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Rules of Procedure of the Cariforum-EU Parliamentary Committee

THE CARIFORUM - EU PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE (hereinafter 'the Committee')

- having regard to the Economic Partnership Agreement between the CARIFORUM States, of the one part, and the European Union and its Member States, of the other part, signed in October 2008, and in particular Article 231 thereof,

- whereas the Agreement provides that the Committee shall establish its Rules of Procedure and inform the Joint CARIFORUM-EU Council,

- whereas the agreement is provisionally applied as of 29 December 2008,

HAS ESTABLISHED THE FOLLOWING RULES OF PROCEDURE at its Second Meeting held on 3 April, 2013, Trinidad and Tobago:

Rule 1

The role of the Committee is to monitor and review the implementation of the Economic Partnership Agreement between the CARIFORUM States, of the one part, and the European Community and its Member States, of the other part. It shall be a forum for members of the European Parliament and the CARIFORUM States legislatures to meet and exchange views. It shall furthermore cooperate with the Joint Parliamentary Assembly provided for in Article 17 of the Cotonou Agreement.

Rule 2

1. The Committee shall consist of a fixed number of members, appointed by the European Parliament and of the CARIFORUM States legislatures.

2. The length of the members' term of office shall be laid down in accordance with the rules and practices of the European Parliament and of the CARIFORUM States legislatures respectively.

Rule 3

1. The Committee's bureau shall comprise the Chair of the European Parliament's Delegation to the CARIFORUM-EU Parliamentary Committee, the Chair of the delegation of the CARIFORUM States legislatures (hereafter the CARIFORUM delegation) and two Vice-Chairs from each delegation.

2. The Committee shall be chaired in turn, for periods of 12 months, by the Chair of the European Parliament's delegation and the Chair of the CARIFORUM delegation.

3. Should the need arise, a delegation Vice-Chair may deputise for the Chair.

Rule 4

1. On a proposal from the Committee's bureau and pursuant to Article 231(7) of the Economic Partnership Agreement, recommendations may be put forward to the Joint CARIFORUM-EU Council and the CARIFORUM-EU Trade and Development Committee.

2. The Committee shall seek to take decisions on the basis of consensus. If this is not possible, such recommendations shall be deemed to have been adopted if they are supported by a majority of the members of the European Parliament delegation and a majority of the members of the CARIFORUM delegation.

Rule 5

1. The Committee shall meet at least once a year, at a venue alternating between one of the European Parliament's places of work and the CARIFORUM states.

2. The draft agenda, which shall be drawn up by the Co-Chairs of the Bureau, shall be forwarded to the members of the Committee two weeks before the date scheduled for meetings.

3. The meetings shall be held in public, unless the Committee decides otherwise.

Rule 6

1. In addition to the members of the Committee, members of the Council of Ministers of the European Community and of the European Commission and representatives of the governments of the CARIFORUM states may attend and speak at the meetings held in public.

2. The Committee may decide to admit observers on a permanent basis.

3. The Committee may decide to invite additional observers on an ad hoc basis to attend the meetings.

Rule 7

1. The secretariat of the Committee shall be provided alternately for periods of 12 months, by the secretariat of the European Parliament and the secretariat of the CARIFORUM legislature. These periods shall coincide with the holding of the Chair of the Committee.

2. The Committee secretariat shall take minutes of each meeting. Draft minutes should be circulated within two months of the meeting, before approval at the start of the following meeting.

Rule 8

Translation and interpretation facilities shall be provided on the basis of the Bureau's decisions and pursuant to the European Parliament's internal rules.

Rule 9

1. The CARIFORUM legislatures and the European Parliament shall separately meet any personnel, travel and subsistence expenses arising from their participation in meetings of the Committee.

2. Expenditure in connection with the practical organisation of meetings shall be borne by the party hosting the meeting.

Rule 10

1. Any amendments to these Rules of Procedure which the Committee may propose shall be submitted for consideration by the Bureau of the European Parliament and by the corresponding body within the CARIFORUM legislatures.

2. The Committee shall inform the Joint CARIFORUM-EU Council of amendments to the Rules of Procedure.

3. The Committee shall adopt any amendments to these Rules of Procedure on the basis of a majority of the votes of the total number of members of each of the parties.