8-(4)

II SÉRIE-A - NÚMERO 2

contributions [respectively MOP contributions for 0 below]:

t) To adopt the anntial budget for the MOP; together with the level of staff complements and the expenditure and income forecast for the fol-

. lowing three years attached thereto;

it). To adopt the financial rules as well

as all other financial provisions; Hi) To decide on the way EUMETSAT will be dissolved pursuant to the provisions of article 20.3 and 4.

iv) To decide on the exclusion of a Member State pursuant to the provisions of article 14, and on the conditions of such exclusion;

v) To decide on any transfer of the EUMETSAT Headquarters;

vt) To adopt the Staff Rules; . vii) To decide on the distribution policy for satellite data for mandatory programmes;

.. i'-

c) By a vbte representing at least two-thirds of the total amount of contributions and one half of the Members States present and voting:

0 To.adopt the annual General Budget and the annual budgets for mandatory programmes (except for MOP), together with their level of staff complements and the expenditure and income forecast for the following three years attached thereto; it) To approve cost overruns of up to " 10 % thereby increasing the original financial envelope or ceiling (except for MOP); «0 To approve annually the accounts of ' • the previous year, together with the balance sheet of the assets and liabilities of EUMETSAT, after - taking note of the auditor's report,

and give discharge to the Director-General in respect of the implementation of the budget; iv) To decide' on all other measures ; relating to mandatory programmes that have a financial impact on the Organization;

d) By a two-thirds .majority of the Member . States present and voting:

0 To appoint the Director-General for • a specific period, and terminate or suspend his appointment; in the case os suspension the Council shall

• appoint an Acting Director-General;

it) To define the operational specifications of mandatory satellite programmes as well as the products and services;

tif) To decide that an envisaged optional programme falls. within the objectives of EUMETSAT and that

the programme is in accordance with the general framework of the convention and the rules agreed by Council for its application; -

iv) To approve the conclusion of any agreement with Member States, international governmental and nongovernmental Organisations, or national Organisations or Member States;

v) To adopt recommendations to the Member States concerning amendments to this Convention;

vi) To adopt its own rules of procedure;

vii) To appoint the auditors and to decide the length ot their appointments; .

e) By a majority of the Member States present and ^voting:

0 To approve appointments and dismissals of senior staff; -

ii) To decide on the setting-up of subsidiary bodies and working groups and define their terms of reference;

hi) To decide on any other measures not explicitly provided for in this Convention.

3 — For optional programmes the following specific rules apply:

a) The Programme Declaration shall be adopted by a two-thirds majority of Member States interested, present and voting; ■ b) All measures for the implementation of an optional Programme shall be decided upon by a vote representing at least two-thirds of the contributions and one-third of the Parti-1 cipatihg States present and voting.

The coefficient of a Participating State is limited to 30 %, even if the. percentage of its , financial contribution is higher; . c) Any amendment of the Programme ( Declaration or any decision on accession

requires unanimity of all Participating States.

4 — Each Member State shall have one vote in the ' Council.However, a Member State shall have no vote

in "the Council if the amount of its arrears of contributions exceeds the assessed amount of its contributions' for the current financial year. In such cases the Member State concerned may nevertheless be authorised to vote if a -two-thirds majority of all the Member States entitled to vote considers that the non-payment is due to circumstances beyond its .control. For the purpose of determining unanimity of the majorities provided for in the Convention, no account shall be taken of a Member State that is not entitled to vote. The above rules shall apply mutatis mutandis to optional programmes. ■ The expression «Member State present and voting» shall mean the Member States voting for or against. Member States that abstain shatt be considered as not ■voting.

5 — The presence of representativesof a majority of all the Members States entitled to vote shall be