245 GEN 05 E
NATO Parliamentary Assembly
International Secretariat
Place du Petit Sablon 3 - 1000 Brussels – Belgium
Tel: (32) 2 513 28 65 - Fax: (32) 2 514 18 47 - e-mail: [email protected] - website: http:// www.nato-pa.int
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Preamble |
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 1 |
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I. |
Membership of the Assembly |
 2 |
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II. |
Associate Delegations |
 2 |
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III. |
Mediterranean Associate Delegations |
3 |
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IV. |
Parliamentary Observers and ad hoc Parliamentary Delegations (Parliamentary Guests) |
3
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V. |
Bureau of the Assembly |
4 |
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VI. |
President |
 5 |
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VII. |
Standing Committee |
 6 |
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VIII. |
Treasurer |
 8 |
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IX. |
Sittings |
 8 |
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X. |
Voting |
12 |
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XI. |
Committees |
13 |
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XII. |
Sub-Committees, Working Groups, Special Groups and Seminars |
15
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XIII. |
Reports and Texts |
18 |
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XIV. |
Votes in Committees |
19 |
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XV. |
Summaries of Committee Meetings |
20 |
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XVI. |
Delegation Secretaries |
20 |
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XVII. |
Consultative Status |
20 |
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XVIII. |
Use of Languages |
21 |
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XIX. |
Reports and Publications |
21 |
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XX. |
Press Communiques |
21 |
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XXI. |
Derogations and Revision |
22 |
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Appendix I |
Membership of the Assembly |
23 |
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Appendix II |
Voting Rights in the Standing Committee |
24 |
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Appendix III |
Membership of the Committees |
25 |
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Appendix IV |
Order of Precedence |
28 |
PREAMBLE
NATO PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY*
The NATO Parliamentary Assembly consists of parliamentary delegates who are selected from the members of national parliaments of member countries of the Atlantic Alliance by the procedure best suited to each country, ensuring that the composition of the delegation represents the political balance within the national parliament. A member of government cannot be a delegate to the Assembly.
AIMS
The Assembly, by virtue of its membership drawn from the various national parliaments, provides a link between the NATO authorities and these parliaments. Through its discussions, it helps to promote a common feeling of Atlantic solidarity in the various legislative assemblies and to further the aims and values of the Atlantic Alliance.
*Â Â Â Â Â Â Â North Atlantic Assembly until June 1999
RULES OF PROCEDURE
I.         MEMBERSHIP OF THE ASSEMBLY
Article 1
1.          The Assembly shall consist of 248 members as set out in Appendix I.
2.          Every member may have an alternate who may vote in his or her place.
3.          Members and alternate members shall be appointed, where possible, for a minimum period of one year.
4.          Members and alternate members of the Assembly must be members of their national parliament. If they cease to be so they may continue their functions at the Assembly until a successor has been designated, or, in the absence of such designation, for a maximum of six months.
5.          Any delegate whose credentials are contested shall take his seat provisionally with the same rights as other delegates until the Assembly has reached a decision in his or her case.
II.        ASSOCIATE DELEGATIONS
Article 2
1.          Subject to the approval of the Assembly, the Standing Committee may decide, by a three‑quarters majority of its members present and eligible to vote, to invite delegations from parliaments of countries which are not members of the Atlantic Alliance to participate in the work of the Assembly. The Standing Committee shall decide the size of associate delegations and the number of associate delegates nominated to each Committee of the Assembly.
2.          Paragraphs 3, 4 and 5 of Article 1 shall apply to the appointment of associate members. A member of government cannot be an associate member of the Assembly.
3.          Associate members shall be entitled to attend plenary sittings of the Assembly, seminars, and meetings of the Assembly's Committees and Sub-Committees unless decided otherwise by the Standing Committee. Associate members may speak and propose amendments but shall not be entitled to vote.
III.         MEDITERRANEAN ASSOCIATE DELEGATIONS
1.          Subject to the approval of the Assembly, the Standing Committee may decide, by a three‑quarters majority of its members present and eligible to vote, to invite delegations from parliaments of countries in the Mediterranean region which are not members of the Atlantic Alliance to participate in the work of the Assembly. The Standing Committee shall decide the size of Mediterranean associate delegations and the number of Mediterranean associate delegates nominated to each Committee of the Assembly.
2.          Paragraphs 3, 4 and 5 of Article 1 shall apply to the appointment of Mediterranean associate members. A member of government cannot be a Mediterranean associate member of the Assembly.
3.          Mediterranean associate members shall be entitled to attend plenary sittings of the Assembly, seminars, and meetings of the Assembly's Committees during sessions unless decided otherwise by the Standing Committee. Mediterranean associate members may speak and propose amendments but shall not be entitled to vote.
IV.      PARLIAMENTARY OBSERVER AND
          AD HOC PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATIONS (PARLIAMENTARY GUESTS)
Article 4
1.          Delegations from other parliaments and inter-parliamentary assemblies may, with the consent of the Standing Committee and subject to the approval of the Assembly, be invited by the President to attend sessions of the Assembly as parliamentary observers. Subject to the discretion of the President, parliamentary observers shall leave the chamber during closed sittings. Subject to the discretion of the President, parliamentary observers may participate in plenary debates of the Assembly. They may speak but shall not be entitled to vote or move amendments.
2.          Subject to the discretion of Chairmen of Committees, parliamentary observers may participate in meetings of the Assembly's Committees. They may speak but shall not be entitled to vote or move amendments.
3.          The Standing Committee may also invite parliamentary delegations to participate in specific sessions on an ad hoc basis.  If a request for the participation of a parliamentary delegation is received and no Standing Committee meeting is scheduled before the session in question, the President shall decide whether to permit ad hoc participation following consultation with the host delegation and the members of the Bureau.
4.          The names of observers under this article shall be notified to the International Secretariat by the parliamentary body to which they belong.
