Regulations of the Board of the RCC CAs Heads
APPROVED
By the decision of the Board of the RCC CAs Heads
Dated June 30, 2003, № 29/10
REGULATIONS
of the Board of the CAs Heads
of the Regional Commonwealth in the field of Communications
The regulations of the Regional Commonwealth in the field of Communications Board of the Communications Administrations’ Heads determine the working procedure of the Board of the Communications Administrations Heads of the RCC (hereinafter - the Regulations), the organization of its meetings and the procedure for preparing and accepting documents submitted for consideration.
TERMS
For the purposes of this Regulation, the following terms apply:
Communications Administration - an executive body that exercises public administration and/or regulation in the field of communications.
Full member of the RCC - Communications Administration participating in the work of the RCC with a decisive vote.
RCC Observer - Communications Administration or national operator participating in the work of the RCC with an advisory vote.
National operator - an organization licensed to provide communication services on public networks and which the Communications Administration has been instructed to ensure the implementation of state policy in the territory of its state.
RCC participants are its full members and observers.
1. General Regulations:
1.1 The supreme body of the Regional Commonwealth in the field of Communications is the Board of the RCC Communications Administrations’ Heads (hereinafter referred to as the RCC Board).
1.2 Members of the RCC Board are the heads of the Communications Administrations of full members of the RCC.
1.3 The activities of the RCC Board are regulated by the Agreement on the Establishment of the Regional Commonwealth in the field of Communications dated December 17, 1991 (hereinafter referred to as the RCC Agreement), the Charter of the Regional Commonwealth in the field of Communications, approved by Resolution № 2/1 dated January 23-24, 1992 of the Board of the RCC CAs Heads (hereinafter referred to as - the RCC Charter), and these Regulations.
2. Guide of the RCC Board.
2.1 The management of the RCC Board is carried out by the Chairman and Deputy Chairman, whose functions are performed by the Communications Administrations Heads, who are members of the RCC Board.
2.2 The Chairman of the RCC Board is elected at a meeting of the RCC Board by an open vote from among its members by a simple majority of votes. The term for the duties of the Chairman of the RCC Board is established by the decision of the RCC Board, but not less than one calendar year.
The Vice-Chairman is appointed on the basis of the principle of rotation in the Russian alphabetical order of the names of states whose Communications Administrations are full members of the RCC for a period of not more than one year.
If, at the next appointment, the head of the Communications Administration for some reason resigns from the position of Deputy Chairman, the head of the Communications Administration of another state, named after in the Russian alphabet, is appointed instead.
In the event that the Chairman of the RCC Board and the Deputy Chairman must be from the same Communications Administration, the head of the Communications Administration of the state, named after the country in the Russian alphabetical order, the head of the Communications Administration of which is the Chairman of the RCC Board, shall be appointed to the position of Deputy Chairman.
The election of the Chairman of the RCC Board or the appointment of the Deputy Chairman shall be held at a meeting of the RCC Board in the year preceding the calendar year of the beginning of their work.
2.3 Nomination for the post of Chairman of the RCC Board can be made by any full member of the RCC Board no later than 3 months before the start of the meeting of the RCC Board, at which elections are to be held.
2.4 In the event that the head of the Communications Administration, in accordance with the decision of the government of the RCC member-state, is replaced, the newly appointed head continues to perform the duties of the Chairman (Deputy Chairman) of the RCC Board until the expiration of his previously established term of office.
2.5 RCC members shall inform the Chairman of the RCC Board and the RCC Executive Committee (hereinafter referred to as the RCC EC) in a timely manner of changes in the structure and management of their Communications Administrations.
2.6 In case of early termination by a member of the RCC Board of the powers of the Chairman of the RCC Board, the RCC Board shall be governed by the Deputy Chairman until the next election of the Chairman of the RCC Board.
3. Convocation of the RCC Board meetings
3.1 Meetings of the RCC Board are held as necessary, but at least once a year. Within the framework of the meeting of the RCC Board, meetings of the CIS Communications Administrations Heads may be held.
Meetings of the RCC Board can be held using information and communication technologies.
3.2 The time and place of meetings are agreed at previous meetings.
The costs of their implementation will be taken by the host Communications Administration, which may, if necessary, use various sources of funding, including registration fees and sponsorship funds
3.3 Extraordinary meetings of the RCC Board to consider urgent issues are convened at the proposal of one of its members, supported by at least one-third of the members of the RCC Board.
