one thousand nine hundred and forty-nine in the French language. Two copies in the English, French and Spanish languages of this Agreement and of any amendments to this Agreement shall be certified by the Chairman of the Commission and by the Director-General of the Organisation. One of these copies shall be deposited in the archives of the Organisation. The other copy shall be transmitted to the Secretary-General of the United Nations for registration. In addition, the Director-General shall certify copies of this Agreement and transmit one copy to each Member of the Organisation and to such non-member nations of the Organisation that are or may become parties to this Agreement. RULES OF PROCEDURE OF THE GENERAL FISHERIES COMMISSION FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN Rule I For the purpose of these Rules, the following definitions apply: Agreement: The Agreement for the establishment of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean formulated at Rome (Italy), 24 September 1949 as amended in conformity with Article X thereof. Commission: The General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean. Chairman: The Chairman of the Commission. Vice-Chairman: The Vice-Chairman of the Commission. Delegate: The representative of a Member as specified in Article II(1) of the Agreement. Delegation: The delegate and his alternate, experts, and advisers. Member: Members and Associate Members of the Organisation, and non-members of the Organisation, as may be Members of the Commission. Secretary: The Secretary of the Commission. Organisation: The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations. Conference: The Conference of the Organisation. Observer nation, Associate Member or Organisation: A nation that is not a Member of the Commission or of the Organisation, or an international organisation invited to attend a session of the Commission, or a Member or Associate Member of the Organisation attending a session of the Commission while not a Member of the Commission. Observer: The representative of an observer nation or organisation. Rule II Sessions of the Commission 1. In pursuance of, and in accordance with, Article II(10) of the Agreement, the Commission, in consultation with the Director-General, shall at each regular session decide the time and place for the next session in accordance with the requirements of the Commission's programmes and the terms of the invitation of the country in which the session is to be held. The Chairman, accordingly, shall issue the announcement of the session. 2. The Chairman may convene a special session of the Commission at the request or with the approval of the majority of the Members. 3. Invitations to a regular session of the Commission shall be issued by the Secretary on behalf of the Chairman not less than sixty days in advance of the date fixed for the opening of the session. Invitations to special sessions shall be issued not less than forty days in advance of the date fixed for the opening of the session. 4. In order that a proposal to hold a session of the Commission or any of its organs, in a given country, may be considered, such country must have (a) ratified without reservation the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the Specialised Agencies of the United Nations, or (b) given the assurance that all delegates, representatives, experts, observers, or other persons entitled to attend such session in accordance with the terms of the Agreement or these Rules, will enjoy the privileges and immunities necessary for the independent exercise of their function in connection with the session. Rule III Credentials At each session the Secretary shall receive the credentials of delegations and observers. Such credentials shall conform to the standard form set by the Secretariat. Upon examination thereof the Secretariat shall report to the Commission for the necessary action. Rule IV Agenda 1. The agenda of each regular session shall include: (a) as appropriate, election of the Chairman and of two Vice-Chairmen as provided under Article II(9) of the Agreement; (b) adoption of the agenda; (c) a report by the Secretary on the financial affairs and activities of the Commission; (d) consideration of the proposed budget; (e) reports of committees; (f) consideration of the time and place of the next session; (g) proposals for amendments to the Agreement and the present Rules of Procedure; (h) applications for membership, in accordance with Article XI(2) of the Agreement, from States which, while not Members of the Organisation, are Members of the United Nations, any of its Specialised Agencies or the International Atomic Energy Agency; (i) items referred to the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean by the Conference, the Council or the Director-General of the Organisation. 2. The agenda shall also include, upon approval by the Commission: (a) items approved at the previous session; (b) items proposed by a Member. 3. The provisional agenda shall be sent by the Secretary to members and observer nations and organisations not less than 60 days before the date of the session, together with reports and documents available in connection therewith. 4. The agenda of a special session shall consist only of items relating to the purpose for which the session was called. Rule V The Secretariat 1. The Secretariat shall consist of the Secretary and such staff responsible to him as may be determined by the Director-General. 2. The duties of the Secretary shall include the receipt, collation, and circulation of documents, reports, and resolutions of the sessions of the Commission and its committees, the record of their proceedings, the certification of expenditures and financial commitments, and the performance of such other duties as the Commission may direct. 3. Copies of all communications concerning the affairs of the Commission shall be sent to the Secretary for purposes of information and record. Rule VI Plenary meetings of the Commission Plenary meetings of the Commission shall be held in public unless otherwise decided by the Commission. 