V.       BUREAU OF THE ASSEMBLY
Article 5
1.          The Bureau of the Assembly shall consist of the President, five Vice-Presidents, and the Treasurer.
2.          The Bureau shall meet three times a year prior to the Standing Committee meetings. Special Bureau meetings may also be called by the President or at the request of a majority of the Bureau members to consider urgent and specific questions.
3.          Before the closing of the annual session, the Assembly shall elect successively the President, the Vice-Presidents and, every other year, the Treasurer.
4.          Candidates for the office of President, Vice-President and Treasurer must be nominated in writing by three or more members or alternate members and their candidatures approved by the Standing Committee. They must be members or alternate members of the Assembly.
5.          In considering proposed candidates for the offices of President, Vice-President and Treasurer, the Standing Committee will ensure (1) that the Vice-Presidents are of different nationality and (2) that at least one of the Bureau members is a member of the delegations of Canada or the United States of America.
6.          The President and Vice-Presidents shall hold office from the close of the annual session in which they are elected to the close of the next annual session.
7.          The Treasurer shall hold office for a period of two years from 1st April of the year following the annual session at which he is elected.
8.          The Standing Committee shall invite former Presidents, Vice-Presidents, and Treasurers of the Assembly to attend its meetings and associated meetings of the Assembly Bureau during the two years after their term of office ends, provided that they remain on their delegations.
9.          Members of the Bureau are ex-officio members of all Committees, Sub‑Committees and Working Groups.
Article 6
1.          The Bureau members shall be elected by those members and alternate members present entitled to vote in accordance with the provisions of Article 29. Voting shall take place by secret ballot. Only those ballot papers bearing the names of persons who have been duly nominated as candidates shall be taken into account for the purpose of calculating the number of votes cast.
2.          The President shall be elected by secret ballot and each member or alternate member entitled to vote may cast one vote. If, after two ballots, no candidate for the office of President has obtained an absolute majority of the votes cast, the candidate who, on the third ballot, obtains the most votes, shall be elected. In the event of a tie, the issue shall be decided by lot.
3.          The Vice-Presidents shall be elected by secret ballot on the same ballot paper and each member or alternate member entitled to vote may cast as many votes as there are positions to be filled. The candidate or candidates receiving the largest number of votes shall be elected. In the event of a tie, the issue shall be decided by lot.
4.          The Treasurer shall be elected by secret ballot, in accordance with the procedure provided in paragraph 2 above.
5.          Whenever, in an election, the number of candidates is the same or less than the number of positions to be filled, the candidates may be elected by acclamation.
6.          The President, the Vice-Presidents and the Treasurer may be re-elected. The President and the Vice-Presidents shall be eligible for re-election once, and the Treasurer twice, only.
VI.      PRESIDENT
Article 7
The President shall represent the Assembly. He shall be the leading officer of the Assembly. He shall be kept informed of all political, organizational and financial developments. He shall arbitrate on any question of concern to the Assembly in the intervals between Bureau meetings, Standing Committee meetings and Assembly sessions.
Article 8
The President shall open sittings and declare recesses and adjournments thereof. He shall also maintain order, enforce the Rules of Procedure, draw the attention of the Assembly to matters which concern it, call on speakers, guide the debates, put questions to the vote and announce the results. The ruling of the President on all procedural matters shall be final.
Article 9
If the President is unable to preside or if he wishes to take part in a debate, one of the Vice‑Presidents shall take the chair.
Article 10
The President shall forward copies of all texts adopted by the Assembly to those concerned.
Article 11
If for any reason the President is unable to exercise his functions during the period of his mandate, the Bureau, communicating by appropriate means, shall appoint one of the Vice-Presidents as acting President as soon as possible. This appointment shall be subject to final approval by the Standing Committee at its next meeting.
VII.      STANDING COMMITTEE
Article 12
1.          The Standing Committee shall consist of one member from each member country, nominated by each member delegation. Each member delegation may also appoint an alternate member. The President, the Vice-Presidents, the Treasurer and the Chairmen of the Assembly's Committees shall be members of the Standing Committee ex officio.
2.          The President, the Vice-Presidents, the Treasurer and the Chairmen of the Assembly's Committees shall be entitled to vote in the Standing Committee only if they are the representative of their delegation on the Standing Committee or, alternatively, if no member representing their delegation is present.
3.          Meetings of the Standing Committee shall be summoned by the President.
4.          The Standing Committee may invite General Rapporteurs of the Assembly's Committees to attend its meetings. They may speak but shall not be entitled to vote. The Chairmen of the Committees will keep the Standing Committee regularly informed of the activities of their Committees and the results of their work.
5.          Former Presidents, Vice-Presidents and Treasurers of the Assembly attending meetings of the Standing Committee and the Bureau in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 8 of Article 5 may speak but shall not be entitled to vote.
6.          The Standing Committee may hold special meetings with the heads of associate delegations or Mediterranean associate delegations.
Article 13
1.          The main tasks of the Standing Committee shall be:
             a)          to establish the dates and locations of sessions, and to draw up and circulate after due consultation the proposed programme of the next session of the Assembly;
             b)          to make arrangements for future meetings of the Assembly;
             c)          to examine and approve the Assembly draft budget before its final adoption by the Assembly at the annual session;
             d)          to satisfy itself that the management of the Assembly's financial affairs is in accordance with the budget provisions and the financial rules and regulations in force;
             e)          to examine and approve the audited financial statements for the preceding financial year before their final adoption by the Assembly at the annual session;
             f)           to designate the audit authority following a joint proposal from the Treasurer and the Secretary General.
             g)          to co-ordinate the activities of the Committees, to suggest to them, in appropriate circumstances, the subjects to be dealt with, and to give guidance in cases where the same subjects may be under consideration by several Committees;
             h)          to set up Sub-Committees on any matter, whenever this may be necessary;
             i)           to approve the schedule of all the Assembly activities including seminars and meetings of Committees, Sub-Committees, and Working Groups;
             j)           in accordance with Article 40, to fix, if it so wishes, the maximum number of reports to be presented each year to the Assembly;
             k)          to take all possible steps through the North Atlantic Council and by other appropriate methods to secure the implementation of the recommendations and resolutions of the Assembly;
             l)            to review arrangements for associate delegations, Mediterranean associate delegations, parliamentary observer delegations and other inter-parliamentary assembly delegations granted formal status with the Assembly.
