| Chapter VI |
Standing Committee |
| Article 20 |
Standing Committee
| 1. |
For the purposes of this Convention, a Standing Committee
shall be set up. |
| 2. |
Each Party may be represented on the Standing Committee by
one or more delegates. Each delegation shall have one vote.
Within the areas of its competence, the European Economic Community
shall exercise its right to vote with a number of votes equal
to the number of its member States which are Parties to this
Convention; the European Economic Community shall not exercise
its right to vote in cases where the member States concerned
exercise theirs, and conversely. |
| 3. |
Any State referred to in Article 29, paragraph 1, which is
not a Party to this Convention may be represented on the Standing
Committee by an observer. |
| 4. |
The Standing Committee may seek the advice of experts in order
to discharge its functions. It may, on its own initiative or
at the request of the body concerned, invite any international
or national, governmental or non-governmental body technically
qualified in the fields covered by this Convention to be represented
by an observer at one or part of one of its meetings. The decision
to invite such experts or bodies shall be taken by a majority
of three-quarters of the members of the Standing Committee. |
| 5. |
The Standing Committee shall be convened by the Secretary
General of the Council of Europe. Its first meeting shall be
held within six months of the date of entry into force of the
Convention. It shall subsequently meet whenever one-third of
the Parties or the Committee of Ministers of the Council of
Europe so requests, or on the initiative of the Secretary General
of the Council of Europe in accordance with the provisions of
Article 23, paragraph 2, or at the request of one or more Parties
in accordance with the provisions of Articles 21, sub-paragraph
c, and 25, paragraph 2. |
| 6. |
A majority of the Parties shall constitute a quorum for holding
a meeting of the Standing Committee. |
| 7. |
Subject to the provisions of paragraph 4 and Article 23, paragraph
3, the decisions of the Standing Committee shall be taken by
a majority of three-quarters of the members present. |
| 8. |
Subject to the provisions of this Convention, the Standing
Committee shall draw up its own Rules of Procedure. |
|
| Article 21 |
Functions of the Standing Committee
The Standing Committee shall be responsible for following the application
of this Convention. It may:
| a. |
make recommendations to the Parties concerning the application
of the Convention; |
| b. |
suggest any necessary modifications of the Convention and
examine those proposed in accordance with the provisions of
Article 23; |
| c. |
examine, at the request of one or more Parties, questions
concerning the interpretation of the Convention; |
| d. |
use its best endeavours to secure a friendly settlement of
any difficulty referred to in accordance with the provisions
of Article 25; |
| e. |
make recommendations to the Committee of Ministers concerning
States other than those referred to in Article 29, paragraph
1, to be invited to accede to this Convention. |
|
| Article 22 |
Reports of the Standing Committee
After each meeting, the Standing Committee shall forward to the Parties
and the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe a report on
its discussions and any decisions taken. |
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