Rules of Procedure of the Assembly (January 2023)
(Resolution 1202 (1999) adopted on 4 November 1999) with subsequent modifications of the Rules of Procedure* ![* Resolutions 1220 (2000),
1234 (2000), 1235 (2000), 1266 (2001), 1275 (2002), 1284 (2002),
1296 (2002), 1325 (2003), 1343 (2003), 1348 (2003), 1356 (2003),
1368 (2004), 1369 (2004), 1379 (2004), 1395 (2004), 1431 (2005),
1432 (2005), 1445 (2005), 1447 (2005), 1448 (2005), 1490 (2006),
1491 (2006), 1503 (2006), 1504 (2006), 1515 (2006), 1529 (2006),
1554 (2007), 1583 (2007), 1584 (2007), 1585 (2007), 1658 (2009),
1698 (2009), 1699 (2009), 1712 (2010), 1780 (2010), 1799 (2011),
1841 (2011), 1842 (2011), 1854 (2011), 1903 (2012), 1911 (2012),
1937 (2013), 1965 (2013), 2002 (2014), 2058 (2015), 2102 (2016),
2169 (2017), 2182 (2017), 2208 (2018), 2278 (2019), 2287 (2019),
2349 (2020), 2350 (2020), 2360 (2021), 2392 (2021), 2405 (2021)<br><br>Wherever used herein, the masculine form refers to both women and men, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The words "President", "Vice-President", "Secretary General", "Representative", "Substitute", "chairperson", etc. refer to persons of both sexes.](http://assembly.coe.int/nw/images/icon_FootnoteCall.png)
Print
Committees
Retour au sommaire
Atteindre l'élement suivant
Atteindre l'élement précédent
Rule 47 - Procedure in committee
47.1. Except as otherwise provided,
procedure in committee shall follow that in the Assembly.
47.2. Voting
shall be by a majority of the votes cast.
A
committee shall vote by show of hands. For decisions relating to
persons, voting shall take place by secret ballot.
Except
on procedural matters, a vote shall be by roll call if so requested
by at least two members. The roll shall be called alphabetically
beginning with the letter “A”.
![Only affirmative
and negative votes shall count in calculating the number of votes
cast (Rule 40.4. ).](http://assembly.coe.int/nw/images/icon_FootnoteCall.png)
![See
guidelines on voting by secret ballot in committees,
{P: EN_CEGGBECG}
.](http://assembly.coe.int/nw/images/icon_FootnoteCall.png)
47.3. A
committee may deliberate and take decisions when one third of its
members
are present;
however, if so requested by one sixth of its members
before
voting begins on a draft opinion, recommendation or resolution as
a whole, or on the election or dismissal of the chairperson or vice-chairpersons,
the vote may be taken only if a majority of committee members are present.
![The quorum for a committee of 81 members
shall be 27. If it is not possible to divide the number of members
of a committee by 3, the quorum shall be calculated on the basis
of the next lower multiple of 3.](http://assembly.coe.int/nw/images/icon_FootnoteCall.png)
![The
number of members who constitute a Committee shall be the number
of Representatives or Substitutes whose appointment to the Committee
has been confirmed by the Assembly in pursuance of Rules 44.3.a. and 44.7. . When vacant seats are occupied provisionally,
account of this must be taken in the calculation of the quorum in
accordance with Rule 44.9. .](http://assembly.coe.int/nw/images/icon_FootnoteCall.png)
47.4. If
no quorum exists when a committee begins a meeting which is taking
place at the date, time and place which was notified to its members,
the chairperson shall have the power to close the meeting and forthwith
open a subsequent one during which the committee may deliberate
and vote, irrespective of the number of members present. During
such a meeting, the agenda sent out to committee members beforehand
shall not be changed. The provisions on roll call contained in paragraph
2 above shall not be applicable during such a meeting.
47.5. Except
during part-sessions, documents relating to items on the agenda
of a committee meeting shall be despatched to the members at least
one week before the date of that meeting. If they are not, and if
five or more members object, the items concerned shall be postponed
to a later meeting. The objection may be overruled by the committee
by a two-thirds majority.
47.6. The chairperson
shall open, suspend and close the meeting and shall direct the committee's
debates. He or she may take part in the committee's debates. He
or she does not participate in a vote except in the case of a tie.
He or she shall ensure observance of the Rules and maintain order.
47.7. A
full member of a committee who is prevented from attending a meeting
shall arrange to be replaced by his or her alternate.
Failing that, the full
member may inform the chairperson of the committee which other member
of his or her national delegation is authorised to take his or her
place. ![This information should be given to the committee’s
chairperson in writing, before the opening of the meeting concerned (Doc.
8870).](http://assembly.coe.int/nw/images/icon_FootnoteCall.png)
![This
provision does not apply to the Monitoring Committee and to the
Committee on Rules of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional Affairs
which have no alternates.](http://assembly.coe.int/nw/images/icon_FootnoteCall.png)
![This information should be given to the committee’s
chairperson in writing, before the opening of the meeting concerned (Doc.
8870).](http://assembly.coe.int/nw/images/icon_FootnoteCall.png)
47.8. The alternate replacing a
full member shall have the same rights in committee as the member.
47.9. Unless
the committee decides otherwise, the only texts which shall be made
public shall be the reports approved by the committee and statements
issued on the responsibility of the chairperson. ![See
guidelines on the adoption of declarations approved by the Bureau
of the Assembly on 5 March 2015,
{P: BHBHGJCJ}
.](http://assembly.coe.int/nw/images/icon_FootnoteCall.png)
![See
guidelines on the adoption of declarations approved by the Bureau
of the Assembly on 5 March 2015,
{P: BHBHGJCJ}
.](http://assembly.coe.int/nw/images/icon_FootnoteCall.png)