2.          Each member of the Standing Committee shall have one vote. Except as provided in Article 2, when a decision to be taken involves additional expenditure, the votes shall be weighted to take account of the size of national contributions, in accordance with directions set out in Appendix II.
Article 14
1.          The Standing Committee shall appoint and dismiss the Secretary General who shall be under the direct authority of the President. The Secretary General shall be appointed for two years and may only be re-appointed three times.
2.          The Standing Committee shall determine the position and powers of the Secretary General.
3.          The Standing Committee shall determine the number and grade of the employees in the International Secretariat, who shall come under the authority of the Secretary General.
4.          The Standing Committee shall appoint and dismiss the Deputy Secretary General following a proposal by the Secretary General, and the head of the financial service following a joint proposal by the Treasurer and the Secretary General.
VIII.     TREASURER
Article 15
1.          The Treasurer shall be a member or an alternate member of the Assembly. He shall be a member of the Standing Committee, without the right to vote unless he be his country's representative on the Committee.
2.          It shall be the Treasurer's duty to:
             a)          present to the Standing Committee at the spring session, after consulting the Secretary General, a draft budget for the following financial year;
             b)          present to the Assembly at the annual session the draft budget approved by the Standing Committee for the following financial year;
             c)          present to the Standing Committee and to the Assembly at the annual session the audited financial statements for the preceding financial year;
             d)          assume responsibility for the implementation of the financial and budgetary policy of the Assembly and for ensuring that this policy is consistent with the political objectives of the Assembly;
             e)          oversee the management of the financial affairs of the Assembly.
3.          The Treasurer shall have the power of signature in all financial matters.
Article 16
If for any reason the Treasurer is unable to exercise his functions before or during the period of his mandate, the Standing Committee shall at its next meeting proceed to the election of a successor, who shall hold office until the expiry of the mandate in question. In the event of a contested election the Standing Committee shall vote in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 2 of Article 13.
IX.      SITTINGS
Article 17
1.          Unless the Assembly decides to the contrary, all its sittings shall be public.
2.          The public admitted to the galleries shall remain seated and silent and the President shall have the power to order the withdrawal of members of the public in case of misconduct. Members of the public shall leave the galleries when the Assembly holds a closed sitting.
Article 18
1.          Non-members of the Assembly may be invited by the President to address the Assembly, with the consent of the Standing Committee.
2.          Non-members of the Assembly may be invited by the President to attend sessions of the Assembly as observers. Subject to the decision of the President, non-members of the Assembly shall leave the chamber during closed sittings.
Article 19
1.          No delegate shall address the Assembly unless called upon by the President.
2.          Rapporteurs presenting texts adopted by their Committees shall have precedence over other speakers.
3.          When the time available for debate seems insufficient the Assembly may, at the suggestion of the President, decide on a time limit, which shall not be less than three minutes, for speeches. Such a proposal shall be voted upon without discussion.
4.          The Chairman and Rapporteurs of the Committee whose reports or proposed texts are being debated shall have the right of reply at the end of the debate.
5.          When an amendment is being debated, no speech may last for more than five minutes.
6.          No delegate may speak for more than three minutes on an explanation of vote.
Article 20
1.          No speaker shall be interrupted without his consent, except for the purpose of calling him to order.
2.          If a speaker does not keep to the subject of the debate, the President may call him to order and, if the speaker persists, withdraw his right to speak.
Article 21
Anyone raising a point of order or moving a procedural motion may be called upon by the President to speak briefly on it. A right of reply is also permitted. The point raised, or motion made, shall then be decided upon immediately without debate.
Article 22
1.          Every proposed recommendation, resolution, opinion or order shall relate to a matter placed on the agenda either by the Standing Committee or during the session, on the proposal of the President, by the Assembly.
2.          A declaration is a formal expression of the view of the Assembly and is presented directly to the plenary sitting by a member of the Assembly upon the request of the President and with the approval of the Standing Committee.
3.          A recommendation is addressed to the North Atlantic Council asking it to take certain action in pursuit of the aims of the Assembly and in the expectation of a reply from the Council.
4.          A resolution gives formal expression to the view of the Assembly on a matter which does not call for action by the North Atlantic Council. Resolutions may be addressed to all or to a limited number of governments of NATO, to all or some of the parliaments of the member countries, to governments and parliaments of non‑member countries which have associate delegations or Mediterranean associate delegations, as well as to international organizations.
5.          An opinion expresses the view of the Assembly in answer to a formal request from the North Atlantic Council or from an international organization on a matter within the Assembly's competence.
6.          An order of the Assembly deals with the internal organization of the Assembly and its Committees.
7.          In these Rules of Procedure, the word "text" generally covers declarations, recommendations, resolutions, opinions and orders.
Article 23
The Assembly may ask its President to transmit any of its texts to another international assembly or organization for its opinion. The President may, at his discretion, refer any other matter to another international organization.
Article 24
1.          Amendments to texts debated in Plenary Sitting must be introduced by:
             a)          not less than five members and/or associate members and/or Mediterranean associate members from at least three countries; or
             b)        the leader of a member delegation, associate delegation or Mediterranean associate delegation on behalf of that delegation.
