Rules of procedure of the United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical
Names
I. Definitions
Meaning of terms
Rule 1
For the purposes of these rules, the following terms
shall have the meanings indicated:
(a) "Group" or "Group of Experts"
means the United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names, established
in pursuance of Economic and Social Council resolutions 715 A (XXVII)
of 23 April 1959 and 1314 (XLIV) of 31 May 1968, and the decision taken
by the Council at its 1,854th meeting, on 4 May 1973;
(b) "Member" means an expert participating
in a session of the Group, whether or not he or she represents a division;
(c) "Division" means one of the major linguistic/geographical
divisions of the world, as defined in section IV of the statute of the
Group;
(d) "Secretary-General" means the Secretary-General
of the United Nations.
II. Membership and composition
Rule 2
1. The Group of Experts shall consist of experts in the
field of cartography/linguistics, designated by Governments of States
Members of the respective divisions.
2. The expert who represents a division shall be a full
member of the Group, with voting rights. In addition, States Members of
the divisions may appoint national experts who may participate, without
the right to vote, in the discussions at meetings of the Group. Attendance
at Group meetings by the latter experts shall be coordinated with the
expert representing the division in question, who shall have the right
to vote on behalf of the division.
3. All experts participating in sessions of the Group
shall serve in their personal capacity as individuals of recognized competence
and experience in their respective fields.
III. Sessions
Rule 3
The Group shall normally hold one session every two years,
at such time as it determines; in years when a United Nations Conference
on the Standardization of Geographical Names is held, the Group shall
meet, as required, on dates immediately preceding the opening date of
the Conference and immediately following the closing sate of the Conference.
IV. Agenda
Rule 4
The provisional agenda drawn up by the Group at its previous
session and communicated to the Governments invited by the Secretary-General
to send experts to participate in the session shall constitute the provisional
agenda for the session. Experts participating in the session may propose
additional items for inclusion in the provisional agenda.
V. Officers
Election and term of office
Rule 5
The Group shall elect the following officers from among
the experts representing divisions: a Chairman, a Vice-Chairman and a
Rapporteur.
Rule 6
The officers shall be elected immediately following the closing date of
the respective United Nations Conference on the Standardization of Geographical
Names. The officers shall serve until their successors are elected immediately
after the next Conference.
Replacement
Rule 7
1. If the Chairman is to be absent from a meeting or
part thereof or if he or she ceases to be able to perform his or her functions,
the Vice-Chairman or, in is or her absence, the Rapporteur shall act as
a Chairman.
2. The Vice-Chairman or Rapporteur, when acting as Chairman,
shall have the same powers and duties as the Chairman.
3. If either the Vice-Chairman or the Rapporteur is unable
to perform the functions of office, the Chairman shall appoint an expert
to complete the unexpired portion of either term of office..
VI. Secretariat
Duties of the Secretariat
Rule 8
The Secretary of the Group, appointed by the Secretary-General,
shall act in that capacity in all meetings of the Group. He or she may
designate a member of the Secretariat to take his place at any meetings.
Rule 9
The Secretary shall as far as possible provide and direct
such staff as is required by the Group. He or she shall be responsible
for making all necessary arrangements for meetings and generally shall
perform all other work which the Group may require.
Statements by the Secretariat
Rule 10
The Secretary or his or her representative may at
any meeting make either oral or written statements concerning any questions
under consideration.
VII. Conduct of business
Quorum
Rule 11
A majority of the representatives of divisions participating
in the session shall constitute a quorum.
General powers of the Chairman
Rule 12
In addition to exercising the powers conferred upon him
or her elsewhere by these rules, the Chairman shall declare the opening
and closing of each meeting of the Group, direct the discussion at such
meetings, ensure the observance of these rules, accord the right to speak,
put questions to the vote and announce decisions. He shall rule on the
points of order and, subject to these rules, shall have complete control
over the proceedings of the Group and over the maintenance of order of
its meetings.
Rule 13
The Chairman may, in the course of the discussions, propose
to the Group the closing of the list of speaker or the adjournment of
closure of the debate. He or she may call a speaker to order if his or
her remarks are not relevant to the matter under discussion. The Chairman
may also propose the suspension or the adjournment of the meeting.
Rule 14
The Chairman, in the exercise of his or her functions,
remains under the authority of the Group.
Points of order
Rule 15
During the discussion of any matter, a member may at any time raise a
point of order, which shall be immediately decided by the Chairman in
accordance with these rules. A member may appeal against the ruling of
the Chairman. The appeal shall be immediately put to the vote, and the
Chairman's ruling shall stand, unless overruled by a majority of the representatives
of divisions present and voting. A member may not, in raising a point
of order, speak on the substance of the matter under discussion.
