agr1259e.htm

AG/RES. 1259 (XXIV-O/94)

REGULATIONS OF CITEL

(Resolution adopted at the eighth plenary session, held on June 9, 1994)

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,

HAVING SEEN the observations of the Permanent Council on the annual report of the Inter-American Telecommunication Commission (CITEL);

HAVING CONSIDERED the annual report of the Inter-American Telecommunication Commission (CITEL) (CP/CRO-392/94); and

CONSIDERING:

That the General Assembly, through resolution AG/RES. 1224 (XXIII-O/93), established the Inter-American Telecommunication Commission and approved its Statute;

That in accordance with Article 33 of its Statute, the Inter-American Telecommunication Commission (CITEL) is governed by its Statute, its Regulations, and the resolutions of the General Assembly;

That the first Assembly of the Inter-American Telecommunication Commission, held from February 21 to 25, 1994, in Uruguay, in accordance with Article 5.f of its Statute, approved its Regulations; and

That in pursuance of Article 35 of the Statute, CITEL is required to submit its Regulations, together with its first Annual Report, to the General Assembly of the Organization of American States,

RESOLVES:

To take note of the annual report and the Regulations of the Inter-American Telecommunication Commission (CITEL) attached hereto.

CHAPTER I

NATURE, ORGANIZATION AND MEMBERSHIP

Nature

Article 1

CITEL is governed by its Statute and these Regulations. The Regulations complement the Statute which was approved by Resolution AG/RES. 1224 (XXIII-O/93), and serve to provide more specific rules for the operation, administration, and procedures of CITEL for the achievement of its purposes and objectives.

In case of conflict between the Statute and these Regulations, the Statute shall take precedence.

The technical autonomy of CITEL established pursuant to the Statute, includes:

a. The capacity and competence to freely program its activities within the scope of Article 1 of the Statute;

b. A direct technical relationship with the General Assembly of the Organization of American States (hereafter "the Organization") notwithstanding its obligation to submit its Annual Report of activities to the Permanent Council of the Organization, so that the Council has the opportunity to present its observations and recommendations to the General Assembly pursuant to Article 90(f) of the Charter of the Organization;

c. Direct contact with the Secretary General of the Organization for all administrative and budgetary matters;

d. Competence to establish relations with other international organizations that participate in the development of telecommunications throughout the American States; and

e. Participation in the planning of technical assistance to CITEL members.

Organization

Article 2

CITEL fulfills its objectives through the following organs: the CITEL Assembly, the Permanent Executive Committee (COM/CITEL), the Permanent Consultative Committees, and the Secretariat. The organs shall include such committees, subcommittees, working groups and ad hoc groups as may be established in accordance with these Regulations.

Applications for Membership

Article 3

Any American State which is not a member of the Organization, must submit its membership request to the Secretary General, who shall transmit it to COM/CITEL for study and recommendation before it is considered by the CITEL Assembly and the General Assembly of the Organization.

Liaison

Article 4

Each Member State shall notify the Executive Secretary of CITEL, in writing, within thirty days of the termination of the Regular Meeting of the CITEL Assembly, the name of the institution and the person within the institution that will serve as the official liaison between CITEL and that Member State with respect to telecommunications. The person appointed shall serve as the official to whom and from whom, official correspondence shall be addressed and exchanged, including all notices, contributions to meetings, reports of meetings, and accreditation letters.

CHAPTER II

CITEL ASSEMBLY

A. MEETINGS

Regular Meetings

Article 5

CITEL shall endeavor to schedule the Regular Meeting of the CITEL Assembly, held every four years, during the first quarter of the year. The Regular Meetings shall be numbered consecutively.

Principle of Rotation

Article 6

In the application of the principle of rotation in selecting the country where a Regular Meeting of the CITEL Assembly is to take place, it is understood that the Regular Meeting shall not be held in the territory of a Member State if another Member State in which fewer meetings have been held should offer its territory for this purpose. Recognized regional affinities shall also be considered when applying the principle of rotation, e.g. North America, Central America, Andean, Caribbean Region, or other distinguishable regional affinities.

Special Meetings

Article 7

In special circumstances, at the initiative of the General Assembly of the Organization, on the recommendation of any Council of the Organization, or at the initiative of COM/CITEL, the CITEL Assembly may hold a Special Meeting to consider specific matters, if those matters are of such importance as to preclude waiting for the next Regular Meeting of the Assembly. COM/CITEL will convene and set the date and place for such Special Meeting, subject to available funding.

Alternative Site for the Meetings

Article 8

If for any reason a Regular or Special Meeting of the CITEL Assembly cannot be held in a selected country, it shall be held at the General Secretariat of the Organization, unless one of the Member States, with sufficient advance notice offers to host the Assembly, in which case COM/CITEL may agree to hold the meeting in that country.

Notice of Convocation of Meetings

Article 9

The Secretary General of the Organization, or by delegation, the CITEL Executive Secretary, shall transmit the notice of convocation of the CITEL Assembly Meeting and the invitations to the participants as soon as the country offering to host the Assembly confirms to the CITEL Secretariat the exact date, city and specific location for the meeting, and that it has available sufficient funds for that purpose. The country offering to host the Assembly shall provide this information to the Executive Secretary, no later than 60 days before the proposed date of the meeting.

B. PARTICIPANTS

Delegations

Article 10

Each head of delegation may delegate his duties to the alternate head, or if there is none, to any other member of his delegation. Each Member State shall endeavor to designate to its delegations representatives who are versed in telecommunications. Delegations shall have the right to participate with voice and vote, in all public and private meetings of the Assembly, including its committees, subcommittees, working groups and ad hoc groups, in accordance with these Regulations and any special Rules of Procedure adopted for such meetings.

Credentials

Article 11

Accreditation of the members of each delegation shall be made by the respective governments by means of written communications to the Executive Secretary, granting the delegates full powers to participate in the decisions on subjects included in the agenda of the sessions of the Assembly.