2.          Amendments shall be relevant to the text which they propose to amend. They shall be signed by the proposers and, as far as possible, shall be presented in time to be translated and distributed before the debate. The President shall judge their acceptability.
3.          The President or Vice-President in the chair shall judge the acceptability of verbal amendments after consultation with the Rapporteur.
4.          Amendments shall be put to the vote before the text to which they relate. In the event of mutually exclusive amendments being proposed to the same paragraph, the proposed amendment which, in the opinion of the President, differs most radically from the text shall take precedence in the order of voting.
5.          The minutes of proceedings usually set out the texts of amendments moved and, in accordance with Article 29, paragraph 7, the results of votes taken on such amendments.
Article 25
1.          It shall be in order at any time to propose that a matter be referred back to Committee. Any motion to this effect shall be decided upon according to the voting procedure set out in Article 29.
2.          Discussion of any proposal shall not be interrupted because any proposed amendment has necessitated its being eventually referred back to a Committee unless the Assembly decided to the contrary. The Assembly shall have the power to fix a time limit within which a Committee shall be required to report back on the amendments referred to it.
Article 26
1.          Questions of urgency may be placed on the agenda at any time on the proposal of the Standing Committee.
2.          Any delegate, associate delegate or Mediterranean associate delegate may propose, in writing, the inclusion of other items on the agenda up to two weeks before the first public sitting of the session.
3.          These proposals, if supported by the signature of six or more members of the Assembly from at least two countries, shall be considered by the Standing Committee, which, if it thinks fit, may submit them to the Assembly. In the event of the Standing Committee deciding not to recommend the inclusion of such items on the agenda, the proposers shall have the right to appeal to the Assembly.
Article 27
Delegates shall speak and act on their own responsibility, and their statements shall not be binding on their governments or parliaments.
Article 28
Each delegate shall sign the register of attendance at each sitting before taking his or her place.
Article 29
1.          Members shall vote as individuals.
2.          Normally the Assembly shall vote by show of hands using voting cards. These cards, not exceeding in number the membership of each delegation as specified in Appendix I, and which shall not be personal, will be placed at the disposal of the delegations twice a year. They are only valid for one session.
3.          If the result of the show of hands is doubtful in the opinion of the President, the Assembly shall proceed to vote by roll-call of member delegations. Whenever ten or more delegates so require, the vote shall be taken by a roll-call of member delegations except in the case of the election of members of the Assembly Bureau which shall be conducted in accordance with the provisions of Article 6 above. The President may at any time decide that a vote shall be taken by roll-call of member delegations.
4.          Any delegate shall be entitled to demand a separate vote on any or every paragraph of a draft text. Any delegate shall be entitled to propose that any paragraph put to the Assembly be divided into parts and that a separate vote be taken on each component part. When a paragraph has been amended a vote shall be taken on the proposed paragraph as a whole.
5.          The vote by a roll-call of member delegations shall be taken within each member delegation and shall then be recorded by delegation.
6.          The roll-call shall be called by member delegations in their English alphabetical order after an interval of five minutes to ascertain and record the individual voting figure in each delegation. For each delegation, the maximum number of votes that may be cast shall correspond to that of its members. The number of votes that may be cast by a delegation shall be calculated in accordance with the number of members of the delegation present at the moment of the vote and possessing voting cards, no delegate being entitled to cast more than one vote.
7.          The President shall be responsible for the counting of the roll-call votes and shall announce the results. The number of votes shall be recorded, including abstentions, in the minutes of the proceedings of the sitting.
Article 30
1.          Except as provided in Article 6, the required majority for all votes shall be a simple majority of the votes cast [USA: plurality of votes]. In the event of a tie the proposal submitted to the vote shall be rejected.
2.          Only affirmative and negative votes shall count in calculating the number of votes cast.
XI.      COMMITTEES
Article 31
1.          The Assembly shall set up the following general Committees:
             a)          Committee on the Civil Dimension of Security;
             b)          Defence and Security Committee;
             c)          Economics and Security Committee;
             d)          Political Committee;
             e)          Science and Technology Committee.
             The Assembly may appoint other Committees.
2.          a)          The United States has eight seats on the Political Committee and seven on each of the other Committees.
             b)          France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom have four seats on the Defence and Security Committee, the Economics and Security Committee and the Political Committee, three seats each on the Committee on the Civil Dimension of Security, and the Science and Technology Committee.
             c)          Canada, Poland, Spain and Turkey have three seats on both the Defence and Security, and Political Committees, and two seats on each of the other committees.
             d)          Romania has three seats on the Defence and Security and Political Committees, two seats on the Economics and Security Committee and one seat on each of the other Committees.
             e)          Belgium, the Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, the Netherlands and Portugal have two seats each on the Defence and Security, and Political Committees and one seat each on the other Committees.
             f)           Bulgaria has two seats on the Political Committee, and one seat on each of the other Committees.
             g)          Denmark, Norway and Slovakia each have one seat on every Committee.
             h)          Lithuania has a total of four seats, may sit on each of the Committees and vote in four of its choice.
             i)           Estonia, Iceland, Latvia, Luxembourg and Slovenia, each of which has a total of three seats, may sit on each of the Committees and vote in three of their choice.
             Members of Committees shall be nominated by their delegations.
3.          Members may represent their delegation in more than one Committee.
4.          Besides the members, alternates of the same nationality may be appointed to each Committee. Subject to the provisions of Article 1, paragraph 2, and Article 43, paragraph 6, alternate members have, in Committee, the same rights as members.
Article 32
1.          Meetings of a Committee shall be called at the discretion of its Chairman, subject to the Assembly's programme of work as established by the Standing Committee.
2.          Two or more Committees may, either on the initiative of their Chairmen or at the suggestion of the Standing Committee, make arrangements for the joint study of subjects of common interest to them.