The time and place of extraordinary meetings and the procedure for their financing shall be agreed upon request of the Chairman of the RCC Board by the RCC Executive Committee with all full members of the RCC Board no later than 10 days from the date of receipt of the appeal or the decision to convene such a meeting
3.4 Notifications of the date of meetings indicating the conditions of staying, agreed with the host party are sent out by the RCC Executive Committee no later than 30 days before the start of the meeting of the RCC Board.
3.5 Invitations to meetings of the RCC Board to all RCC members are sent on behalf of the head of a full member of the RCC or an observer of the RCC in whose country the meeting of the RCC Board is held.
3.6 A meeting of the RCC Board is competent if at least two-thirds of the total number of members of the RCC Board are present.
4. Management of the RCC Board:
4.1 Meetings of the RCC Board are chaired by the Chairman of the RCC Board or his deputy.
4.2 If there are no persons specified in clause 4.1. At the meeting of the RCC Board, the members of the RCC Board shall elect the chairman from among the present heads of the Communications Administrations - full members of the RCC, preferring the head of the Communications Administration of the state in whose territory the meeting of the RCC Board is taking place.
5. Preparation of materials and their consideration by the RCC Board
5.1 The draft agenda for the meeting is formed on the basis of decisions of the RCC Board, as well as proposals of the RCC members, working bodies and the RCC Executive Committee. Materials for consideration at meetings of the RCC Board are prepared by the RCC members, working bodies and the RCC Executive Committee in accordance with the draft agenda.
They should contain:
· abstracts, references on the issues discussed;
· draft programs, concepts, etc.;
· draft decisions of the RCC Board.
These documents are sent to the RCC Executive Committee for generalization no later than 40 days before the start of the meeting of the RCC Board.
5.2 The draft agenda with the necessary documents attached is sent out by the RCC Executive Committee to all RCC members no later than 30 days before the start of the meeting of the RCC Board.
5.3 Comments and suggestions on the received documents shall be submitted by the RCC members to the Chairman of the RCC Board and to the General Director of the RCC Executive Committee for summarization no later than 10 days before the start of the work of the RCC Board. The RCC Executive Committee sends them to all RCC members. Failure to submit comments within the indicated period shall be considered as their absence.
5.4 The draft agenda, drawn up taking into account the amendments made by the RCC members, as well as the rules of work are approved by the RCC Board at the beginning of the meeting.
5.5 The agenda of the meeting, by the decision of the RCC Board, may additionally include issues that RCC members consider important and urgent, provided that they are supported by at least two RCC members.
If necessary, by the decision of the members in the meeting of the RCC Board, working and expert groups may be created to discuss disputes arising during the discussion, revision and approval of draft documents submitted for consideration by the RCC Board.
5.6 The time for reports and co-reports shall be determined at a meeting of the RCC Board when approving the agenda and the rules of the meeting.
Questions to speakers and co-speakers are asked in writing or asked from the spot.
6. Members of the RCC Board meetings
6.1 The meetings of the RCC Board are attended by members of the RCC Board, RCC observers, as well as the General Director of the RCC Executive Committee or his deputy.
6.2 In exceptional cases, authorized representatives of members of the RCC Board may participate in meetings of the RCC Board. The respective powers signed by the Head of the Communications Administration are presented to the Chairman of the RCC Council before the meeting.
6.3 The Head of the Communications Administration is a member of the RCC Board, who for some reason cannot participate in a meeting of the RCC Board but wishes to be represented at it by another Administration, submits a written statement to the Chairman of the RCC Board.
6.4 Heads of RCC working bodies, as well as experts and consultants, the composition of which are determined by RCC members, may be involved in meetings of the RCC Board by the decision of the Chairman of the RCC Board.
6.5 In addition to members and observers of the RCC, representatives of international, regional, interstate and other organizations, as well as Communications Administrations of other states that are not members of the RCC, may participate in meetings of the RCC Board. They are invited to meetings by the decision of either the RCC Board, or its Chairman, or a member of the RCC Board - the head of the Communications Administration in the country of which the RCC Board is meeting, in consultation with the Chairman of the RCC Board. When holding a meeting of the RCC Board in the country of the RCC observer, its head, in agreement with the Chairman of the RCC Board, may also invite the aforementioned representatives. Representatives invited to the meeting have the right to participate only in the discussion of issues relating to them.
6.6 Representatives of international organizations, companies and firms may participate in the meeting and speak with information, their speeches are included in the agenda of the meeting.