Order of Precedence

Article 12

At the informal session prior to the opening session of the Assembly, the delegations shall establish by lot an order of precedence to be used for the delegations' location in the sessions room, in the voting process and in the use of the floor whenever the delegations are requested to give their opinions on some subject-matter. The host delegation shall not be included in the "by lot" procedure and shall hold last place in the order of precedence.

Permanent Observers to the Organization

Article 13

States that are Permanent Observers of the Organization shall enjoy the same status in the CITEL and any of its organs. They shall accredit their respective representatives to participate in the meetings of the CITEL Assembly, by means of a written communication addressed to the Executive Secretary.

The representatives of the Permanent Observers may attend the public sessions of the CITEL Assembly Meetings, and of its principal committees and, when invited by the corresponding presiding officer, the private sessions. With the permission of the presiding officer, Permanent Observers may speak at any meeting.

Observers from Organs of the OAS and from Inter-American intergovernmental regional organizations.

Article 14

Representatives of Inter-American specialized organizations and entities of the Organization, and Inter-American intergovernmental regional organizations may attend the CITEL Assembly as observers. With the permission of the presiding officer, those representatives may speak at the meeting or address the meeting in writing.

Observers from the United Nations

Article 15

Representatives of the United Nations and its specialized agencies may attend the Meetings of the CITEL Assembly as observers. With the permission of the presiding officer, they may speak at the meeting or address the meeting in writing.

Other Observers

Article 16

International and national organizations that are parties to agreements or arrangements establishing relations of cooperation with the Organization, its organs, organizations or agencies may also attend the CITEL Assembly, when such agreements or arrangements provide for the participation of observers, or in special cases, when COM/CITEL so decides.
Subject to COM/CITEL's approval, the following may send observers to the CITEL Assembly:

a. American States that are not Members or Permanent Observers of the Organization who have asked to participate in the meeting.

b. Non-American States that are Members of the United Nations or its specialized agencies who have asked to participate in the meeting.

c. International, regional, subregional and national agencies and organizations that are involved in telecommunications activities in the region who have asked to participate in the meeting.

The observers referred to in this Article may speak at the plenary session of the CITEL Assembly or at the sessions of its principal committees, only when invited to do so by the corresponding presiding officer, because of special interest or expertise in a specific topic of discussion. Alternatively, such observers may provide written statements on such topics when expressly authorized or requested to do so by the presiding officer.

Article 17

Any state or entity referred to in Article 16 that wishes to participate in a meeting of the CITEL Assembly as an observer, shall apply to attend, in writing, to the Chairman of COM/CITEL, at least 120 days before the anticipated opening of that meeting. The Chairman of COM/CITEL shall consult such applications with the members of COM/CITEL, and if they approve, the corresponding invitations shall be extended in accordance with Article 9.

Observer's participation fee

Article 18

Distribution of documents of the meetings of the CITEL Assembly to the categories of observers identified in Articles 13, 14 and 15, shall be governed by the applicable principles, practices and rules of the Organization.

Distribution of documents of the meetings of the Assembly to the observers identified in Article 16, shall be conditioned upon payment of a fee to cover the administrative cost of that category of observer's participation in the meeting. This fee called "a participation fee" shall be equivalent to 15% of the "contributory unit" corresponding to an Associate member.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, COM/CITEL may decide to exempt payment of the participation fee by any observer, covered by article 16, where CITEL is exempted from making similar payments to that observer, on the basis of reciprocity.

Guests

Article 19

Subject to COM/CITEL's approval and in consultation with the government of the host country, any person or entity not covered in Article 16, that is a recognized authority or that has a particular interest in the field of telecommunications may attend the meetings of the CITEL Assembly as a guest. COM/CITEL will develop guidelines to determine qualifications for guests.

Article 20

Any person or entity that wishes to be invited to a CITEL Assembly Meeting as a guest, shall apply to the Chairman of COM/CITEL, in writing, not later than 120 days before the anticipated opening of the CITEL Assembly Meeting. The Chairman of COM/CITEL shall consider the application with the members of COM/CITEL, and with their approval, the corresponding invitation shall be extended in accordance with Article 9, provided the government of the host country does not object to it.

Article 21

Guests may attend the plenary meetings and the meetings of the committees for the sole purpose of following the discussions. However, they may take part in committee discussions only if they are requested to do so by the Chairman of the Committee and there is no objection from any Member State present. Guests shall not receive copies of contributions, papers or reports of the proceedings, unless COM/CITEL decides to provide the documents to a guest when it approves an invitation.

C. OFFICERS

Election of the Chairman and Vice-Chairmen

Article 22

The Assembly Chairman and both Vice-Chairmen shall be elected in the first plenary session, in accordance with the procedures outlined in Article 8 of the Statute. These officials will remain in office until the Assembly is adjourned.

Duties of the Chairman of the CITEL Assembly.

Article 23

The Assembly Chairman shall:

a. Convoke plenary sessions;

b. Establish the order of business of the sessions;

c. Open and close the plenary sessions and direct their discussions;

d. Grant the floor to the participants in the order in which they request it, giving precedence to representatives of the Member States when appropriate;

e. Put the topics under discussion to a vote, and announce decisions taken;

f. Rule on points of order being submitted to the Assembly for consideration;

g. Establish the working committees, and

h. Generally, ensure compliance with these Regulations.

When any speaker departs from the topic under discussion the Assembly Chairman may draw this to his attention. Likewise, during discussion of a topic, the Chairman may propose limitation of the time to be allowed to speakers, limitation of the number of times a participant may speak, closure of the list of speakers, or closure of discussion. He may also propose the suspension or adjournment of a session, or postponement of discussion of the matter under consideration.

Participation by the Assembly Chairman in Voting and Discussion Article 24

The Assembly Chairman shall not participate from the chair in a substantive discussion, nor shall vote on any matter before the plenary sessions of the Assembly.

Duties of the Vice-Chairmen Acting as Chairman

Article 25

If the Chairman is absent from a session or from part of it, one of the Vice-Chairmen shall take his place, according to the order of precedence, and shall enjoy the same powers and duties as the Chairman.

