Appendix Annex B Composition and rules of procedure of the executive committee

Membership in the Executive Committee shall be limited to Contracting Parties.

All Contracting Parties shall be members of the Executive Committee.

1. 3.1.

   Except as provided in paragraph 3.2. of this Article, each Contracting Party shall have one vote.

2. 3.2.

   If a regional economic integration organisation and one or more of its Member States are Contracting Parties to this Agreement, the regional economic integration organisation shall, in matters within its competence, exercice its right to vote with a numbr of votes equal to the number of its Member States that are Contracting Parties to this Agreement. Such an organisation shall not exercise its right to vote if any of its Member States exercises its right, and vice versa.

In order to cast its own vote, a Contracting Party shall be present. A Contracting Party need not be present for the casting of a vote by its regional economic integration organisation.

1. 5.1.

   A quorum consisting of not less than half of all the Contracting Parties shall be present for the taking of a vote.

2. 5.2.

   For purposes of determining a quorum under this Article, and determining the number of Contracting Parties needed to constitute one-third of the Contracting Parties present and voting under paragraph 7.1 of Article 7 of this Annex, a regional economic integration organisation and its Member States shall be counted as one Contracting Party.

1. 6.1.

   The Executive Committe shall, at its first session each calendar year, elect a Chairman and Vice-Chairman from its membership. The Chairman and Vice-Chairman shall be elected by a two-thirds affirmative vote of all Contracting Parties present and voting.

2. 6.2.

   Neither the Chairman, nor the Vice-Chairman, shall come from the same Contracting Party more than years in succession. In any year, the Chairman and Vice-Chairman shall not come from the same Contracting Party.

1. 7.1.

   A national or regional regulation shall be listed in the Compendium of Candidates by an affirmative vote of either at least one-third of the Contracting Parties present and voting (as defined in Article 5.2. of this Annex), or one-third of the total number of votes cast, whichever is more favourable to achieving an affirmative vote. In either case, the one-third shall include the vote of either the European Community, Japan or the United States, if any of them are Contracting Parties.

2. 7.2.

   Establishing a global technical regulation in the Global Registry, amending an established global technical regulation and amending this Agreement shall by a consensus vote of the Contracting Parties present and voting. A present and voting Contracting Party that objects to a matter for which a consensus vote is necessary for adoption shall provide a written explanation of its objection to the Secretary-General within 60 days from the date of the vote. If such Contracting Party fails to provide such explanation during that period, it shall be considered as having voted in favour of the matter on which the vote was taken. It all Contracting Parties that objected to the matter so fail, the vote on the matter shall be considered to have been a consensus vote in favour of the matter by all persons present and voting. In that event, the date of the vote shall be considered to be the first day after that 60-day period.

3. 7.3.

   All other matters requiring resolution may, at the discretion of the Executive Committee, be resolved by the voting process set forth in paragraph 7.2. of this Article.

Contracting Parties that abstain from voting are considered as not voting.

The Executive Secretary shall convene the Executive Committee whenever a vote is required to be taken under Article 5, 6 or 13 of this Agreement or whenever necessary to conduct activities under this Agreement.