The Congress,

Having been referred the proposal from the Chamber of Regions,

1. Having regard to the new Statutory Resolution (2000) 1 adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 15 March and the new Charter of the Congress appended thereto;

2. Taking account of the proposals contained in Recommendation 56 (1999) of the Congress on the statutory reinforcement and the revision of the Congress Charter, particularly the provisions thereof which are not included in the texts approved by the Committee of Ministers but which supplement them;

3. Taking account of a number of improvements to the text of the Rules of Procedure based on the experience of six years' activity of the Congress;

Adopts the amendments to the Rules of Procedure of the Chamber of Regions which are appended to this resolution.

CLRAE

Rules of Procedure of the Chamber of Regions (Amendments to be made in pursuance of the Charter adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 15 March 2000 and following the decisions of the Bureau of the CLRAE of 10 April 2000)

Preliminary remarks:

For greater clarity, I would suggest that the word “chamber” should take a capital letter only when referring to the two Chambers of the Congress and that a lower case “c” be used for the chambers of the Standing Committee.

2. Likewise, it is suggested that "committee" be spelt with a capital "C" when referring to the statutory Committees or the Standing Committee and with a small "c" when referring to the committees of the Chambers.

3. The meanings of certain words need clarification: the terms "representative" and "substitute" refer to the status of the members of the Congress as notified by the national delegations, while the terms "full member" and "alternate" refer to the status of the members of the Congress on committees. Accordingly, when it is proposed that two alternates be appointed for each full member of a committee, it follows that representatives may be full members of one committee and alternates on another.

4. Sentences borrowed wholesale from the Charter or the Statutory Resolution, and which therefore cannot be amended, are printed in bold italics.

5. All references to rules in the Rules of Procedure of the Congress and the present Rules of Procedure are to be verified.

Rule 1

Rule 1.1

− Reference to Statutory Resolution (2000) 1.

Rule 2

Rule 2.2

− Add the following provisions to this paragraph:

"Representatives must be from authorities placed between central government and local authorities and enjoying prerogatives either of self-organisation or of a type normally associated with the central authority and having a genuine competence to manage, on their own responsibility and in the interests of their populations, a substantial share of public affairs, in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity. If a country has authorities which cover a large area and exercise both local and regional responsibilities, Representatives of such authorities shall also be entitled to sit in the Chamber of Regions. A list of these authorities shall be provided in the context of the national appointment procedure. Member States which do not have regional authorities within the meaning of this paragraph shall be able to send Representatives to the Chamber of Regions and its organs in an advisory capacity. (1 and 2)"

− Footnotes:

"1. This provision does not affect the participation of these Representatives as full members of the plenary Congress and its organs."

"2. See Article 2.4 of the Charter."

Rule 2.3

− After the words "Bureau of the Congress", end the sentence as follows: "as soon as possible."

(Harmonisation with the amendment to Rule 2 bis.1 of the Rules of Procedure of the Congress)

Rule 3

Rule 3

− Change the initial letter of the word "Chamber" (of the Standing Committee) to lower case.

− After the words "Standing Committee ", insert the following: ", the committees".

− Use the lower case for the word "groupes" in the French text.

Rule 5

Rule 5.1

− first line, after the word "Regions", insert the words "having the status of representative".

last line, replace the words "one hour" with "three hours".

Rule 5.3

− Second sentence: replace the word "simple" with "relative".

(Harmonisation with the other two sets of Rules of Procedure).

Rule 6

Rule 6

− Heading: add a (1) with the following footnote:

− "1. See appendix to these Rules of Procedure for procedural details of such elections".

Rule 6.1

− first line, replace the word "six" with "seven".

Rule 6.3

second line, replace the words "one hour" with "three hours".

Rule 6.4

− second line, replace (twice), the word six" with "seven".

Rule 6.5

− second line, replace the word "six" with "seven".

Rule 7

Rule 7.2 and 7.3

- Delete the comma in the French text after the words "session ordinaire suivante".

Rule 7.3

− In the French text, put the word "fonction" in the plural.

Rule 8

− Word the heading as follows: "Functions and organisation of meetings".

− Second line of the French text, replace the word "tâches" with "fonctions".

− Add the following as a second indent:

"The Bureau of the Chamber of Regions may meet only during the meetings of the Bureau of the Congress (1)".

− Footnote 1: "See Article 4.2 of Statutory Resolution (2000) 1".

Rule 9

Rule 9.1

In the second line of the French text, put the word "désigné" in the feminine.

Rule 10

Word the heading as follows: "Functions and organisation of meetings".

Rule 10.2

− In the French text, replace the word "tâches" with "fonctions".

Rule 10.3 (new)

− Insert the following new paragraph: "3. The chamber of the Standing Committee may meet only during the meetings of the Standing Committee of the Congress (1)".

− Footnote 1: "See Article 4.2 of Statutory Resolution (2000) 1".