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. Rule VII Election of Chairman and Vice-Chairmen 1. The Commission shall elect the Chairman and first and second Vice-Chairman of the Commission who shall assume office immediately following the regular session at which they were elected and who shall be elected for two regular sessions. 2. Nominees must be delegates or alternates present at the regular session at which they are to be elected. They shall be eligible for re-election for a further two regular sessions. Rule VIII Functions of the Chairman and Vice-Chairmen 1. The Chairman shall exercise the functions conferred on him elsewhere in these Rules and, in particular, shall: (a) declare the opening and closing of each plenary meeting of the Commission; (b) direct the discussions at such meetings and ensure observance of these Rules, accord the right to speak, put questions and announce decisions; (c) rule on points of order; (d) subject to these Rules, have complete control over the proceedings of the session; (e) appoint such committees of the session as the Commission may direct. 2. In the absence of the Chairman, or at his request, his functions shall be exercised by the first Vice-Chairman or, in the absence of the latter, by the second Vice-Chairman. 3. The Chairman or Vice-Chairmen, when acting as Chairman shall not vote and another member of their delegations shall represent their governments. 4. The Secretary shall temporarily exercise the functions of the Chairman in the event the Chairman and Vice-Chairmen are unable to serve. Rule IX Voting arrangements and procedures 1. Except as provided in paragraph 4 of this Rule, voting in plenary meetings shall be oral or by show of hands, except that a vote by roll call shall be taken if a special majority is required by the Agreement or these Rules, or if a request for a vote by roll call is made by any delegation. 2. A vote by roll call shall be conducted by calling upon delegations in the French alphabetical order. 3. The record of any roll call vote shall show the votes cast by each delegate and any abstention. 4. Voting on matters relating to individuals, except the election of officers of the Commission and its committees, shall be by secret ballot. 5. When no nominee for an office obtains on the first ballot a majority of the votes cast, there shall be taken a second ballot confined to the two candidates obtaining the largest number of votes. If, on the second ballot, the votes are equally divided, the Chairman shall decide between the candidates by drawing lots. 6. If the Commission is equally divided when a vote is taken on a question other than election, a second vote shall be taken at the next meeting of the current session. If the Commission is then again equally divided, the proposal shall be regarded as rejected. 7. Voting arrangements and other related matters not specifically provided for by the Agreement, or by these Rules, shall be governed mutatis mutandis by the provisions of the General Rules of the Organisation. Rule X Committees 1. There shall be established a Committee on Aquaculture which shall be open to all members of the Commission and which shall: (a) monitor development and trends of aquaculture practices in the region; (b) monitor the interaction between aquaculture development and the environment; (c) oversee and guide work of the four networks created as a result of the activities of MEDRAP II and in particular by monitoring the progress, evaluating the proposed programmes of the various networks, and directing the work of the SIPAM network through the FAO Secretariat; (d) seek additional support to complement the contribution of the institutions, which support the established networks, namely, CIHEAM, MAP-PAP/RAC and FAO, and to enhance the work of the four networks; (e) carry out other duties related to aquaculture promotion and development that may be referred to it by the Commission. 2. (a) There shall be established a Scientific Advisory Committee which shall provide scientific, social and economic information, data, or advice relating to the work of the Commission. (b) The Committee shall be open to all members of the Commission. Each Member of the Commission may designate a member of the Committee, and a member may be accompanied by experts. (c) The Committee may establish working groups to analyse data and to advise the Committee on the state of shared and straddling resources. (d) The Committee shall provide independent advice on the technical and scientific bases for decisions concerning fisheries conservation and management, including biological, social and economic aspects, and in particular, it shall: (1) assess information provided by members and relevant fisheries organisations or programmes on catches, fishing effort, and other data relevant to the conservation and management of fisheries; (2) formulate advice to the Commission on the conservation and management of fisheries; (3) identify cooperative research programmes and coordinate their implementation; (4) undertake such other functions or responsibilities as may be conferred on it by the Commission. (e) Members have an obligation to provide information on catches and other data relevant to the functions of the committee in such a way as to enable the Committee to fulfil its responsibilities under this paragraph. 3. The Commission may establish such other committees and working parties as it considers desirable. 4. The establishment of committees and working parties under this Rule shall be subject to the provisions of Article VII(4) of the Agreement. 5. The procedures of such committees and working parties shall be governed mutatis mutandis by the Rules of Procedure of the Commission. Rule XI Budget and finance 1. Except as otherwise provided in these Rules, the Financial Regulations of the Organisation, as amplified by the Administrative Manual and memoranda and the procedures based thereon, shall apply to the Commission. 2. A proposed budget of the Commission for the next succeeding financial period consisting of proposed expenses of the Secretariat, including publications and communications, the proposed travelling expenses of the Chairman and Vice-Chairmen, when engaged in the work of the Commission between its sessions, and the expense, if any, of the committees, shall after approval by the Commission be submitted to the Director-General for consideration in the preparation of the general budget estimates of the Organisation. 