Absence or Disability of the Chairman and Vice-Chairmen

Article 26

In the event of the absence or disability of the Chairman and the Vice-Chairmen of the CITEL Assembly, the Meeting shall be presided over by one of the Chairmen of the working committees, according to the order of numbering of those committees.

D. AGENDA

Agenda of the Regular Meetings

Article 27

COM/CITEL shall prepare a preliminary agenda for each Regular Meeting of the CITEL Assembly to be provided to the Member States for their consideration at least three months in advance of the anticipated opening of the Assembly.

In preparing the preliminary agenda, the COM/CITEL shall take into account the topics proposed by the governments of the Member States, those mandated by the General Assembly of the Organization, and may take into consideration those recommended by other organs of the Organization.

The Member States shall have thirty days to present their observations on the preliminary agenda to the Chairman of COM/CITEL. On the basis of these observations, COM/CITEL shall draw-up the agenda for the Assembly meeting.

The agenda so approved, may be amended or otherwise modified only during the Regular Meeting of the CITEL Assembly by a vote of two thirds of the participating Member States.

Agenda of Special Meetings

Article 28

The agenda of each Special Meeting of the CITEL Assembly shall be confined to the subject or subjects for which the Meeting was convoked. The procedures and time periods for the preparation of the agenda of a Special Meeting shall be established in each case by COM/CITEL.

Reports and Proposals

Article 29

Generally, the CITEL Assembly shall consider two kinds of papers: reports and proposals. Reports shall be informative in nature, while proposals shall be submitted to the Assembly for its consideration. During an Assembly meeting, other forms of work or technical contributions may be solicited.

Article 30

Reports and proposals shall normally be presented to the Executive Secretary four months in advance of the date set for the opening of the CITEL Assembly, in order to permit their distribution to the Member States in the working languages, together with the report of COM/CITEL and the Secretariat. The Executive Secretary shall distribute these documents to the Member States by such means of communications that they are received not later than two months prior to the start of a meeting.

At the beginning of a meeting, the Assembly may establish a period of time in which additional proposals may be submitted to it for consideration.

E. SESSIONS

Informal Meeting of Heads of Delegations

Article 31

Prior to the inaugural session, the heads of delegations of the Member States or their alternates shall meet informally, upon being called together by the Chairman of COM/CITEL, to agree on the various aspects concerning the organization of the work of the CITEL Assembly.

First Plenary Session

Article 32

The first plenary session shall be held as soon as possible after the CITEL Assembly Meeting has been inaugurated. At that session, the CITEL Assembly shall elect its officers, and establish the committees referred to in Chapter II section F of these Regulations. Immediately thereafter the working committees shall be installed and their respective officers elected.

Adoption of Decisions

Article 33

The CITEL Assembly shall adopt its decisions in the form of resolutions, recommendations and declarations, at its plenary sessions. The Secretariat shall distribute those decisions immediately after their adoption.

Article 34

Decisions with financial repercussions for the Organization shall include an estimate of the corresponding cost.

Public and Private Sessions

Article 35

Plenary sessions and meetings of the working committees shall be public sessions. However, if the chairman so provides or any representative so requests, the meeting shall be private, and shall so continue unless the members participating in the meeting decide otherwise.

Private sessions may only be attended by the heads of delegations of the Member States, the members of the delegations designated by those heads, and such Secretariat personnel as the Chairman of the respective body may expressly authorize in each case.

Article 36

All decisions taken by the CITEL Assembly in a private plenary session shall be announced at a subsequent public plenary session.

Article 37

No plenary, committee, subcommittee, ad hoc group, or working group session shall be held unless the place and time have been announced to participants sufficiently in advance to permit them to attend.

F. COMMITTEES

Steering Committee

Article 38

The Steering Committee is made up of the Chairman of the CITEL Assembly, who shall preside over it, the two Vice-Chairmen, and the Chairmen of the working committees.

The Chairman of the CITEL Assembly shall convoke the Steering Committee whenever he deems it desirable for the best performance of the work of the Assembly.

The task of the Steering Committee is to resolve any difficulties that may arise regarding the functioning of the CITEL Assembly and to suggest appropriate solutions to the committees or to a plenary session. For the effective operation of the CITEL Assembly, it shall coordinate the work of the working committees.

Committee on Credentials

Article 39

The Committee on Credentials is composed of the representatives of three member states elected at the first plenary session of the CITEL Assembly. The Committee shall elect its chairman.

The Committee on Credentials shall examine the credentials of the delegations and submit a report to the CITEL Assembly forthwith.

Style Committee

Article 40

The Style Committee is composed of the representatives of four member states elected at the first plenary session of the CITEL Assembly, each of which shall represent one of the four languages.

The Style Committee shall receive the drafts of resolutions and recommendations adopted by committees before they are submitted to a plenary session for its consideration, and shall introduce in them such style changes as it deems necessary. If the Style Committee notes that a draft suffers from defects of form that it can not correct, the it shall raise the question with the committee concerned, or at a plenary session of the Assembly.

Drafting Committee

Article 41

The Drafting Committee for the working sessions of the Plenary meetings and for the Final Report of the Assembly, shall be designated during the first Plenary Session and shall be composed of the first four delegates by order of precedence who volunteer. The Drafting Committee shall draft the minutes of the meeting of the informal session, of each Plenary session, of the inaugural and closing sessions, as well as the Final Report. The Committee shall present to each Plenary Session a draft report of all preceding sessions.

Working Committees

Article 42

The CITEL Assembly shall establish such working committees as it deems desirable for consideration of the various topics on the agenda.

A working committee is made up of the delegations of the Member States that advise the Chairman of the CITEL Assembly before the first working meeting of the committee, that they wish to take part in that committee.

The installation meeting of each working committee shall be held with the delegations that up to the time of the meeting, have expressed their desire to form part of it.

Each working committee shall elect a chairman, and may also elect a vice-chairman and a rapporteur.

