DRAFT
RULES OF PROCEDURE1 OF THE
Intergovernmental
Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals and Sustainable Development
MEMBERS
1. "Members" means all National Governments that have notified
the Secretariat in writing of their acceptance of the Terms of Reference
and Rules of Procedures.
GENERAL MEETINGS
1. The Highest Authority
of the Intergovernmental Forum shall be vested in the General Meeting
of Members.
2. The Members shall hold General Meetings at such a date and place
as they may decide. (Should general meetings take place on yearly
or other basis?) Notice of General Meetings and the provisional
agenda for the meeting shall be communicated to the Members by the Head
of the Secretariat in consultation with the Chairman at least (how
much time?) in advance.
3. The Members may hold Special Meetings whenever so requested by a
simple majority of Members, or by the Head of the Secretariat in agreement
with the Executive Committee. Notice of Special meetings will be communicated
at least (how many days?) in advance. In cases of emergency,
the notice shall state the nature of the emergency.
4. The work program shall be approved by a (what majority?) vote of
members.
5. Reports and some decisions including those on the outcome, conclusions
or recommendations arising from work carried out for or on behalf of
the Intergovernmental Forum will normally be approved by (consensus?
Vote?). If a vote is called for, a majority of (how much?)
percent of Members present shall confirm a decision.
6. The provisional agenda for each session shall be prepared by the
Head of the Secretariat in consultation with the Chairman. If a Member
wishes a particular matter to be discussed at a meeting, the member
should notify the Head of the Secretariat (how long a period?) before
the commencement of the meeting, including in that notification a written
explanation.
7. Each Member shall endeavour to notify the Head of the Secretariat
not later than (how long a period?) before the commencement
of the session of the names of the delegates, alternates and advisers
designated to represent it at a session.
8. The General Meeting may consider and adopt a report at each of their
sessions taking into account the provisions of rule 5 in this
section. These reports shall be circulated to all participants in the
General Meeting, the Commission on Sustainable Development and, as decided
by the Members, to others. Members will decide which material will be
treated as confidential.
CONDUCT OF BUSINESS
1. The quorum for
any meeting shall be the presence of a simple majority of the Members
except for finance issues where the quorum will be 60% of the Members.
2. The Members shall elect a Chair, two Vice-Chairs and a Treasurer
(for a period to be defined by the Members?) who, with the
Head of the Secretariat, constitute the Executive Committee. The Executive
Committee shall report or make such recommendations to the Members as
it may deem advisable. It shall carry out such other tasks as may be
delegated to it by the Members.
3. Minutes of meetings shall consist of a summary record of the proceedings.
Such record shall be provisional in the first instance. If any delegation
wishes to amend any of its statements reported in the provisional record,
such amendment shall be made by notification to the Head of the Secretariat
within (how many days?) days of the issue of that record and no other
changes shall be made unless approved by the Members at its next session.
FINANCE
To be discussed. The meeting may consider the option of well defined
financial responsibilities of Members or looser financial arrangements
based on members voluntary contributions or contributions by donors,
governments or other organizations. Based on the outcome, there may
be a need to consider the making of budgets (a budget may include funding
of projects and working groups, Secretariat and other expenses that
may be identified) as well as budget process issues such as timing and
approval.
OTHER COMMITTEES OR SUBSIDIARY BODIES
1. The Members may
establish subsidiary committees and task forces. Each committee and
task force will chose its Chair and report back to the Members.
SECRETARIAT
1. The Members shall
be served by a Secretariat.
2. The Head of the Secretariat may appoint staff needed to fulfill the
functions of the Secretariat as determined by the Members.
3. The Intergovernmental Forum may hold Special Meetings whenever so
requested by a simple majority of its Members, or by the Head of the
Secretariat in agreement with the Executive Committee.
AMENDMENTS
The Terms of reference shall be amended by consensus and without a vote.
The Rules of Procedures shall be amended by consensus or a two third
majority vote of Members present. Proposed amendments shall be circulated
by the Head of the Secretariat to all Members at least (how long
a period?) in advance of the session.
OFFICIAL AND WORKING LANGUAGES
English shall be the official and working language of the Intergovernmental
Forum for all meetings and all official documents. (Should there
be use of more than one working or official language?)
WITHDRAWAL
A Member may withdraw (at any time? and in what manner?) by
giving written notice of withdrawal to the Head of the Secretariat.
A member shall be liable for its share of financial obligations (if
there are any?) stemming from decisions to which it was a party
in the year of the withdrawal.
1This
document borrows extensively from rules of the Study Groups and other
existing organizations
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DRAFT
RULES OF PROCEDURE
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RULES OF PROCEDURE