6.7 The decision on the presence of media representatives at meetings of the RCC Board is taken in each case with the general consent of the RCC Board members and is provided by the RCC members in the country of which the RCC Board is meeting.
6.8 The staff of the official delegation and accompanying persons shall be notified to the RCC host and Executive Committee no later than 10 days before the start of the meeting of the RCC Board.
7. Voting right
7.1 When making decisions on issues considered at the meetings of the RCC Board, each full member of the RCC Board has the right to one vote.
7.2 RCC observers have an advisory vote when making decisions on issues considered at a meeting of the RCC Board.
7.3 If in the RCC from one country the Administration is represented separately by mail, the Administration for Telecommunications and the Administration for Informatization, then when making decisions on issues considered at the meetings of the RCC Board, they are entitled to only one vote. In this case, the Government of this country empowers only one Administration, which makes a decision on the issues considered at the meeting of the RCC Board. This provision applies to all RCC members.
7.4 A full member of the RCC Board, if necessary, has the right to transfer its voting right to another full member of the RCC Board, having notified the Chairman of the RCC Board in writing. In addition, one member of the RCC Board may represent, in addition to its own, another Communications Administration - a member of the RCC Board.
7.5 The General Director of the RCC Executive Committee, and in case of his absence one of his deputies, takes part in meetings of the RCC Board with the right of an advisory vote.
8. Rights of RCC participants and invited guests during Council meetings
8.1 All RCC participants present at the meeting of the Council, as well as the General-Director of the RCC Executive Committee, and if he is absent one of his deputies, have the right to participate in the debate, make suggestions, comments, amendments on the substance of the issues discussed, give references and request the necessary information.
8.2 Any full member of the RCC participating in the meeting of the Council may amend and make reservations to the adopted decisions of the Council.
An amendment is considered to be a change or addition to a part of the original proposal, which does not change the essence of this proposal.
A reservation is considered to be the opinion of a full member of the RCC, which does not affect the interests of other participants, which he wishes to reflect in the decision or in the protocol on any issue adopted by the Council.
8.3 Persons invited to a meeting of the Council may submit their comments on the materials under consideration, as well as receive extracts from decisions of the Council on matters relating to them, unless otherwise decided by the Council.
9. Rights and Duties of the Chairman of the RCC Board
9.1 Chairman of the RCC Board at meetings:
Opens and closes meetings, submits for approval of the the agenda and schedule of the meeting, gives the set for reports and speeches, puts to voting draft documents and proposals on the issues under consideration, announces certificates and statements, ensures compliance with these Regulations.
Terminates meetings, closes the list of speakers or stops the debate, opens the discussion if proposals are made on issues related to the application of the RCC Agreement, the RCC Charter or these Regulations, invites the RCC Board members to comment on this issue and make the necessary decision.
May, with the consent of the participants of the meeting of the RCC Board, declare the meeting to be closed, having previously given any participant the right to respond if it is necessary in connection with any statement made after the closure of the list of speakers.
Ensures that participants' speeches at the meeting are limited to the addressed issues and have the right to interrupt any speaker who deviates from the topic, asking them to limit their statements to the agenda.
Reports to the participants the opinion of the absent member of the RCC Board on the issues on the agenda addressed to him in writing.
May propose to postpone or close the debate on any issue or limit the speech. Provides the opportunity for each participant in the meeting of the RCC Board to speak on the order of its conduct.
Signs decisions and protocols of meetings of the RCC Board.
Uses other rights determined by the decisions of the RCC Board.
9.2. The Chairman of the RCC Board at the meeting protects the rights of each participant to freely and fully express his opinion on the issues discussed, to promote a spirit of cooperation, convergence of the positions of the sides on the issues under consideration, the achievement of mutually agreed decisions of the RCC Board.
9.3. Any speaker at a meeting of the RCC Board should not use incorrect expressions in his speech. The Chairman in this case has the right to make a warning about the inadmissibility of such statements, and if such expressions are repeated, deprive the speaker of a word.
9.4. In the absence of the Chairman of the RCC Board at the meeting, his rights and obligations mentioned in paragraphs 9.1 and 9.3, are assigned to the presiding officer at a meeting of the RCC Board.
9.5. The Chairman of the RCC Board in between meetings:
Coordinates interaction between the RCC participants in the framework of the RCC Agreement and the RCC Charter.
