RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE G/SG/W/59/Rev.1
20March 1996
ORGANIZATION(96-1009)
Committee onSafeguards
RULES OFPROCEDURE FOR MEETINGS OF
THE COMMITTEE ONSAFEGUARDS
Note bytheSecretariat
Revision
1. Atitsmeetingon6November1995,theCommitteeconsidereddraftrulesofprocedurecirculated
indocument G/SG/W/59. Members authorized theChairman tocontinue toconsult informally as
necessary regarding Rules ofProcedure fortheCommittee, withaviewtoward preparing draftRules
andpresenting themtotheCommittee foradoption. Suchinformal consultations havenowbeenheld,
andbased ontheresults, theChairman proposes theattached draftrules ofprocedure foradoption
bytheCommittee.
2. Theprinciple concern expressed byMembers related tothetiming ofissuance ofnotices of
meetings,proposedagendas,andthecirculationofdocumentationformeetings.SomeMembersrecalled
favourably theSecretariat 'spractice ofissuing draftannotated agendas several weeks inadvance of
meetings, including acut-off dateforcomments andinclusion ofitems intheagenda.
3. Theproposed redrafting ofrules 2,3,and4addresses these concerns. Theproposed draft
makes clearthatatleasttendaysnotice ofameeting isrequired, butrecognizes, inrule2,thatalonger
period ofnotice isdesirable. Therulefordistribution ofdocumentation isfixed for10daysprior
toameeting, butrecognizes thatdocuments should becirculated earlier where possible. Thus, for
instance, documentation forregular meetings would becirculated assoonaspossible, butnotifications
circulated 10daysinadvance ofthemeeting could stillbeconsidered atthatmeeting.
4. Inaddition, inorder toclarify matters, theChairman oftheCommittee intends tomake a
statement fortherecord atthetimethedraftrulesareproposed foradoption endorsing theSecretariat 's
practice ofissuing annotated draftagendas wellinadvance ofregular meetings. TheSecretariat intends
tocontinue toissue anannotated draftagenda fourtosixweeks before eachregular meeting. The
draftannotated agenda would indicate thedatebywhich Members should communicate requests to
additems totheagenda totheSecretariat. Thenotice convening themeeting would notcirculate before
thatcut-off date.
5. Concern wasalsoexpressed overtheoriginal wording ofdraftrule15,which seemed tosuggest
thattheChairman oftheCommittee would beobligated, insome circumstances, torequest permission
toactasChairman. Ofcourse, thiswasnever theintent oftherule,andtheproposed newwording
makes clear thattheChairman mayrequest permission atanytimetoactastherepresentative ofa
Member.
6. TheChairman alsoraised attheinformal consultations theanomalous situation thatcould arise
iftheCommittee heldonlyitsregular meeting inNovember ofagiven year, elected officers atthe
endofthatmeeting whohadbeeninformally selected inJanuary ofthatyear, andthose officers did
notpreside overameeting oftheCommittee untilNovember ofthefollowing year, bywhich timeG/SG/W/59/Rev.1
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newofficers would havebeeninformally selected. Inorder toavoid thissituation, theChairman intends
topropose thattheCommittee decide toholdtworegular meetings eachyear, inconjunction withthe
April andOctober meetings oftheCommittees onAnti-Dumping Practices andonSubsidies and
Countervailing Measures. Draft rules 1and12,conforming tothatadopted bytheCommittees on
Anti-Dumping Practices andonSubsidies andCountervailing Measures, reflects theproposed addition
ofasecond regular meeting totheCommittee 'sschedule.
7. Thefollowing draftrules, based ontheRules ofProcedure oftheGeneral Council asmodified
bytheCouncil forTrade inGoods, areproposed foradoption bytheCommittee onSafeguards. They
shallsubsequently beforwarded totheCouncil forTrade inGoods forapproval, inaccordance with
paragraph 6ofArticle IVoftheWTO Agreement.