Each working committee shall study the topics assigned to it by the CITEL Assembly and shall present to the plenary session a report on its discussions, the draft resolutions or proposals considered, and its recommendations.

Subcommittees and working groups

Article 43

Each working committee may establish such subcommittees and/or working or drafting groups, as it considers advisable. A working committee may also authorize its Chairman to appoint to the subcommittees or groups, members who reflect the different views that have been expressed on the matters which the subcommittee or group is to consider.

Each subcommittee may establish such working or drafting groups as it may consider necessary. The Chairman of each such group shall present to the body that established it, its conclusions or recommendations.

Delegations that are not members of a subcommittee, working group, or drafting group, shall have the right to participate in the meetings of these bodies with voice but without vote.

G. QUORUM

Article 44

For Plenary Sessions, the presence of more than half of the Member States shall constitute a quorum.

For the committees, subcommittees, and working groups of the CITEL Assembly, the presence of more than half of the members of the body concerned shall constitute a quorum.

H. DEBATES AND PROCEDURES

Proposals and Amendments

Article 45

Proposals and amendments must be presented in writing to the Secretariat not later than the day before the session at which they are to be discussed or submitted to a vote, so that they may be distributed to the delegations. However, if the body that is required to deal with the matter does not object, its Chairman may authorize discussion of a proposal or amendment that was not distributed in time.

The delegation that presents a proposal shall indicate the working committee that should study a proposal or amendment, unless the proposal is one that is required to be submitted to a plenary session for discussion. In case of doubt, the Chairman of the Assembly shall decide.

Withdrawal of Proposals

Article 46

A proposal or an amendment may be withdrawn by its proponent before it has been put to a vote. Any delegate may present again a proposal or amendment that has been withdrawn.

Reconsideration of Decisions

Article 47

Proposals concerning decisions that have already been taken may be reconsidered, if a request to do so is made prior to the adjournment of the session at which the proposal was voted upon, or at the session immediately following. In the case of a motion for reconsideration, the floor shall be granted to one speaker to second the motion and to two other speakers to oppose it, after which the motion shall be submitted to a vote. For approval of such a motion, the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members of the body concerned is required. When the motion for reconsideration has been approved, the discussion and vote on the substance of the matter shall be governed by the applicable provisions of these regulations.

Points of Order

Article 48

During the discussion of a matter, any delegation may raise a point of order, which shall be decided upon immediately by the Chairman. Any representative may appeal the decision of the Chairman, in which case the appeal shall be put to a vote. When raising a point of order, a representative may not speak on the substance of the matter under discussion.

Suspension of Discussion

Article 49

The Chairman or any representative may make a motion that discussion be suspended. Only two representatives may speak briefly in favor of such a motion and two against it, after which it shall be immediately put to a vote.

Closing Discussion

Article 50

Any representative may make a motion that discussion be closed when he considers that a topic has been discussed sufficiently. This motion may be opposed briefly by two representatives, after which it shall be declared approved if it receives the vote of two-thirds of the delegations present at the session. The Chairman may limit the time allowed to speakers under this Article.

Suspension or Adjournment of a Session

Article 51

During the discussion of any topic, a representative may make a motion that the session be suspended or adjourned. Such motions shall be put to a vote immediately, without discussion. The Chairman may limit the length of the remarks of the representative who proposes suspension or adjournment of the session.

Order of Procedural Motions

Article 52

Except as provided in Article 48, the following motions shall have precedence over all other proposals or motions, in the order set forth below:

a. Suspension of the session;

b. Adjournment of the session;

c. Suspension of discussion of the topic under consideration.

d. Close of the debate of the topic under consideration.

General Provisions for All the Deliberative Bodies of the CITEL Assembly Meeting

Article 53

The general provisions relating to discussion contained in this chapter shall be applicable to the plenary sessions, and to the committees, subcommittees,and working groups of the CITEL Assembly.

I. VOTING

Voting on Proposals

Article 54

After debate is closed, and if the proposals presented are not approved by consensus, those proposals, together with any proposed amendments, shall be put to a vote. Proposals shall be voted upon in the order in which they are presented, unless the respective body decides to the contrary. After the chairman has announced the start of the voting, no representative may interrupt it, except for a point of order relating to the manner in which the voting is being conducted. The process of voting and vote-counting shall end when the chairman announces the result.

Abstentions

Article 55

For the purpose of establishing the necessary majority, abstentions shall be counted as votes cast.

Ties

Article 56

In the event of a tie, the proposal voted on shall be considered to have been rejected.

Repeat Vote

Article 57

Should any doubt arise as to the results of a vote, any delegation may request that the vote be repeated immediately. The new vote shall be limited to the same delegations that took part in the original vote.

Voting on Amendments

Article 58

A motion is considered an amendment to a proposal if it merely adds to, deletes from, or revises part of a proposal. A motion that would totally replace the original proposal, or that it is not directly related to it shall not be considered as an amendment.

Article 59

When an amendment to a proposal is presented, the amendment shall be voted on first. When two or more amendments to a proposal are made, the vote shall be taken first on the one that departs furthest from the original text. The other amendments shall be voted upon in like order. In case of doubt in this regard, they shall be voted upon in the order of their presentation.

Article 60

When the fact that one amendment has been adopted necessarily implies the exclusion of another, the latter amendment shall not be put to a vote. If one or more of the amendments are adopted, the complete proposal as amended shall be put to a vote.

Article 61

If any delegation so requests, a proposal or amendment shall be put to a vote by parts. If any delegation is opposed to that request, the body concerned shall decide whether the voting should be by parts. If the request for voting by parts is accepted, the various parts of the proposal or amendment that are accepted shall be voted upon as a whole. If all the operative parts of a proposal or amendment are rejected, it shall be deemed that it has been rejected entirely.