Provides a solution to issues related to the activities of the RCC under the RCC Charter and decisions adopted by the RCC Board.
Promotes the implementation of the decisions of the RCC Board.
Carries out contacts and keeps correspondence with the RCC participants on the issues of the Commonwealth activities.
On behalf of the RCC and on behalf of the RCC Board, interacts with ITU, UPU, CIS and other international organizations on issues of mutual interest.
Tasks the RCC Executive Committee with the preparation of the RCC Board meetings, the implementation of its decisions and other issues that require an agreed policy in the field of communication and informatization.
10. The Procedure of Making Decisions
10.1. RCC Board decisions on issues other than procedural issues are made with the general agreement (consensus) of the RCC Board members participating in the RCC Board meeting. Any full member of the RCC during a meeting or when making a decision by correspondence may declare his disinterest in resolving a particular issue, which is not an obstacle to the adoption of a decision by the RCC Board.
10.2. Between RCC Board meetings, decisions, if necessary, can be taken by correspondence with the mandatory receipt of the original signature of each member of the RCC Board.
10.3. On procedural issues decisions are made by a simple majority of votes of full members participating in the meeting of the RCC Board.
In the event of a dispute about whether the issue under discussion is procedural or not, members of the RCC Board hold a discussion and decide by a simple majority.
The results of voting when making decisions are recorded in the protocol of the meeting.
10.4. RCC Board decisions, directly affecting the interests of an RCC member, cannot be made in his absence.
10.5. Decisions of the RCC Board come into force from the date of their adoption, unless a different procedure is specified in the decision.
11. The Procedure for Registration of Protocols of the Meetings
11.1. The results of the meetings of the RCC Board are recorded in the protocol in Russian. It summarizes the process of meetings, including taken decisions and protocol notes.
Protocols and taken decisions at a meeting of the RCC Board are signed by its Chairman or Deputy unless another decision is made by the RCC Board.
11.2. Any full member of the RCC Board, if necessary, may ask the presiding officer to reflect in the protocol a special opinion on the decision made by the RCC Board, as well as request that all or part of his statement be included in the protocol, subject to the transmission of the text no later than the closing of the RCC Board meeting.
11.3. Decisions and protocols of the RCC Board meetings in Russian are sent to the RCC members within 30 days after the meeting, and with an unofficial translation in English - within 45 days.
The maintenance and execution of protocols are entrusted to the RCC Executive Committee, which is responsible for the accuracy of the submitted materials.
11.4. If a full member of the RCC Board who is absent from a meeting of the RCC Board, having received the protocols of the meeting, disagrees with the decision on any agenda item, he must notify the Chairman of the RCC Board in writing. At the same time, he has the right to raise the issue of revising the decision either at the next meeting of the RCC Board, or by correspondence, sending his proposals to the Chairman and all members of the RCC Board.
12. The procedure for placing the participants at the meetings of the RCC Board
12.1. Members of the RCC Board or their authorized representatives take places at the table in the Russian alphabetical order of the names of the states they represent.
Heads of delegations of observers of the RCC Board are placed after the members of the RCC Board on the same principle.
12.2. The Deputy Chairman of the RCC Board takes a seat next to the chairman on the left side, and the General Director (or his deputy) of the RCC Executive Committee - on the right.
12.3. Members of delegations, experts and invited people are accommodated in the meeting room in specially designated places.
12.4. By the decision of the Chairman, invited officials may also take places at the meeting table.
13. Languages
13.1. The official language of the RCC is the Russian language.
13.2. At meetings of the RCC Board and in correspondence, English can be used as a working language (expenses are repaid from RCC funds).
13.3. Each delegation has the right to use other languages. In this case, the delegation itself provides translation of documents and speeches.
14. Granted Privileges to RCC Participants
RCC members during the meetings of the RCC Board have the right for a free usage of postal, long-distance and international telephone and facsimile communications, as well as e-mail.
These services are provided by the Communication Administration of the RCC member country, on the territory of which the RCC Board meeting is held.
15. Messages for the Media
15.1. Official reports on the work of the RCC Board are transmitted to the media in the form of a press release, agreed upon at a meeting of the RCC Board..
15.2. Official materials on the RCC activities are published in publications, the founder of which is the RCC.
16. Entry into Force of the Regulations
16.1. This Regulation shall enter into force on the date of its approval by the RCC Board.
16.2. The RCC Board may make additions and changes to these Regulations, the adoption of which is carried out with the general agreement (consensus) of the Board members.