8. Inthefollowing drafttext,textwhich isinstrike outtypeislanguage intheRules oftheGeneral
Council which isstricken fromtheproposed Rules fortheCommittee onSafeguards. Textwhich is
inredline typeisnewormodified language proposed foradoption bytheCommittee onSafeguards.
Members should notethatmany ofthemodifications identified intheproposed rules reflect changes
made bytheCouncil forTrade inGoods initsRules, andapproved bytheGeneral Council, andchanges
discussed during theinformal consultations heldbytheChairman.
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Chapter I—Meetings
Rule1
TheGeneral Council Committee onSafeguards shallmeetasappropriate notlessthantwice
ayearinregular session, andotherwise asappropriate.
Rule2
Meetings oftheGeneral Council Committee onSafeguards shallbeconvened bytheDirector-
General byanotice issued preferably three weeks, butinanycase, notlessthantencalendar days
prior tothedatesetforthemeeting. Intheevent thatthetenth dayfallsonaweekend oraholiday,
thenotice shallbeissued nolaterthanthepreceding WTO working day. Meetings maybeconvened
withshorter notice formatters ofsignificant importance orurgency attherequest ofaMember concurred
inbythemajority oftheMembers.
Chapter II—Agenda
Rule3
Alistoftheitems proposed fortheagenda ofthemeeting shallbecommunicated toMembers
together withtheconvening notice forthemeeting. ItshallbeopentoanyMember tosuggest items
forinclusion intheproposed agenda upto,andnotincluding, thedayonwhich thenotice ofthemeeting
istobeissued.
Rule4
Requests foritems tobeplaced ontheagenda ofaforthcoming meeting shallbecommunicated
totheSecretariat inwriting, together withtheaccompanying documentation tobeissued inconnection
withthatitem. Documentation forconsideration atameeting shallbecirculated preferably threeweeks,G/SG/W/59/Rev.1
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butinanycasenotlaterthanthedayonwhich thenotice ofthemeeting istobeissued tencalendar
daysprior tothedatesetforthemeeting.
Rule5
Aproposed agenda shallbecirculated bytheSecretariat oneortwodaysbefore themeeting.
Rule6
Thefirstitemofbusiness ateachmeeting shallbetheconsideration andapproval oftheagenda.
Representatives maysuggest amendments totheproposed agenda, oradditions totheagenda under
"Other Business". Representatives shallprovide theChairperson ortheSecretariat, andtheother
Members directly concerned, whenever possible, advance notice ofitems intended toberaised under
"Other Business".
Rule7
TheGeneral Council Committee onSafeguards mayamend theagenda orgivepriority tocertain
items atanytimeinthecourse ofthemeeting.
Chapter III—Representation
Rule8
Each Member shallberepresented byanaccredited representative.
Rule9
Eachrepresentative maybeaccompanied bysuchalternates andadvisers astherepresentative
mayrequire.
Chapter IV—Observers
Rule10
Representatives ofStates orseparate customs territories mayattend themeetings asobservers
ontheinvitation oftheGeneral Council Committee onSafeguards inaccordance withparagraphs 9
to11oftheguidelines inAnnex 2tothese Rules.the Rules ofProcedure oftheGeneral Council.
Rule11
Representatives ofinternational intergovernmental organizations mayattend themeetings as
observers ontheinvitation oftheGeneral Council Committee onSafeguards inaccordance withthe
guidelines inAnnex []tothese Rules theRules ofProcedure oftheGeneral Council.G/SG/W/59/Rev.1
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Chapter V—Officers
Rule12
TheGeneral Council Committee onSafeguards shallelectaChairperson*andmayelectaVice-
Chairperson from among therepresentatives ofMembers. Theelection shalltakeplace atthefirst
regular meeting oftheyearandshalltakeimmediate effect attheendofthemeeting. TheChairperson
andVice-Chairperson shallholdoffice untiltheendofthefirstregular meeting ofthefollowing year.