Time limit on speeches
Rule 16
The Group may limit the time allowed to each speaker and the number of
times a member may speak on any questions. When the debate is limited
and a member exceeds his or her allotted time, the Chairman shall call
him or her to order without delay.
Closing of list of speakers
Rule 17
During the course of a debate, the Chairman may announce
the list of speakers and, with t the consent of the Group, declare the list
closed. The Chairman may, however, accord the right of reply to any member
if, in his or her opinion, a speech delivered after he or she had declared
the list closed makes this desirable. When there are no more speakers, the
Chairman shall, with the consent of the Group, declare the debate closed.
Such closure shall have the same effect as closure pursuant to rule 19.
Adjournment of debate
Rule 18
During the discussion of any matter, a member may move
the adjournment of the debate on the item under discussion. Any such motion
shall have priority. In addition to the proposer of the motion, one member
shall be allowed to speak in favour of, and one member against, the motion,
after which the motion shall be immediately put to the vote.
Closure of debate
Rule 19
A member may at any time move the closure of the debate
on the item under discussion, whether or not any other member has signified
his or her wish to speak. Permission to speak on the motion shall be accorded
to only two speakers opposing the closure, after which the motion shall
be immediately put to the vote.
Withdrawal of proposals or motions
Rule 20
A proposal or a motion may be withdrawn by its sponsor
at any time before voting on it has commenced, provided that it has not
been amended. A proposal or a motion thus withdrawn may be reintroduced
by any member.
Reconsideration of proposals
Rule 21
When a proposal has been adopted or rejected, it may
not be reconsidered at the same session unless the Group, by a two-thirds
majority of the representatives of divisions present and voting, so decides.
Permission to speak on a motion to reconsider shall be accorded to only
two speakers opposing the motion, after which it shall be immediately
put to the vote.
Invitations to specialists (technical advisers)
Rule 22
A person with specialized knowledge of particular aspects
of the standardization of geographical names may be invited to place before
the Group of Expert his or her specialized knowledge. Such a person will
be invited only when official approval of the invitation has been obtained
from his or her Government
VIII. Decision-making
Consensus
Rule 23
1. On all except procedural matters, the Group of Experts,
its Linguistic/Geographical Divisions and its working groups shall arrive
at decisions by consensus. In the event that a consensus is not achieved,
the matter shall be deferred for reworking and re-submission.
2. In the absence of a consensus on procedural matters,
the Chairman may, and at the request of any member shall, put the proposal
to the vote.
Voting rights and majority required
Rule 24
1. Each expert representing a Division shall have one
vote, and decisions of the Group shall, subject to rule 23, be taken by
a majority of the divisional representatives present and voting.
2. If a vote is equally divided, a second vote shall
be taken after an adjournment of the meeting for 15 minutes. If this vote
is also equally divided, the proposal or motion shall be regarded as rejected.
Meaning of the phrase "representatives of Divisions
present and voting"
Rule 25
For the purpose of these rules, the phrase "representative
of Divisions present and voting" means representatives of Divisions
casting an affirmative or negative vote. Representatives of Divisions
who abstain from voting shall be considered as not voting.
Roll-call votes
Rule 26
A roll-call vote, if requested, shall be taken in the
English alphabetical order of the names of the Divisions, beginning with
the Division whose names is drawn by lot by the Chairman.
Conduct during voting
Rule 27
After the Chairman has announced the commencement
of voting, no member shall interrupt the voting except on a point of order
in connection with the actual conduct of the voting. Explanations of their
votes by members may, however, be permitted by the Chairman either before
or after the voting. The Chairman may limit the time to be allowed for such
explanations.
Division of proposals
Rule 28
Parts of a proposal shall be voted on separately if
a member requests that the proposal be divided. Those parts of the proposals
that have been approved shall then be put to the vote as a whole; if all
the operative parts of the proposals have been rejected, the proposal shall
be considered rejected as a whole.
Order of voting on amendments
Rule 29
When an amendment is moved to a proposal, the amendment
shall be voted on first. When two or more amendments are moved to a proposal,
the Group shall first vote on the amendment furthest removed in substance
from the original proposal and then on the amendment next furthest removed
therefrom, and so on, until all the amendments have been put to the vote.
When however, the adoption of one amendment necessarily implies the rejection
of another amendment, the latter amendment shall not be put to the vote.
