11 DE FEVEREIRO DE 1989

571

Functions

3 — The functions of the general assembly shall be:

i) To elect the president of IUCN; /i) To elect the regional councillors; «0 To elect the chairmen of commissions;

iv) To elect such honorary officers of IUCN as it deems appropriate;

v) To determine the general policy of IUCN;

vi) To consider and approve a draft triennial programme;

vii) To make recommendations to governments and national and international organizations on any matter related to the objects of IUCN;

v/ii) To determine the dues of members;

ix) To approve the estimates of income and expenditure for the next triennium and the auditor's report on the accounts of IUCN;

x) To appoint one or more auditors;

xi) To perform such other functions as may be conferred on it by these Statutes.

Procedure

4 — The general assembly shall meet every third year in ordinary session.

5 — An extraordinary session of the general assembly shall be convened:

a) If requested by at least one-fifth of the members of either category A or category B; or

b) If the council considers it necessary.

6 — The council shall, after considering suggestions of members, determine the time and location of each ordinary and extraordinary session of the general assembly. Locations shall be rotated among the several geographical regions. The decision of the council as to time and location shall be communicated to the members of IUCN by the director general, with a tentative agenda, at least nine months in advance of each session.

7 — The president, the regional councillors and the chairmen of commissions shall be elected by the general assembly, the method of election being as prescribed in the regulations.

8 — The president, or at the president's request the chairman of the bureau or one of the vice-presidents of IUCN, shall take the chair at sessions of the general assembly.

9 — The general assembly shall adopt its own rules of procedure.

Voting

10 — The chairman of the general assembly may rule that a decision has been made by an informal vote. If the chairman thinks it necessary the chairman may decide to proceed to a formal vote and shall if so requested by a voting member. The procedure for a formal vote shall be as provided in the rules of procedure of the general assembly.

Review of decisions

11 — If a decision is taken under the following circumstances:

a) When less than haff of the total votes of members in either category A or B are represented at the general assembly; or

b) When it involves a question not on the agenda distributed to all members before the meeting;

then the decision shall be subject to suspension. This suspension may occur if a group of members representing at least one-fifth of the total votes in either category so requests within three months of mailing the minutes reporting the decisions. The matter shall then be subject to mail ballot in accordance with article v.

Article V Mail ballot

1 — All matters within the competence of the general assembly may be decided by mail ballot.

2 — Except as otherwise provided in these Statutes, such a mail ballot will take place only upon matters of urgency on the request of the council, or three category A members, or twenty category B members.

3 — The ballot form shall be distributed by registered mail to all voting members. There shall be four voting options provided on this form: yes, no, abstain, or refer to the next general assembly.

4 — Except as otherwise provided in theses Statutes, decisions shall be taken by simple majority of votes cast in each category of voting member. In the event that none of the options receives the required majority, the matter shall be referred to the next general assembly.

Article VI The council

Composition

1 — The members of the council shall be:

a) The president of IUCN;

b) Three councillors from each region;

c) Five co-opted councillors;

d) The chairmen of the commissions.

2 — Regions referred to in paragrafh 1, b), of this article shall be:

a) Africa;

b) Central and South America;

c) North America and the Caribbean;

d) East Asia;

e) West Asia;

f) Australia and Oceania;

g) East Europe;

h) West Europe.

Nominations for candidates from a region shail be made by category A and category B members from that region in the manner prescribed in the regulations. States included in each region shall be prescribed in the regulations. Not more than two regional councillors shall be from any one State.