J. ELECTIONS

Article 62

In cases where only one Member State or one person is to be elected, if no candidate obtains the vote of an absolute majority of the participating Member States on the first ballot, a second, or if necessary a third ballot shall be taken, limited to the two candidates receiving the largest number of votes. If after the third ballot no candidate has obtained the required majority, the election shall be suspended for a period of up to twenty-four hours. When the election is resumed, up to two additional ballots shall be taken. If neither of the two candidates is elected, the balloting procedure established in this article shall be started again, with respect to the candidates who are presented.

Article 63

When two or more elected posts are to be filled at the same time and under the same conditions, the candidates obtaining the vote of an absolute majority on the first ballot shall be declared elected. If the number of candidates obtaining such majority is less than the number of persons or members to be elected, there shall be additional ballots to fill the remaining posts, the voting being limited to the candidates who have received the most votes on the previous ballot, in such a way that the number of candidates will not be more than twice the number of posts remaining to be filled.

Article 64

In case of a tie among two or more candidates or Member States, as the case may be, who have received at least the required majority, if the number of places to be filled is less than the number of candidates or Member States who have received the same number of votes, another ballot shall be taken. If the tie is not broken in this second ballot, the elections shall be decided by lot.

K. DOCUMENTS

Summary Minutes

Article 65

Summary minutes shall be kept of the open plenary sessions and of the open committee meetings of the CITEL Assembly. The Secretariat of CITEL shall distribute the summary minutes to the delegations as promptly as possible. The delegations shall present to the Secretariat, within twenty-four hours following the distribution of the summary minutes, any corrections of style they consider necessary. The minutes so corrected and the appendices shall be published as part of the official documentation of the CITEL Assembly. The appendices of the summary minutes shall contain the complete statement of a delegation if the delegation so requests.

Summary of the Activities

Article 66

After the termination of the Assembly Meeting, the Secretariat shall prepare and distribute the final report of the Assembly, containing a summary of the activities carried out by it, which shall include background information on the Assembly; the list of officers of the Assembly and of the Committees, Subcommittees, Working groups and ad hoc groups; the official list of participants; a brief summary of the sessions held, and the decisions adopted by the Assembly in their final form. This document shall be prepared in the four official languages. For this purpose, the Secretariat may request the advice of the delegations to the Permanent Council of the Organization that represent the countries where those languages are spoken, and of COM/CITEL.

Filing of Documents

Article 67

The Secretariat shall be the custodian of the official documents and files of the meetings of the Assembly. The Chairman of COM/CITEL shall keep in his possession copies of all these documents and files.

CHAPTER III

THE PERMANENT EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE (COM/CITEL)

Length of Term

Article 68

The Officers and members of COM/CITEL shall occupy their positions until the election of the new members at the next Regular Meeting of the CITEL Assembly.

Appointment of Representatives of COM/CITEL

Article 69

The institution designated to act on behalf of each Member State elected to COM/CITEL, shall appoint a principal representative and an alternate representative, both of them specialized in telecommunications matters, and the Member State may replace them as it deems advisable. The names of the representatives shall be communicated in writing to the Executive Secretary as they are appointed.

Functions

Article 70

The functions of COM/CITEL are set out in Article 17 of the Statute.

Work Program

Article 71

At each installation session, COM/CITEL shall prepare its work program for the intervening period until its next meeting, and shall set the date and place for its meetings. COM/CITEL may establish technical committees, sub-committees, working groups and ad hoc groups to perform its functions.

Duties of the Chairman

Article 72

The Chairman of COM/CITEL is an ex officio member of all committees of CITEL and shall have the following duties in addition to those identified in the Statute:

a. To preside provisionally over the Regular and Special Meetings of the CITEL Assembly until the Chairman of the Assembly is elected;

b. To represent CITEL before other organs of the Organization, the governmental telecommunications entities of the CITEL Members, and other organizations that participate in telecommunications development activities in the American States;

c. To see that the functions of COM/CITEL as provided in Article 17 of the Statute are performed;

d. In cooperation with the Executive Secretary, to draw up the agendas for the meetings of COM/CITEL, in consultation with the other members;

e. To speak for COM/CITEL to the Secretary General of the Organization, and to communicate to him the decisions that COM/CITEL has adopted;

f. To communicate through the Executive Secretary with the governments of the Member States of CITEL and institutions interested in the objectives of CITEL regarding matters relating to the functioning of CITEL;

g. To represent CITEL, when the COM/CITEL so authorizes him, at public functions and at meetings of international organizations, with authority to delegate this representation to another member of COM/CITEL;

h. Through the Executive Secretary of CITEL, to present to the Secretary General of the Organization an annual progress report on the activities of CITEL to comply with Article 90(f) of the Charter of the Organization.

i. With the assistance of the Executive Secretary, to make known and to coordinate on behalf of COM/CITEL, the work of the technical committees, and working groups established by COM/CITEL and see that it is carried out;

j. To coordinate the work of the Permanent Consultative Committees, and to see that it is carried out;

Order of Succession

Article 73

In the event of temporary or permanent impediment of the Chairman of COM/CITEL to serve, the Vice-Chairman shall replace him. In the event of impediment of both, the eldest of the Chairmen of the Permanent Consultative Committees shall exercise the duties of the Chairmanship until the next Regular Meeting of the CITEL Assembly.

Headquarters of COM/CITEL

Article 74

The Member State elected to preside over COM/CITEL shall organize and maintain during its term, at its sole expense, and under the exclusive responsibility of the Chairman, an office composed of a full-time assistant to the Chairman, and all necessary technical and administrative personnel. In addition, that Member State shall provide premises for the office and for meetings, as well as other suitable work facilities for the best possible performance of COM/CITEL's duties and responsibilities. For all purposes, the office shall be responsible exclusively to the Chairman of COM/CITEL, and shall not be dependent upon the General Secretariat of the Organization.

The Chairman of COM/CITEL shall maintain close cooperative and working relations with the Executive Secretary for purposes of coordination and liaison, as well as for the best possible performance of the various tasks of COM/CITEL. The Chairman of COM/CITEL shall send copies of all official correspondence sent or received by him to the Executive Secretary.