Rule13
IftheChairpersonisabsentfromanymeetingorpartthereof,theVice-Chairpersonshallperform
thefunctions oftheChairperson. IfnoVice-Chairperson waselected oriftheVice-Chairperson is
notpresent, theGeneral Council Committee onSafeguards shallelectaninterim Chairperson forthat
meeting orthatpartofthemeeting.
Rule14
IftheChairperson cannolonger perform thefunctions oftheoffice, theGeneral Council
Committee onSafeguards shalldesignate theVice-Chairperson referred toinRule12or,ifnoVice-
Chairperson waselected, shallelectaninterim Chairperson, toperform those functions pending the
election ofanewChairperson.
Rule15
TheChairperson shall normally participate intheproceedings assuch andnotasthe
representative ofaMember. TheChairperson may, however, atanytimerequest permission toact
inthelatter either capacity.
Chapter VI—Conduct ofbusiness
Rule16
Asimple majority oftheMembers shallconstitute aquorum.
Rule17
Inaddition toexercising thepowers conferred elsewhere bythese rules, theChairperson shall
declare theopening andclosing ofeachmeeting, shalldirect thediscussion, accord therighttospeak,
submit questions fordecision, announce decisions, ruleonpoints oforder and,subject tothese rules,
havecomplete control oftheproceedings. TheChairperson mayalsocallaspeaker toorder ifthe
remarks ofthespeaker arenotrelevant.
*TheCommittee onSafeguards shallapply therelevant guidelines contained inthe"Guidelines
forAppointment ofOfficers toWTO Bodies" (WT/L/31 dated 7February 1995).G/SG/W/59/Rev.1
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Rule18
During thediscussion ofanymatter, arepresentative mayraiseapoint oforder. Inthiscase
theChairperson shallimmediately statetheruling. Iftheruling ischallenged, theChairperson shall
immediately submit itfordecision anditshallstand unless overruled.
Rule19
During thediscussion ofanymatter, arepresentative maymove theadjournment ofthedebate.
Anysuchmotion shallhavepriority. Inaddition totheproponent ofthemotion, onerepresentative
maybeallowed tospeak infavour of,andtworepresentatives against, themotion, afterwhich the
motion shallbesubmitted fordecision immediately.
Rule20
Arepresentative mayatanytimemove theclosure ofthedebate. Inaddition totheproponent
ofthemotion, notmore thanonerepresentative maybegranted permission tospeak infavour ofthe
motion andnotmore thantworepresentatives maybegranted permission tospeak against themotion,
afterwhich themotion shallbesubmitted fordecision immediately.
Rule21
During thecourse ofthedebate, theChairperson mayannounce thelistofspeakers and,with
theconsent ofthemeeting, declare thelistclosed. TheChairperson may, however, accord theright
ofreply toanyrepresentative ifaspeech delivered afterthelisthasbeendeclared closed makes this
desirable.
Rule22
TheChairperson, withtheconsent ofthemeeting, maylimitthetimeallowed toeachspeaker.
Rule23
Representatives shall endeavour, totheextent thatasituation permits, tokeep their oral
statements brief. Representatives wishing todevelop theirposition onaparticular matter infuller detail
maycirculate awritten statement fordistribution toMembers, thesummary ofwhich, atthe
representative'srequest,maybereflectedintherecordsoftheGeneralCouncilCommitteeonSafeguards.
Rule24
Inorder toexpedite theconduct ofbusiness, theChairperson mayinvite representatives that
wishtoexpress theirsupport foragiven proposal toshow theirhands, inorder tobedulyrecorded
intherecords oftheGeneral Council Committee onSafeguards assupporting statements; thus, only
representatives withdissenting views orwishing tomake explicit points orproposals would actually
beinvited tomake astatement. Thisprocedure shallonlybeapplied inorder toavoid undue repetition
ofpoints already made, andwillnotpreclude anyrepresentative whosowishes fromtaking thefloor.