3. When adopted by the Conference as part of the general budget of the Organisation, the budget of the Commission shall constitute the limits within which funds may be committed for purposes approved by the Conference. 4. All cooperative projects shall be submitted to the Council or the Conference of the Organisation prior to implementation. Rule XII Participation by observers 1. Participation of international organisations in the work of the Commission and the relations between the Commission and such organisations shall be governed by the relevant provisions of the Organisation, as well as by the rules on relations with international organisations adopted by the Conference or Council of the Organisation. 2. Members and Associate Members of the Organisation 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. 3. States that are not Members of the Commission, nor Members or Associate Members of the Organisation, but are Members of the United Nations, any of its Specialised Agencies or the International Atomic Energy Agency may, upon request, and with the approval of the Council of the Organisation and of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean, 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. 4. Unless the Commission expressly determines otherwise, observers may attend the plenary meetings of the Commission and participate in the discussions at any technical committee sessions which they may be invited to attend. In no case will they be entitled to vote. Rule XIII Cooperative projects In the furtherance of cooperative projects provided for in Article III(1)(e) of the Agreement, and of studies undertaken outside the region referred to in the Preamble of the Agreement, arrangements may be made with governments that are not members of the Commission. All such arrangements shall be made by the Director-General of the Organisation. Rule XIV Records, reports and recommendations 1. Summary records shall be made of each plenary meeting of the Commission and each committee meeting, and shall be distributed as soon as possible to the participants. 2. A summary shall be prepared of the proceedings of each session of the Commission and shall be published together with such reports of committees, technical papers and other documents as the Commission may consider advisable. 3. At each session the Commission shall approve a report embodying its views, recommendations, resolutions and decisions, including, when requested, a statement of minority views. 4. Subject to the provisions of Article V of the Agreement, the conclusions and recommendations of the Commission shall be transmitted to the Director-General of the Organisation at the close of each session, who shall circulate them to Members of the Commission, nations and international organisations that were represented at the session and make them available to other Members and Associate Members of the Organisation for their information. 5. Recommendations having policy, programme or financial implications for the Organisation shall be brought by the Director-General to the attention of the Conference through the Council of the Organisation for action. 6. Subject to the provisions of the preceding paragraph, the Chairman may request Members of the Commission to supply the Commission or the Director-General with information on action taken on the basis of recommendations made by the Commission. Rule XV Recommendations to Members 1. The Commission may take recommendations for action by Members on any matter pertaining to the functions described in Article III of the Agreement. 2. The Secretary shall receive on behalf of the Commission the replies of the Members in respect of such recommendations and shall prepare a summary and an analysis of such communications for presentation at the next session. Rule XVI Amendments to the Agreement 1. Proposals for the amendment of the Agreement as provided by Article X of the Agreement may be made by any Member in a communication addressed to the Secretary. The Secretary shall transmit to all Members and to the Director-General a copy of such proposals for amendment immediately upon their receipt. 2. No action on a proposal for the amendment of the Agreement shall be taken by the Commission at any session unless it has been included in the provisional agenda of the session. Rule XVII Suspension and amendment of Rules 1. Subject to the provisions of the Agreement any of the foregoing Rules, other than Rules IV, V, X(3) and (4), XI, XII, XIV(4) and XVI, may be suspended on the motion of any delegation by a majority of the votes cast at any plenary meeting of the Commission, provided that announcement is made at a plenary meeting of the Commission and copies of the proposal for suspension have been distributed to the delegations not less than 48 hours before the meeting at which action is to be taken. 2. Amendments of, or addition to, these Rules may be adopted on the motion of any delegation by a two-thirds majority of the Members of the Commission, at any plenary meeting of the Commission, provided an announcement is made at a plenary meeting and copies of the proposal for the amendment or addition have been distributed to delegations not less than 24 hours before the meeting at which action is to be taken. 3. Any amendment to Rule XVI 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. Rule XVIII Official languages 1. The official languages of the Commission shall be such languages of the Organisation as the Commission itself may decide. The delegations may use any one of these languages at sessions and for their reports and communications. A delegation using a non-official language shall provide for interpretation into one of the official languages. 2. During the meetings, interpretation in one or more of the official languages will be provided by the Secretariat when requested by one of the delegates present. 3. Publications of reports and communications shall be in the language in which they are submitted and, when required by the Commission, abstracts in translation may be published.