Rules of procedure
The Governing Board of the European Centre for Modern Languages,
Having regard to Resolution (94) 10 adopted by the Committee of Ministers establishing the European Centre for Modern Languages as an Enlarged Partial Agreement,
Having Regard to the Statute of the Centre,
Adopts the following Rules of Procedure:

Article 1: Appointment
Each State member of the Enlarged Partial Agreement shall inform the Secretariat of the Centre of the name, address and working language(s) of the appointed member and substitute of the Board.

Article 2: Observers
  1. A representative of the Austrian Association may attend the work of the Board as an observer, without the right to vote.
  2. Any other application for observer status shall be considered by the Board according to the procedure applicable to the Steering Committees of the Council of Europe.
  3. With the Chair's permission, the observers may make oral or written statements on the subjects under discussion.

Article 3: Substitutes
These Rules of Procedure shall apply mutatis mutandis to substitutes when replacing a member or an observer.

Article 4: Convocation
  1. Meetings of the Board shall be convened by letter addressed by the Secretariat of the Centre to the members and the observers, at least 30 days in advance.
  2. A copy of the letter of convocation addressed to the members shall be sent to the substitutes and the Permanent Representations of the member States of the Enlarged Partial Agreement. It will be for each member to decide wheter he/she will attend the meeting in person, or if he/she will be replaced, or accompanied by his/her substitute.

Article 5: Meetings
When a meeting has been convened, any request for postponement must reach the Secretariat of the Centre at least two weeks before the date previously fixed for the opening of the meeting. A decision in favour of postponement shall be considered as having been taken when a majority of the members shall have notified the Secretariat of the Centre of their agreement seven days before the date previously fixed.

Article 6: Bureau
  1. The Chair, the Vice-Chairs and the other members of the Bureau shall be elected for a term of two years. They shall be eligible for re-election only twice.
  2. The Chair shall direct the work of the Board.
  3. The Chair shall retain the right to participate in the discussions of the Board and to vote.
  4. Whenever the Chair is absent or stands down, he/she shall be replaced by a Vice-Chair.
  5. Procedures for the election of members of the Bureau:
    • Call for applicants shall be made at least three months before the election. This shall be sent out by the Bureau and shall specify the nature of the positions available.
    • Applications shall reach the seat of the ECML not later than six weeks before the vote and take the form of a letter of application accompanied by a curriculum vitae.
    • Applications shall be forwarded to all members of the Governing Board one month before the elections.
    • The elections shall be held by secret ballot during the meetings of the Governing Board. Election shall require a two-thirds majority at the first ballot and a simple majority at the second ballot.

Article 7: Secretariat of the Governing Board
The duties of the Secretary of the Board as described in these Rules of Procedure shall be carried out by the Executive Director of the Centre.

Article 8: Agenda
The agenda shall be adopted at the beginning of each meeting on the basis of a draft prepared by the Secretariat of the Centre and annexed to the letters of convocation.

Article 9: Documents
The Secretariat of the Centre is in charge of preparing and circulating all the documents intended to be examined by the Board. The documents must, as a general rule, be forwarded to the members and to the substitutes at least two weeks before opening the meeting.

Article 10: Languages
  1. The working languages of the Board shall be the official languages of the Council of Europe, English and French.
  2. Any member may, however, use a language other than a working language, provided that he/she shall himself/herself provide for interpretation into one of the working languages.
  3. Any docment to be considered by the Board submitted in a language other than one of the working languages shall be addressed to the Secretariat of the Centre together with a translation into one of the working languages.

Article 11: Privacy of meetings
Meetings shall be held in privacy.

Article 12: Quorum
There shall be a quorum if a majority of the members are present.

Article 13: Voting
  1. Each member shall have one vote.
  2. Subject to any provision of these Rules of Procedure requiring a different majority for a specific decision, the Board shall adopt its decisions by a two-third majority of the vote cast.
  3. Procedural matters shall be settled by a majority of the votes cast.
  4. Each member may request that his/her opinion be recorded in the meeting report.

Article 14: Reconsideration of a decision
When a decision has been taken on any particular matter, such matter shall not be re-opened exept at the request of a member approved by a majoity of the votes cast.

Article 15: Meeting reports
A draft meeting report shall be considered adopted two weeks after its circulation, provided no objection is notified within that period.

Article 16: Annual Report to the Committee of Ministers
The Governing Board shall adopt and forward to the Committee of Ministers an annual report on its activities, containing also an outline of its future activities.

Article 17: Amendments
  1. These rules may be amended at any time.
  2. Amendements shall be adopted by a two-third majority of the votes cast and a majority of the members of the Board.