Article 33
1.          In the course of the annual session, each Committee shall elect from its members a Chairman, up to three Vice-Chairmen and a General Rapporteur. Associate members and Mediterranean associate members shall be eligible to be elected as Associate Rapporteurs and Mediterranean associate Rapporteurs. No member shall hold more than one office on a Committee and its Sub‑Committees and its Working Groups.
2.          The outgoing officers of a Committee may be re-elected, but no Chairman, Vice-Chairman or General Rapporteur shall be re-elected to the same office after four years of continuous service in it.
Article 34
1.          Committee meetings shall be open to invited non-members of the Assembly unless otherwise decided by the Committee concerned. The Chairman of a Committee shall have the right to invite non‑members of the Assembly to address the Committee.
2.          Any delegate, associate delegate or Mediterranean associate delegate shall be entitled to attend meetings of Committees of which he is not a member, an associate member or a Mediterranean associate member.
3.          Each delegate, associate delegate and Mediterranean associate delegate shall sign the register of attendance on each day of a Committee meeting before taking his place.
4.          Observers, as defined in paragraph 2 of Article 18, may attend Committee meetings by invitation of the Chairman. They may be provided with the appropriate working papers of the Committee.
XII.      SUB-COMMITTEES, WORKING GROUPS, SPECIAL GROUPS AND SEMINARS
Article 35
1.          Subject to the provisions set out in paragraphs 2 and 3, each Committee is entitled to create Sub-Committees and to determine their authority and mandate. It may also create Working Groups, that is, Sub-Committees which work by correspondence and do not travel.
2.          The Standing Committee shall fix the maximum number, and if need be, the number per Committee of Sub-Committees and Working Groups.
3.          The composition, mandate and duration of the Sub‑Committees and Working Groups shall be submitted for approval by the Standing Committee and such approval shall lapse at the end of each annual session, unless renewed.
4.          Besides the members, alternate members of the same nationality may be appointed to each Sub-Committee. Subject to the provisions of paragraph 2 of Article 1, and paragraph 6 of Article 43, alternate members have, in Sub-Committee, the same rights as the members.
5.          The officers of Sub-Committees and Working Groups, i.e. the Chairman, up to three Vice‑Chairmen and Rapporteur, may be appointed by the Committee concerned when the Sub‑Committees and Working Groups are created, subject to the provisions of Article 33, paragraph 1. If not so appointed, they should be elected by the Sub‑Committees or Working Groups themselves at the earliest possible date following their creation. Their tenure of office shall be limited to one year. This may be renewed, but no more than three times. Associate members shall be eligible to be appointed as Associate Rapporteurs of Sub‑Committees and Working Groups.
6.          The work schedules of Sub-Committees and Working Groups including, in the former case, travel arrangements and visits, shall be determined by their respective Chairmen in consultation with the Rapporteur and with the Chairman of the main Committee, and in accordance with the general directives of the Standing Committee.
7.          Such work schedules shall be established at the earliest possible date following the plenary session at which the Sub-Committee or Working Group was created and approved by the Standing Committee. Work schedules should be submitted to the Standing Committee, for budgetary approval in particular.
8.          Additional trips and visits beyond those originally planned shall only be possible in exceptional circumstances and with the authorization of the Standing Committee or the President of the Assembly.
9.          No Sub-Committee may undertake visits without being accompanied by at least one of its officers, or if they should be unavailable, by an officer of the main Committee, together with the competent member of the International Secretariat.
10.        In the event that the Chairman of the Sub-Committee cannot attend, he should be replaced by a Vice-Chairman, and if neither the Chairman nor a Vice-Chairman can attend, they will be replaced by the Rapporteur. If none of these is present, an officer of the main Committee may take the chair.
11.        Whenever the Rapporteur of a Sub-Committee has to travel in order to prepare his report, a competent member of the International Secretariat shall accompany him.
12.        The Assembly Secretariat is not financially responsible for any travel expenses except those of the President of the Assembly, the Treasurer, the Secretary General or the members of the International Secretariat.
13.        To ensure the viability and efficiency of the Sub-Committees, their Chairmen may during the year ask delegations to replace a member or to appoint an alternate for him. With the authority of the Standing Committee or the President, other members of the Assembly from member countries, non‑members of the Sub‑Committee, may occasionally be called upon to serve on the Sub‑Committee.
14.        In exceptional circumstances, Special Rapporteurs may be elected by one or several Committees to study matters of common interest. Delegates, associate delegates and Mediterranean associate delegates shall be eligible for election as Special Rapporteurs. Their appointment will be submitted to the Standing Committee for approval.
Article 36
1.          The Assembly shall establish a Special Mediterranean Group.
2.          On the Mediterranean Special Group:
             a)          France, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Spain and Turkey have three seats.
             b)          Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, the United Kingdom and the United States have two seats.
             c)          Estonia, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania and Luxembourg have one seat.
3.          Member delegations may appoint alternate members who may participate in meetings of the group if the member is unable to participate.
4.          Meetings of the group shall be called at the discretion of its chairman, subject to the Assembly's programme of work as established by the Standing Committee.
5           The group shall elect from its members a chairman, up to three vice‑chairmen and a rapporteur. Their tenure of office shall be limited to one year. This may be renewed, but no more than three times.
6.          The Chairman may invite representatives from non-member nations to participate in meetings of the group. If these nations do not have a formal status with the Assembly, the invitations shall be submitted to the President for approval.
Article 37
1.          The Assembly shall set up a Ukraine-NATO Interparliamentary Council.
2.          Each of the Assembly’s five Committees shall nominate two of its members to serve on the Ukraine-NATO Interparliamentary Council and two members who will serve as alternates. Attendance at each meeting shall be based on the following priority:
             a)          nominated members;
             b)          nominated alternate members;
             c)          other members of each Committee.
3.          The delegation of Ukraine shall nominate up to ten members to serve on the Ukraine-NATO Interparliamentary Council.