Article 75

When COM/CITEL establishes a technical committee, subcommittee, a working group, or an ad hoc group, that committee, subcommittee or group shall have its headquarters in the country selected to preside over it. As in the case of the headquarters of COM/CITEL, the country concerned shall provide, at its expense, the staff and the necessary facilities for the performance of its functions.

Article 76

Rules governing COM/CITEL meetings, quorum, voting and travel expenses are as contained in Articles 18 to 21 of the Statute.

CHAPTER IV

PERMANENT CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEES (PCCs)

A. ORGANIZATION AND OFFICERS

Article 77

The CITEL Assembly shall establish the Permanent Consultative Committees (PCCs) that it considers necessary to attain the objectives defined in Article 3 of the Statute together with specific terms of reference for each PCC. A PCC shall continue in force until such time as the CITEL Assembly itself, or COM/CITEL deems its functions and purpose to be concluded. The names of the PCCs are listed in Annex 1 of these Regulations.

Each PCC shall be presided over by a Chairman who shall be the representative appointed by the government of the host country for the PCC. The PCC may establish a position of Vice Chairman to assist the Chairman in the performance of his duties. The country from which a Vice Chairman is appointed, may host an additional meeting of the PCC in a given year, and in such case, will be responsible for providing meeting sites, personnel, and administrative support for the meeting.

Duties of the Chairman of a PCC

Article 78

The Chairman of a PCC shall:

a. Convene through the Executive Secretary the PCC at least once a year and designate the place and date for the meeting;

b. Direct the work of the PCC, prepare the material for meetings, as well as studies, decisions, and draft resolutions, and send them to the Chairman of COM/CITEL for information and to the Executive Secretary for processing.

c. Report PCC work results, in writing, every six months, to the Executive Secretary and to the Chairman of COM/CITEL.

d. Report to the CITEL Assembly on matters within the competence of the PCC.

Chairman's Office

Article 79

The Member State elected to preside over a PCC shall organize, and maintain at its sole expense, and under the exclusive responsibility of the Chairman, an office composed of the necessary technical and administrative personnel. For all purposes, this office shall be responsible exclusively to the Chairman of the PCC and shall not be dependent in any way upon the General Secretariat of the Organization.

Working groups and ad hoc groups

Article 80

Each PCC may establish working groups and ad hoc groups in accordance with Article 93. Those groups shall submit reports of their activities to the PCC.

B. PARTICIPATION IN THE PCC

Members

Article 81

Each CITEL Member State may appoint a representative who is a specialist in telecommunications to a PCC in accordance with the method set out in Article 4. A Member State may remove or replace its representative by notifying the Executive Secretary, in writing, of its decision to do so.

Associate Members

Article 82

Associate membership on a PCC is open to any recognized operating agency, scientific or industrial organization or financial or development institution related to the telecommunications industry that has a legal personality, (hereinafter entity), provided that the entity's associate membership is approved by the corresponding Member State of CITEL.
The expression "corresponding Member State of CITEL" means the country where the entity was incorporated or has its principal office.
Any request from the entity to become an Associate Member of a PCC shall be sent to the Executive Secretary, who shall, in turn, advise the corresponding Member State which is a member of that PCC, and request appropriate action within a three month period. The corresponding Member State shall be responsible for review and approval of applications to participate.
The criteria and procedure for sponsoring an entity as Associate Member is a matter to be determined by each corresponding Member State. Such written criteria and procedures shall be filed with the Executive Secretary.
Notification of any action on the request shall be provided by the Chairman of the respective PCC to the entity making the request
.
Before the first session of COM/CITEL in a given year, the corresponding Member State shall notify the Chairman of COM/CITEL in writing of the names of the agencies and organizations it has approved for Associate membership in each PCC to that date.
A list of all entities granted associate membership in each PCC shall be compiled and maintained by the Executive Secretary. The Executive Secretary shall provide the Secretary General of the Organization, all Member States of CITEL and the Chairmen of the PCCs with a copy of the list.
An entity shall cease to be an Associate Member in the event that approval is withdrawn by the corresponding Member State.

Participation of Associate Members

Article 83

Associate Members of a PCC may fully participate in all the activities of that PCC with voice but without vote. They may present technical papers and receive the documents of that PCC.

When authorized in writing by a duly designated governmental representative of a Member State which is a Member of a PCC, an Associate Member may in that PCC and on behalf of and in representation of that State: (1) vote, (2) submit papers, and (3) propose to include topics on the PCC Agenda. The authorization should be communicated in writing to the Executive Secretary before the opening of the meeting.

Associate Membership Fee

Article 84

Associate Members shall share in the costs of operation of the PCC in which it participates by voluntarily choosing a contributory level. The contributory level shall be based upon a "unit" scale. The smallest share shall be "one" unit. The monetary value of the unit, stated in U.S. dollars, shall be set by the CITEL Assembly, and shall cover membership pro-rated for one calendar year.

Funds derived from associate membership fees shall be allocated to the budget of the corresponding PCC and used as directed by the respective PCC Chairman to defray expenses of PCC meetings.

Associate Members who pay their fees within 90 days of billing shall be deemed active associate members. Those who do not pay within this time shall be deemed passive associate members, and shall have their membership privileges suspended until such time as their accounts are paid up to date.

Any Associate Member may renounce membership in any PCC by written notification of such intention to the Executive Secretary. Such renunciation will become effective 90 days from the date of notification. In such a case membership fees will be prorated on a yearly basis.

In case of renunciation, Associate Members shall be liable for their fees up until the effective date of renunciation, and likewise, those who are up to date in their fees, shall be considered active associate members up until that same effective date.

Observers

Article 85

Observers in the categories set out in articles 13, 14, and 16 may participate as observers to the PCCs under the same conditions which these Regulations prescribe for their participation in the meetings of the CITEL Assembly.

C. MEETINGS

Article 86

Each PCC shall meet at least once a year at a time and place determined by its respective Chairman. The meetings of a PCC shall be conducted in accordance with the provisions of these Regulations in relation to the CITEL Assembly, to the extent that those provisions may be applied.

