Article 8 Sessions of the Council of Members

1. The Council of Members shall meet at the headquarters of the International Olive Council unless it decides otherwise. If, on the invitation of any member, the Council of Members decides to meet elsewhere, that member shall bear the extra expenditure this entails for the budget of the International Olive Council over and above that incurred in holding a session at the headquarters.

2. The Council of Members shall hold two regular sessions a year.

3. The Council of Members shall meet in extraordinary session at any time at the request of:

(a) The Chair;

(b) At least three members.

4. Notice of a session shall be given at least 60 days before the date of the first meeting in the case of regular sessions, and preferably 30 days but not less than 21days before the date of the first meeting in the case of extraordinary sessions. The expenses of delegations to the Council of Members shall be met by the members concerned.

5. Any member may, by written notification addressed to the executive secretariat before or during any regular or extraordinary session, authorize another member to represent its interests and exercise its right to participate in the decisions at that session of the Council of Members. A member may not represent more than one other member at any session of the Council of Members.

6. Any third party or entity with an intention to accede to this Agreement and/or with a direct interest in the activities of the International Olive Council may, upon its own initiative or upon the invitation of the Council of Members and with the prior consent of the latter, attend as an observer at all or parts of a given session or sessions of the Council of Members.

7. Observers shall not hold the status of members and shall have neither decision-making powers nor voting rights.