Rule25
Representatives should avoid unduly longdebates under "Other Business". Discussions on
substantive issues under "Other Business" shallbeavoided, andtheGeneral Council Committee onG/SG/W/59/Rev.1
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Safeguards shalllimititselftotaking noteoftheannouncement bythesponsoring delegation, aswell
asanyreactions tosuchanannouncement byother delegations directly concerned.
Rule26
While theGeneral Council Committee onSafeguards isnotexpected totakeaction inrespect
ofanitemintroduced as"Other Business", nothing shallprevent theGeneral Council Committee on
Safeguards, ifitsodecides, totakeaction inrespect ofanysuchitemataparticular meeting, orin
respect ofanyitemforwhich documentation wasnotcirculated atleasttencalendar daysinadvance.
Rule27
Representatives should make every effort toavoid therepetition ofafulldebate ateachmeeting
onanyissue thathasalready beenfullydebated inthepastandonwhich there appears tohavebeen
nochange inMembers 'positions already onrecord.
Rule28
Proposals andamendments toproposals shallnormally beintroduced inwriting andcirculated
toallrepresentatives notlaterthantwelve hours before thecommencement ofthemeeting atwhich
theyaretobediscussed.
Rule29
Iftwoormore proposals aremoved relating tothesamequestion, themeeting shallfirstdecide
onthemost far-reaching proposal andthenonthenextmost far-reaching proposal andsoon.
Rule30
When anamendment ismoved toaproposal, theamendment shallbesubmitted fordecision
firstand,ifitisadopted, theamended proposal shallthenbesubmitted fordecision.
Rule31
When twoormore amendments aremoved toaproposal, themeeting shalldecide firston
theamendment farthest removed insubstance from theoriginal proposal, then, ifnecessary, onthe
amendment nextfarthest removed, andsoonuntilalltheamendments havebeensubmitted fordecision.
Rule32
Parts ofaproposal maybedecided onseparately ifarepresentative requests thattheproposal
bedivided.
Chapter VII—Decision-Making
Rule33
TheGeneral Council shalltakedecisions inaccordance withthedecision-making provisions
oftheWTO Agreement, inparticular Article IXthereof entitled "Decision-Making".G/SG/W/59/Rev.1
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Where adecision cannotbearrived atbyconsensus, thematter atissue shallbereferred to
theCouncil forTrade inGoods.
Rule34
When, inaccordance withtheWTO Agreement, decisions arerequired tobetaken byvote,
suchvotes shallbetaken byballot. Ballot papers shallbedistributed torepresentatives ofMembers
present atthemeeting andaballot boxplaced intheconference room. However, therepresentative
ofanyMember mayrequest, ortheChairperson maysuggest, thatavotebetaken bytheraising of
cards orbyrollcall.Inaddition, where inaccordance withtheWTO Agreement avotebyaqualified
majority ofallMembers isrequired tobetaken, theGeneral Council maydecide, upon request from
aMember orthesuggestion oftheChairperson, thatthevotebetaken byairmail ballots orballots
transmitted bytelegraph ortelefacsimile inaccordance withtheprocedures described inAnnex 1to
these Rules.
Chapter VIII—Languages
Rule35
English, French andSpanish shallbetheworking languages.
Chapter IX—Records
Rule36
Records ofthediscussions oftheGeneral Council Committee onSafeguards shallbeinthe
form ofminutes.***
Chapter X—Publicity ofmeetings
Rule37
ThemeetingsoftheGeneralCouncilCommitteeonSafeguardsshallordinarilybeheldinprivate.
Itmaybedecided thataparticular meeting ormeetings should beheldinpublic.
Rule38
After aprivate meeting hasbeenheld, theChairperson mayissueacommuniqué tothePress.
Chapter XI—Revision
Rule39
TheGeneral Council Committee onSafeguards maydecide atanytimetorevise these rules
oranypartofthem.
***Thecustomary practice under theGATT 1947, whereby representatives may,upontheirrequest,
verify those portions ofthedraft records containing theirstatements, prior totheissuance ofsuch
records, shallbecontinued.