4.          Meetings of the group shall be in accordance with the Assembly's programme of work as established by the Standing Committee.
Article 38
The Assembly shall establish a NATO-Russia Parliamentary Committee. This Committee shall consist of the Standing Committee and the leaders of the delegation from the Russian Federation. Meetings of this Committee shall be chaired by the President of the Assembly. It shall establish its own programme of work and shall draw its practices from those of the Assembly.
Article 39
The Assembly shall hold seminars independently of the Committees. Participation in these seminars shall be open to any delegates nominated by their respective delegations. The number and scope of these seminars shall be determined by the Standing Committee.
Article 40
1.          By an annual decision taken at the time of the plenary session, the Standing Committee may limit the total number of reports to be prepared by any one Committee for the next annual session.
2.          Before preparing the final drafts of reports for their respective Committees, Rapporteurs shall take account, in whatever form they deem appropriate, of the remarks and opinions expressed by members during discussions at the spring Committee meetings.
3.          During the autumn Committee meetings the reports may be taken note of, adopted or rejected by the Committee concerned, after debate and vote on amendments.
4.          Only reports adopted by the Committee concerned will be published.
Article 41
1.          General and Special Rapporteurs are responsible for the presentation of draft texts (recommendation, resolution, opinion and order) to their Committees and later to the plenary assembly. When presenting their reports to the Committees for the first time they shall indicate the subjects on which they intend to propose texts for approval.
2.          When circulating their reports for the Committee meetings which are held immediately before the plenary assembly, Rapporteurs will attach the draft texts which they intend to submit to the Committees.
3.          a)          Any Committee member, associate member or Mediterranean associate member may propose one or more draft texts on his own initiative. The drafts should be submitted to the General Rapporteur (or relevant Special Rapporteur) not later than three weeks before the Committee meetings which are held prior to the plenary assembly.
             b)          The Rapporteur shall undertake to present these texts to the Committee at the same time as those he has prepared. The Committee shall judge their acceptability. The Rapporteur may amalgamate the draft texts which are submitted to him with those he has prepared.
             c)          No draft text may be submitted to a Committee without having been given to the Rapporteur in due time.
4.          No text may be presented to the plenary assembly which has not first been presented to and approved of by a Committee, except in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 2 of Article 22 and Article 26.
5.          If the texts approved by Committees contain inconsistencies, the relevant Committee Rapporteurs shall present their texts to the Standing Committee which shall decide on the transmission of the texts to the Assembly in plenary sitting.
Article 42
1.          Amendments to texts debated in the Committees must be introduced by:
             a)          not less than three members and/or associate members and/or Mediterranean associate members from at least three countries; or
             b)          the leader of a member delegation, associate delegation or Mediterranean associate delegation on behalf of that delegation.
2.          Amendments shall be relevant to the text which they propose to amend. They shall be signed by the proposers and, as far as possible, shall be presented in time to be translated and distributed before the debate. The Chairman shall judge their acceptability.
3.          The Chairman shall judge the acceptability of verbal amendments after consultation with the Rapporteur.
4.          Amendments shall be put to the vote before the text to which they relate. In the event of mutually exclusive amendments being proposed to the same paragraph, the proposed amendment which, in the opinion of the Chairman, differs most radically from the text shall take precedence in the order of voting.
XIV.    VOTES IN COMMITTEES
Article 43
1.          A Committee shall normally vote by show of hands using the voting card mentioned in Article 29, paragraph 2.
2.          In exceptional circumstances the Chairman may decide to hold a roll-call vote of members of the Committee by delegation.
3.          Election shall be by secret ballot. If, after the first ballot, no candidate for Chairman has obtained an absolute majority of the votes cast, the candidate who, in the second ballot, obtains the most votes, shall be elected. In the event of a tie the issue shall be decided by lot. Vice-Chairmen and Rapporteurs shall be elected by the same procedure. When only one candidate is proposed, election may take place by acclamation.
4.          Except as provided in paragraph 3 above, the required majority for all votes in a Committee shall be a simple majority of the votes cast [USA : plurality of votes]. Only affirmative and negative votes shall count in calculating the number of votes cast.
5.          A roll-call vote in Committee shall not be valid unless a third of the members of the Committee are present.
6.          The right to vote is an individual one. An alternate, authorized to sit in the place of a member absent or unable to take his/her seat, may vote. Member delegations shall appoint the number of delegates entitled to vote, and up to the same number of alternates, as set out in Article 31 above and in Appendix III to these Rules of Procedure.
7.          The Chairman of the Committee may take part in discussions and may vote, but without having a casting vote.
8.          Any member of a Committee who is prevented from attending a sitting of that Committee may arrange to be replaced by an alternate or another delegate from the same delegation.
9.          A record shall be kept of votes cast.
XV.     SUMMARIES OF COMMITTEE MEETINGS
Article 44
1.          A summary shall be drawn up for each Committee meeting under the responsibility of the Chairman.
2.          The summary of the Committee meetings will include the names of officers elected and the decisions taken concerning Committee texts.
XVI.    DELEGATION SECRETARIES
Article 45
1.          Member delegations, associate delegations and Mediterranean associate delegations shall appoint delegation secretaries who shall be entitled to attend meetings of the Assembly and its Committees and shall have access to the Assembly chamber and to the Committee rooms.
2.          Delegation secretaries are asked to help the Secretary General in maintaining close and effective administrative links between the Assembly and the parliaments.
XVII.   CONSULTATIVE STATUS
Article 46
The Assembly may, on the proposal of the Standing Committee, make suitable arrangements for consultation with international governmental and non-governmental organizations which deal with matters which are within its competence. It may invite such organizations to submit written reports to it, debate such reports and hear representatives of these organizations.
XVIII.   USE OF LANGUAGES
Article 47
1.          The official languages of the Assembly shall be English and French. Speeches in either of the two official languages shall be interpreted.