Papers, studies, decisions, and draft resolutions of a PCC which require consideration of the CITEL Assembly shall be submitted to COM/CITEL at least four months before a meeting of the CITEL Assembly is held.

A PCC may hold private sessions restricting participation solely to Members and Associate Members. However, on the basis of reciprocity, observer organizations may be invited by the Chairman of the PCC concerned to attend these private sessions.

Decisions

Article 87

In the absence of consensus in the deliberations of the PCCs, draft resolutions shall be adopted in accordance with the voting rules set out in Article 94.

The approval of any PCC resolution will require the affirmative vote of at least one-third of all CITEL Member States.

CHAPTER V

THE SECRETARIAT

Article 88

The Secretariat shall be composed of the Executive Secretary, appointed by the Secretary General of the Organization, in consultation with the members of COM/CITEL, and the professional and administrative staff that the Secretary General appoints in accordance with the General Standards to Govern the Operations of the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States.

The Executive Secretary of CITEL

Article 89

The Executive Secretary of CITEL shall be a person highly versed in the subject matter. The post of Executive Secretary of CITEL is a position of trust, regulated by the General Standards to Govern the Operations of the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States.

In addition to the functions established in the CITEL Statute, the Executive Secretary shall have the following duties:

a. To prepare the technical documents assigned to him by the organs of CITEL and the working documents for CITEL meetings;

b. To serve as Technical Secretary of the meetings of the CITEL Assembly and of COM/CITEL;

c. To see that the minutes, decisions, papers, and draft resolutions of all the organs of CITEL are in accordance with the provisions of the Charter of the Organization, the mandates of the General Assembly, the Statute of CITEL, and these Regulations;

d. To receive official correspondence relating to CITEL, to deal with it appropriately, and to handle communications regarding the work of the Secretariat, informing the Secretary General of the Organization thereof. Copies of such correspondence shall be sent to the Chairman of COM/CITEL;

e. To carry out the decisions and tasks that the different organs of CITEL may request;

f. To cooperate with the Chairman of COM/CITEL in the preparation of the draft agenda for each CITEL Assembly Meeting, as well as in the preparation of the agenda for each COM/CITEL meeting;

g. To prepare documents, studies, and reports necessary for each CITEL Assembly and COM/CITEL meetings, taking into account the guidelines established in this regard by COM/CITEL;

h. Once COM/CITEL has decided upon the date and place for the regular and special meetings of the Assembly, to so inform the Member States immediately in writing;

i. To prepare notices of convocation for the meetings of all CITEL organs;

j. To cooperate with COM/CITEL in the preparation of the annual report of CITEL to be presented through the Secretary General to the Permanent Council of the Organization for its consideration;

k. To keep CITEL Member States permanently informed of technical activities in the field of telecommunications, in accordance with the instructions received from the Chairman of COM/CITEL and taking into account the information received by COM/CITEL;

l. To provide information on the resolutions and decisions of the CITEL Assembly on telecommunications matters to world or regional governmental or nongovernmental agencies specializing in telecommunications, for which purpose a periodic newsletter may be utilized;

m. To provide a periodic information service, with widespread coverage on the progress of telecommunications and their development in the American States;

n. To maintain custody of the files containing the official documentation of all the meetings of the CITEL organs;

o. To represent the Chairman of COM/CITEL at public or private functions and at meetings of international organizations, when the Chairman so decides;

p. After consultation with the Chairmen of the PCCs, to prepare and submit to COM/CITEL a biennial preliminary draft budget for the following two years taking into account the directions given by the previous CITEL Assembly Meeting. Also, to prepare for submission to COM/CITEL any adjustments to the second half of the biennial budget as may be required;

q. To supervise the staff of the CITEL Secretariat assuring the most effective use of personnel;

r. To prepare and distribute to Member States and Associate Members a publication containing the resolutions, recommendations, and declarations of the Assembly, COM/CITEL and the PCCs.

CHAPTER VI

GENERAL PROVISIONS

A. TRAVEL EXPENSES

Article 90

Travel expenses for staff members of the General Secretariat of the Organization attending any meeting of the CITEL organs, in order to be charged to CITEL's budget, must be expressly provided for and approved in that budget.

B. WORKING METHODS OF CITEL

Schedule of meetings and agendas

Article 91

Meeting dates should be set well in advance.

a. COM/CITEL shall set and distribute a calendar of proposed meetings for all CITEL organs, including specific dates and venue.

b. The calendar of proposed meetings should be drawn up to minimize conflict with major activities of the ITU, and as appropriate, with regional meetings of related standards or development organizations.

c. To the extent practicable, meetings of CITEL organs provided for in the Statute should be regularized. Additional meetings may be scheduled at the discretion of the Chairmen.
Information about the calendar meetings and meeting notices should appear regularly in the "Newsletter".
COM/CITEL shall prepare a draft preliminary agenda for each Regular Meeting of the CITEL Assembly one year in advance.
Chairmen of the PCCs, with the assistance of the Executive Secretary, shall send proposed agendas for the PCC meetings to all participants of the respective committees at least two months prior to the meeting.

Conduct of meetings and administrative support

Article 92

The Executive Secretary shall provide administrative support to prepare for, conduct, and followup on all the meetings of the CITEL Assembly, COM/CITEL and each of the PCCs in accordance with the budget and taking into account the level of support provided by the host country.
The Chairman's reports and the technical contributions or proposals to be considered at each PCC Plenary meeting should be provided to all members and associate members at least one month prior to the meeting. Additional technical contributions may be submitted up to the date of the meeting at the discretion of the Chairman.
All documents for meetings of the CITEL Assembly and COM/CITEL are to be translated and distributed by the Secretariat to members in final reproducible form, if possible, in English and Spanish, at least two months prior to the meeting.
Members are encouraged to use facsimile and other modern means of communication to conduct business to the extent possible. This should be the normal way for working groups and ad hoc groups to work to minimize the number of meetings.
Seminars, ad hoc groups and working groups of each PCC should be scheduled in as much as possible, in conjunction with a relevant PCC Plenary meeting.
Members States or Associate Members who host seminars, ad hoc groups or working groups that meet independently of a regular PCC meeting, shall bear the costs of such meetings.

