Article 7 Powers and functions of the organs

1. The Council of Members

(a) The Council of Members shall be composed of one delegate per member. Furthermore, each member may appoint one or more alternates and one or more advisers to its delegate.

The Council of Members is the highest authority and decision-making organ of the International Olive Council and shall exercise all such powers and functions as are necessary to achieve the objectives of this Agreement.

(b) The Council of Members shall be responsible for applying the provisions of this Agreement. To do so, it shall take decisions and adopt recommendations provided the powers or functions concerned are not explicitly vested in the Executive Director.

Any decision or recommendation adopted in accordance with the International Agreement that preceded this Agreement and that is still in force at the time of the entry into force of this Agreement shall continue to apply unless it is contrary to this Agreement or it is repealed by the Council of Members.

(c) In order to implement this Agreement, the Council of Members shall, in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement, adopt:

(i) Rules of Procedure;

(ii) A financial regulation;

(iii) Staff regulations having regard to those applying to officials of similar intergovernmental organizations;

(iv) An organization chart and job descriptions;

(v) Other procedures required for the functioning of the International Olive Council.

(d) The Council of Members shall adopt and make public an annual report on its activities and on the operation of this Agreement as well as such reports, studies and other documents as it deems useful and necessary.

2. Chair and Vice-Chair

(a) The Council of Members shall nominate a Chair and a Vice-Chair for one year from among the delegations of the members. In the event of the Chair or the Vice-Chair being the Head of Delegation when presiding at meetings, his/her right of participation in decisions of the Council of Members shall be exercised by another member of his/her delegation.

(b) Without prejudice to the powers or functions vested in the Executive Director in, or in accordance with, this Agreement, the Chair shall preside over the sessions of the Council of Members, direct discussions with a view to facilitating the decision-making process and exercise any other related responsibilities and functions set out in this Agreement and/or further specified in the Rules of Procedure.