2.          Any speaker wishing to use another language shall be personally responsible for ensuring its interpretation into one of the official languages.
XIX.    REPORTS AND PUBLICATIONS
Article 48
1.          The International Secretariat shall be responsible for the distribution of documents for each sitting.
2.          The International Secretariat shall ensure the publication of reports, declarations, recommendations, resolutions, opinions and orders of the Assembly. A record of the plenary sessions of the Assembly shall also be made, and this record shall be available to all members. Corrections of form and style may be made to the record, at the discretion of the President, within a period of three months following the end of the relevant sitting of the Assembly.
3.         The International Secretariat shall send draft reports and texts in their original language to delegations at least four weeks before the meetings. The translated versions shall be sent at least three weeks before the meetings.
XX.     PRESS COMMUNIQUES
Article 49
1.          Official press communiqués may only be issued:
             -            regarding the work of the Assembly as a whole, on the express instructions of the President;
             -            regarding the work of the Committee, on the express instructions of the appropriate Committee Chairman and with the agreement of the Committee.
2.          Delegates shall otherwise be free to make use of the good offices of the International Secretariat to issue press releases on their own responsibility, without committing the Assembly in any way. Such a release should be preceded by an indication that the statements in the communiqué are those of the delegate or associate delegate concerned and do not necessarily reflect the views of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly.
3.          Draft reports, declarations, recommendations, resolutions, opinions and orders may not be communicated to the press before sessions except with the approval of the Rapporteur.
XXI.    DEROGATIONS AND REVISION
Article 50
The President may, at any time during the annual session, propose a derogation from these Rules of Procedure. Such a derogation must be approved unanimously by the delegates present.
Article 51
The Rules of Procedure may be amended in two ways:
a)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Six or more delegates from at least two countries, wishing to amend the Rules of Procedure, may submit proposals in writing. These proposals shall be referred without debate to the Standing Committee, which may in turn refer them to a special working party or to a Rapporteur. The Standing Committee shall report back to the Assembly.
b)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Alternatively, the Standing Committee may, at any time, appoint a Rapporteur to review the Rules of Procedure. After examining the Rapporteur's conclusions the Standing Committee shall report back to the Assembly.
APPENDIX I
MEMBERSHIP OF THE ASSEMBLY
|
Membership of the Assembly is as follows: |
|
United States |
…………………………………………… |
36 members |
|
|
|
|
|
France |
…………………………………………… |
18 members |
|
Germany |
…………………………………………… |
18 members |
|
Italy |
…………………………………………… |
18 members |
|
United Kingdom |
…………………………………………… |
18 members |
|
|
|
|
|
Canada |
…………………………………………… |
12 members |
|
Poland |
…………………………………………… |
12 members |
|
Spain |
…………………………………………… |
12 members |
|
Turkey |
…………………………………………… |
12 members |
|
|
|
|
|
Romania |
…………………………………………… |
10 members |
|
|
|
|
|
Belgium |
…………………………………………… |
7 members |
|
Czech Republic |
…………………………………………… |
7 members |
|
Greece |
…………………………………………… |
7 members |
|
Hungary |
…………………………………………… |
7 members |
|
Netherlands |
…………………………………………… |
7 members |
|
Portugal |
…………………………………………… |
7 members |
|
|
|
|
|
Bulgaria |
…………………………………………… |
6 members |
|
|
|
|
|
Denmark |
…………………………………………… |
5 members |
|
Norway |
…………………………………………… |
5 members |
|
Slovakia |
…………………………………………… |
5 members |
|
|
|
|
|
Lithuania |
…………………………………………… |
4 members |
|
|
|
|
|
Estonia |
…………………………………………… |
3 members |
|
Iceland |
…………………………………………… |
3 members |
|
Latvia |
…………………………………………… |
3 members |
|
Luxembourg |
…………………………………………… |
3 members |
|
Slovenia |
…………………………………………… |
3 members |
APPENDIX II
VOTING RIGHTS IN THE STANDING COMMITTEE
Whenever the Standing Committee takes a decision involving additional expenditure, the number of votes of each of its members shall be as follows:
|
United States |
………………………………………… |
6 |
|
|
|
|
|
France |
………………………………………… |
5 |
|
Germany |
………………………………………… |
5 |
|
United Kingdom |
………………………………………… |
5 |
|
|
|
|
|
Canada |
………………………………………… |
4 |
|
Italy |
………………………………………… |
4 |
|
|
|
|
|
Belgium |
………………………………………… |
3 |
|
Netherlands |
………………………………………… |
3 |
|
Poland |
………………………………………… |
3 |
|
Spain |
………………………………………… |
3 |
|
|
|
|
|
Bulgaria |
………………………………………… |
2 |
|
Czech Republic |
………………………………………… |
2 |
|
Denmark |
………………………………………… |
2 |
|
Estonia |
………………………………………… |
2 |
|
Greece |
………………………………………… |
2 |
|
Hungary |
………………………………………… |
2 |
|
Iceland |
………………………………………… |
2 |
|
Latvia |
………………………………………… |
2 |
|
Lithuania |
………………………………………… |
2 |
|