Insert a (new) heading III, "Committees of the Chamber of Regions"

Rule 11 (new) " Committees of the Chamber of Regions"

− "The Rules of Procedure of the Congress on statutory Committees shall apply mutatis mutandis to the committees of the Chamber of Regions, unless provided otherwise by the present Rules of Procedure;".

B-III (existing version) Ad Hoc working groups

In the French text, use lower case throughout for the word "groupe" (current Rules 11 to 14).

Rule 11 (existing version)

Rule 11.1

− After the word "may", insert the word "exceptionally".

Rule 13 (existing version)

Rule 13.2

− First line of the French text: delete the comma after the words "session ordinaire suivante".

− Third line: after the word "may", insert the word "exceptionally".

Rule 14 (existing version)

Rule 14.3

− First line of the French text, put the word "fonction" in the plural.

− Last line of the French text: delete the comma after the words "session ordinaire suivante".

Rule 14.4

− In the French text, replace the word "tâches" with "fonctions".

Rule 19 (existing version)

− Refer to Article 9 (rather than Article 8) of the Charter.

Rule 20 (existing version)

Rule 20.2 and 20.4

− Change the initial letter of the word "Chamber" (of the Standing Committee) to lower case.

Rule 20.5

− In the French text, after the word "majorité", replace the word "de" with "des".

Rule 20.6

− After the words "shall be referred to", insert the following "the committee or to".

− Use the lower case for the word "groupe" in the French text.

Rule 21 (existing version)

Rule 21.1

− Replace the reference to Article 8 of the Charter with Article 9.

Rule 21.2

− Add footnote 1. after the word "sitting".

Footnote 1. "See Article 38.7 (new) of the Congress Rules of Procedure.

Rule 22 (existing version)

Rule 22.4

− Replace the reference to Article 8 of the Charter with Article 9.

Rule 26 (existing version)

Rule 26.2

− Add the following words at the end of this paragraph: "by the competent body".

Rule 28 (existing version)

− Replace the words "Rule 24.1, 24.2 and 24.4 to 9" with the words "Rule 24, except for paragraph 3 thereof".

(Editorial improvement).

Rule 31 (existing version)

Rule 31.1

− First line, insert a comma after the words "in camera".

Rule 34 (existing version)

Rule 34.2

− First line, after the words "referred to", insert the words "a committee of the Chamber or", and, in the French text, insert the words "de travail" after the word "groupe".

− Second line of the French text, replace the words "ce groupe" with the words "cette structure" and replace "celui-ci" with "celle-ci".

Rule 35 (existing version)

− Word this rule as follows: "The provisions of Rule 38 (new) of the Rules of Procedure of the Congress on reports by the statutory Committees shall apply mutatis mutandis to reports by the Chamber's ad hoc working groups".

Rule 36 (existing version)

Rule 36.1 and 36.2

− Second line, after the word "by", insert the words "committees or", and, in the French text, use the lower case for the word "groupe".

Rule 36.2 and 36.3

- Change the initial letter of the word "Chamber" (of the Standing Committee) to lower case.

Rule 36.3

− First line, after the word "where", insert the words "a committee of the Chamber or".

Rule 36.4

− Delete this paragraph.

Explanation: see Article 11.2.a of the Charter.

Rule 38 (existing version)

Rule 38.2

− Last line, after the words "apply to", insert the words "committees and".

Explanation: Harmonisation with the provisions of Article 37.3 (new) of the Rules of Procedure of the Congress on committee quorums".

Rule 40 (existing version)

− Last line: refer to Article 11, rather than Article 10, of the Charter.

Appendix to the Rules of Procedure

of the Chamber of Regions

Practical arrangements for the election

of Vice-Presidents of the Chamber

1. Such elections shall be held in the following places:

− if the Chamber is meeting in the Hemicycle: in the area behind the President's rostrum;

− if the Chamber is meeting in a meeting room in the Palais de l'Europe: at the entrance to the room.

2. A specific time-limit shall be set for these elections, but:

− the meeting shall not be interrupted following the announcement of the start of the voting, after a possible brief presentation of the candidates and the appointment of two tellers by drawing of lots;

− the members of the Chamber shall not be called to vote individually, but rather shall place their ballot papers in the ballot box at any time within the specified time-limit.

3. The register of voters and the ballot box shall be placed on a table in one of the above-designated places; there shall be a second table on which members can fill out their ballot papers.

4. The members of the Chamber shall sign the register of voters in the presence of a member of the Secretariat.

5. In cases of doubt or dispute about a member's entitlement to vote, the matter shall, if necessary, be submitted to the President, who shall take the final decision; no points of order shall be permitted.

6. After verification that a member is entitled to vote, he or she shall be issued with a ballot paper.

7. Voters shall place their ballot papers in the ballot box.

8. On expiry of the specified time-limit, the President shall ask whether any more members wish to vote and, when all the votes have been cast, shall declare the voting closed.

9. Ballot papers shall be counted outside the meeting room directly after the vote, under the supervision of the two tellers assisted by the Secretariat.

10. The result shall be announced by the President, if possible before the close of the sitting or else at the opening of the following sitting.

11. The notices of proceedings shall contain detailed information on the running of the election.