If one or more amendments are adopted, the amended proposal shall then
be voted upon. A proposal is considered an amendment to another proposal
if it merely adds to, deletes from or revises part of that proposal
Order of voting on proposals
Rule 30
1. If two or more proposals relate to the same question,
they shall unless the Group decides otherwsie, be voted on in the order
in which they are submitted. The Group may, after each vote on a proposal,
decide whether to vote on the next proposal.
2. Revised proposals shall be voted on in the order in
which the original proposals were submitted, unless the revision substantially
departs from the original proposal. In that case, the original proposal
shall be considered as withdrawn and the revised proposal shall be treated
as a new proposal.
3. A motion requiring that no decision be taken on a
proposal shall have priority over that proposal.
Elections
Rule 31
1. All elections shall be held by secret ballot unless
the Committee decides otherwise.
2. When candidates are to be nominated, each nomination
shall be made by only one member, after which the Group shall immediately
proceed to the election.
Balloting
Rule 32
1. When one or more elective places are to be filled
at one time under the same conditions each member may cast a vote for
as many candidates as there are places to be filled, and those candidates,
in a number not exceeding the number of such places, obtaining in the
first ballot a majority of the votes cast and the largest number of votes
shall be elected.
2. If the number of candidates so elected is less than
the number of places to be fulled, additional ballots shall be held to
fill the remaining places. From such ballots the candidates obtaining
the least number of votes in the previous ballot may be eliminated on
the proposal of the Chairman.
3. In that case of a tie among candidates obtaining a
majority of the votes cast, a second ballot shall be held among them.
If the votes remain equally divided, the elder or eldest candidate shall
be elected.
IX. LANGUAGES
Official and working languages
Rule 33
Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian shalll be the
official languages and English and French shall be the working languages
of the Session. Working papers shall be submitted in one of the working
languages.
Interpretation
Rule 34
1. Speeches made in an official languages shall be interpreted
into the other official languages of the Session.
2. Any member may make a speech in a language other than
an official language of the Session if he provides for interpretation
into one such language. Interpretation into the other official languages
of the Session by the interpreters of the Secretariat may be based on
the interpretation given in the first such language.
X. Documents
Rule 35
1. The Secretariat of the Group of Experts circulates
copies of working papers submitted by Linguistic/Geographical Divisions
and experts to the participants of the Session.
2. Submission of a working paper for consideration by
the Group of Experts does not mean the document has received the approval
of the Group of Experts or that the working paper has been endorsed by
them.
3. Consideration of a working paper by the Group of Experts
is without political significance.
4. Consideration and discussion of a working paper by
the Group of Experts must not be interpreted as support of, or opposition
to, any political view or issue.
5. Subsequent reference to the working papers in the
report of the Group of Experts on the Session likewise shall have no political
significance.
XI. RECORDS
Records of meetings and of the session
Rule 36
Sound recordings of the plenary metings of the session
shall be made and kept by the Secretariat. The Group shall prepare a final
report in English as the record of the Session. This report shall be distributed
by the Secretariat as soon as possible after the closing of the Session.
XII. PRIVACY AND MEETINGS
Rule 37
The meetings of the Group of Experts and meetings of
its working groups shall be held in private.
XIII. SESSIONAL BODIES AND WORKING GROUPS
Sessional bodies
Rule 38
During Sessions of the Group, ad hoc study groups may
be appointed to deal with particular issues. Upon completion of their
appointed tasks, such groups shall be automatically disbanded before the
end of the Session, unless especially directed to remain in existence.
Intersessional working groups
Rule 39
The Group of Experts may establish working groups of
specialists under the chairmanship of one of the national experts referred
to in rule 2 to study particular problems between sessions of the Grouo.
Rules of procedure
Rule 40
So far as they are applicable, the Rules of Procedure
of the Group of Experts shall apply to the proceedings of the sessional
bodies and working groups. These bodies may, however, dispense with certain
language interpretations.
XIV. PARTICIPATION BY NON-MEMBERS OF THE GROUP
Rule 41
1. Representatives designated by the specialized agencies
and observers designated by other intergovernmental organizations and
by non-governmental organizations invited to the Session may participate,
without the right to vote, in the deliberations of the Group and its working
groups on the invitation of the Chairman or the convenor of a working
group on questions within the scope of their activities.
2. Written statements submitted by these representatives
or observers shall be distributed by the Secretariat to all participants
in the Session.
XV. AMENDMENTS
Rule 42
These rules of procdure may be amended by a decision
of the Group, taken by a two-thirds majority of the divisional representatives
present and voting. No amendment shall become effective until it has been
approved by the Economic and Social Council.
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