Working Procedures governing the activities of the PCCs

Article 93

The process that determines areas of priority interest among the participants involves holding seminars on topics of interests, and forming ad hoc groups to explore areas that may be subjects of permanent working groups. This process should be used at the PCC level.
Seminar and discussions on topics of interest should be held in conjunction with PPC meetings (preceding the PCC Plenary Meeting), at the establishment of any ad hoc groups or, if appropriate, any Working Groups on particular subjects.
Before any ad hoc group is created the scope of interest and terms of reference for such a group must be defined. A member of the PCC must be appointed to serve as Chairman, and at least two other members must commit to actively pursuing the mandate of such ad hoc group. Also, a Vice-Chairman could be appointed.
Ad hoc groups normally work for one or two years making periodic reports to the Chairman of the PCC. Upon recommendation of the ad hoc Group, the PCC may consider making the Group (and subject matter) a Working Group of the PCC.
A formal Working Group of a PCC will have a Chairman and one or more Vice Chairmen who shall be appointed by the PCC Chairman with at least 5 additional Administrations as members. All PCC members would be welcome to attend any meetings. However, only those that specifically register as members of the Working Group may be assured of getting working documents and they would be expected to be active in the work of the group.
A formal Working Group shall also have specific terms of reference with particular issues to be studied or questions to be addressed during a specific period of time (normally from 2 to 4 years).
The Working Group Chairman shall provide written reports on the progress of the work to the Chairman of the PCC at least 2 months prior to the PCC Plenary meeting each year. These reports are to be distributed to all members of the PCC by the Executive Secretary. Oral reports should be given at the PCC meetings by the Working Group chairmen.
Any proposed actions in the form of resolutions or recommendations from a Working Group to the PCC should be clearly identified and supported in the Working Group report. The report should state that the action being proposed has received approval from all the registered members of the Working Group who were active in the work.
The PCC Plenary shall adopt the Working Group recommendations or resolutions by consensus with at least one third of the members present; such actions may also be taken by correspondence provided that there are no negative responses.
The Statute and Regulations of CITEL allow each of the PCCs to change and adapt its work methods to most efficiently meet the needs of its members.
COM/CITEL shall routinely review the work programs of the PCCs and provide advice to the PCC chairmen regarding areas where there is overlap or redundancy and where more coordination among the PCCs is required. In this regard the chairmen of the PCCs should routinely coordinate to avoid duplication and to identify areas where formal cooperation between and among PCCs would be useful.
Additional study topics can also be addressed, but work is to be conducted by correspondence only. If a coordinator is appointed for a topic area, that person should assist in the distribution of working papers to the full PCC membership.
The Assembly may direct or choose to apply the above processes or any part thereof when they decide to instruct COM/CITEL to establish ad hoc or Working Groups.

C. VOTING RULES

Article 94

Where the Statute or these Regulations requires that a decision be taken and a consensus is not reached, there shall be a vote by secret ballot. The secret ballot rule may be suspended temporarily on a case by case basis, provided that, before the secret vote is begun, a motion is made to suspend the rule, and an absolute majority of the participating member states approves that motion by a show of hands.

The Chairman may permit a delegate to explain his vote, either before or after the voting, and he may limit the time for such an explanation.

D. RELATIONS WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS

Article 95

With a view to maximizing cooperation and coordination in its activities and work, CITEL shall collaborate, through such agreements as it deems pertinent, with technical, governmental, nongovernmental and intergovernmental agencies engaged in activities similar to those contemplated in the objectives and functions of CITEL, set out in Article 3 of the Statute.

When the activities of CITEL are germane to the technical competence of an inter-American specialized organization, the subsidiary organs, agencies, and other entities of the interAmerican System, CITEL shall request their cooperation in carrying out those activities.

E. OTHER PROVISIONS

Entry into Force

Article 96

These Regulations shall enter into force on the date of their approval by the CITEL Assembly and shall govern all meetings of all CITEL organs.

Amendments to the Regulations

Article 97

Proposals to amend these Regulations shall be submitted to the CITEL Assembly for adoption. Adoption of amendments shall be by an absolute majority of the participating Member States.

When COM/CITEL determines that an amendment is urgent, it may decide to apply that amendment provisionally pending final decision by the CITEL Assembly at its next Regular or Special meeting, in accordance with Article 17(g) of the Statute.

Amendments to these Regulations, once adopted by the CITEL Assembly, shall be presented to the General Assembly of the Organization at its next regular session for its information.

Suspension of provisions from Chapter II

Article 98

The provisions of Chapter II of these Regulations shall apply to all meetings of the CITEL Assembly. However, in exceptional circumstances, the Assembly may decide by a twothirds majority vote of the participating Member States to suspend temporarily any provision of Chapter II of these Regulations for the more efficient functioning of the Assembly. This suspension shall not contravene any provision of the Statute.

Unregulated matters

Article 99

Situations and matters not provided for in these Regulations shall be decided by COM/CITEL by an absolute majority vote of its members. Should COM/CITEL not be in session, they shall be dealt with provisionally by the Chairman, after consulting with the other members of the COM/CITEL, until COM/CITEL ratifies this decision at its next meeting. COM/CITEL shall report all decisions adopted under this Article, to the next Regular Meeting of the CITEL Assembly. No decision adopted under this Article can contradict the provisions of the CITEL Statute.

ANNEX

NAMES OF THE PCC

In reference to Article 77 of these regulations, CITEL has the following Permanent Consultative Committees (PCCs):

Permanent Consultative Committee I:

Public

Telecommunication

Services

Permanent Consultative Committee II:

Broadcasting

Permanent Consultative Committee III:

Radiocommunications

General Assembly 1994 Resolutions