Luxembourg |
………………………………………… |
2 |
|
Norway |
………………………………………… |
2 |
|
Portugal |
………………………………………… |
2 |
|
Romania |
………………………………………… |
2 |
|
Slovakia |
………………………………………… |
2 |
|
Slovenia |
………………………………………… |
2 |
|
Turkey |
………………………………………… |
2 |
|
|
|
|
APPENDIX III
MEMBERSHIP OF THE COMMITTEES
1.     Political Committee:
|
United States |
8 members |
|
Greece |
2 members |
|
France |
4 members |
|
Hungary |
2 members |
|
Germany |
4 members |
|
Netherlands |
2 members |
|
Italy |
4 members |
|
Portugal |
2 members |
|
United Kingdom |
4 members |
|
Denmark |
 1 member |
|
Canada |
3 members |
|
Norway |
 1 member |
|
Poland |
3 members |
|
Slovakia |
 1 member |
|
Romania |
3 members |
|
Estonia |
(1 member) |
|
Spain |
3 members |
|
Iceland |
(1 member) |
|
Turkey |
3 members |
|
Latvia |
(1 member) |
|
Belgium |
2 members |
|
Lithuania |
(1 member) |
|
Bulgaria |
2 members |
|
Luxembourg |
(1 member) |
|
Czech Republic |
2 members |
|
Slovenia |
(1 member) |
|
Total : 56 (62) members |
2.     Defence and Security Committee:
|
United States |
7 members |
|
Hungary |
2 members |
|
France |
4 members |
|
Netherlands |
2 members |
|
Germany |
4 members |
|
Portugal |
2 members |
|
Italy |
4 members |
|
Bulgaria |
 1 member |
|
United Kingdom |
4 members |
|
Denmark |
 1 member |
|
Canada |
3 members |
|
Norway |
 1 member |
|
Poland |
3 members |
|
Slovakia |
 1 member |
|
Romania |
3 members |
|
Estonia |
(1 member) |
|
Spain |
3 members |
|
Iceland |
(1 member) |
|
Turkey |
3 members |
|
Latvia |
(1 member) |
|
Belgium |
2 members |
|
Lithuania |
(1 member) |
|
Czech Republic |
2 members |
|
Luxembourg |
(1 member) |
|
Greece |
2 members |
|
Slovenia |
(1 member) |
|
Total : 54 (60) members |
APPENDIX III (continued)
MEMBERSHIP OF THE COMMITTEES
3.     Economics and Security Committee:
|
United States |
7 members |
|
Denmark |
 1 member |
|
France |
4 members |
|
Greece |
 1 member |
|
Germany |
4 members |
|
Hungary |
 1 member |
|
Italy |
4 members |
|
Netherlands |
 1 member |
|
United Kingdom |
4 members |
|
Norway |
 1 member |
|
Canada |
2 members |
|
Portugal |
 1 member |
|
Poland |
2 members |
|
Slovakia |
 1 member |
|
Romania |
2 members |
|
Estonia |
(1 member) |
|
Spain |
2 members |
|
Iceland |
(1 member) |
|
Turkey |
2 members |
|
Latvia |
(1 member) |
|
Belgium |
 1 member |
|
Lithuania |
(1 member) |
|
Bulgaria |
 1 member |
|
Luxembourg |
(1 member) |
|
Czech Republic |
 1 member |
|
Slovenia |
(1 member) |
|
Total : 43 (49) members |
4.     Committee on the Civil Dimension of Security:
|
United States |
7 members |
|
Greece |
 1 member |
|
France |
3 members |
|
Hungary |
 1 member |
|
Germany |
3 members |
|
Netherlands |
 1 member |
|
Italy |
3 members |
|
Norway |
 1 member |
|
United Kingdom |
3 members |
|
Portugal |
 1 member |
|
Canada |
2 members |
|
Romania |
 1 member |
|
Poland |
2 members |
|
Slovakia |
 1 member |
|
Spain |
2 members |
|
Estonia |
(1 member) |
|
Turkey |
2 members |
|
Iceland |
(1 member) |
|
Belgium |
 1 member |
|
Latvia |
(1 member) |
|
Bulgaria |
  1 member |
|
Lithuania |
(1 member) |
|
Czech Republic |
 1 member |
|
Luxembourg |
(1 member) |
|
Denmark |
 1 member |
|
Slovenia |
(1 member) |
|
Total : 38 (44) members |
APPENDIX III (continued)
MEMBERSHIP OF THE COMMITTEES
5.     Science and Technology Committee:
|
United States |
7 members |
|
Greece |
 1 member |
|
France |
3 members |
|
Hungary |
 1 member |
|
Germany |
3 members |
|
Netherlands |
 1 member |
|
Italy |
3 members |
|
Norway |
 1 member |
|
United Kingdom |
3 members |
|
Portugal |
 1 member |
|
Canada |
2 members |
|
Romania |
 1 member |
|
Poland |
2 members |
|
Slovakia |
 1 member |
|
Spain |
2 members |
|
Estonia |
(1 member) |
|
Turkey |
2 members |
|
Iceland |
(1 member) |
|
Belgium |
 1 member |
|
Latvia |
(1 member) |
|
Bulgaria |
 1 member |
|
Lithuania |
(1 member) |
|
Czech Republic |
 1 member |
|
Luxembourg |
(1 member) |
|
Denmark |
 1 member |
|
Slovenia |
(1 member) |
|
Total:Â 38 (44) members |
APPENDIX IV
ORDER OF PRECEDENCE
 1.    The President
 2.    The Vice-Presidents, in the order of their length of service
 3.    The Treasurer
 4.    The Secretary General
 5.    Members of the Standing Committee
 6.    Leaders of member delegations (if different from 5)
 7.    The Chairmen of the five main Committees, in the order of their length of service
 8.    The General Rapporteurs of the five main Committees, in the order of their length of service
 9.    The Vice-Chairmen of the five main Committees, in the order of their length of service
10.    Members of the Assembly
11.    The Deputy Secretary General
12.    The Committee directors.
During meetings and travels of Sub-Committees and Working Groups as well as the annual Study Visit of the Assembly the elected/designated Chairman/leader takes precedence over all others regardless of rank immediately followed by the officials in the first four categories in the above Order of Precedence. If applicable, the Chairman of the parent Committee and the General Rapporteur of the parent Committee shall follow. Next in rank during such functions will be the Rapporteur and Vice-Chairman of the Sub-Committees. No others have rank during such functions.
____________________