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INTERNATIONAL SUGAR AGREEMENT, 1992
CONTENTS
CHAPTER I. Objectives
1. Objectives
CHAPTER II. DEFINITIONS
2. Definitions
CHAPTER III INTERNATIONAL SUGAR ORGANIZATION
3. Continuation, headquarters and structure of the International Sugar
Organization
4. Membership of the Organization
5. Membership by intergovernmental organizations
6. Privileges and immunities
CHAPTER IV. INTERNATIONAL SUGAR COUNCIL
7. Composition of the International Sugar Council
8. Powers and functions of the Council
9. Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Council
10. Sessions of the Council
11. Votes
12. Voting procedure of the Council
13. Decisions of the Council
14. Cooperation with other organizations
15. Relationship with the Common Fund for commodities
16. Admission of observers
17. Quorum for the Council
CHAPTER V. ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTE
18. Composition of the Administrative Committee
19. Election to the Administrative Committee
20. Delegation of powers by the Council to the Administrative Committee
21. Voting procedure and decisions of the Administrative Committee
22. Quorum for the Administrative Committee
CHAPTER VI. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND STAFF
23. Executive Director and staff
CHAPTER VII. FINANCE .
24. Expenses.
25. Adoption of the administrative budget and contributions of Members
26. Payment of contributions.
27. Audit and publication of accounts
CHAPTER VIII. GENERAL UNDERTAKINGS Of MEMBERS
28. Undertakings by Members
29. Labour standards
30. Environmental aspects
31. Financial liability of Members
CHAPTER IX. INFORMATION AND STUDIES
32. Information and studies
33. Market evaluation, consumption and statistics
CHAPTER X. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
34. Research and development
CHAPTER XI. PREPARATIONS FOR A NEW AGREEMENT
35. Preparations for a new agreement
CHAPTER XII. FINAL PROVISIONS
36. Depositary
37. Signature
38. Ratification, acceptance and approval
39. Notification of provisional application
40. Entry into force
41. Accession
42. Withdrawal
43. Settlement of accounts
44. Amendment
45. Duration, extension and termination
46. Transitional measures
ANNEX
Allocation of votes for the purposes of article 25
CHAPTER I. OBJECTIVES
Article 1
Objectives
The objectives of the International Sugar Agreement, 1992
(hereinafter referred to as this Agreement), in the light of the terms
of resolution 93 (IV) adopted by the United Nations Conference on
Trade and Development, are:
(a) To ensure enhanced international cooperation in connection with
world sugar matters and related issues;
(b) To provide a forum for intergovernmental consultations on sugar
and on ways to improve the world sugar economy;
(c) To facilitate trade by collecting and providing information on
the world sugar market and other sweeteners;
(d) To encourage increased demand for sugar, particularly for
non-traditional uses.
Article 2
Definitions
For the purpose of this Agreement:
1 "Organization" means the International Sugar
Organization referred to in article 3;
2 "Council" means the lnternational Sugar Council referred
to in article 3, paragraph 3;
3. "Member" means a Party to this Agreement;
4. "Special vote" means a vote requiring at least two
thirds of the votes cast by Members present and voting, on condition
that these votes are cast by at least two thirds of the number of
Members present and voting;
5. "Simple majority vote" means a vote requiring more than
half of the total votes of Members present and voting, on condition
that these votes are cast by at least half of the number of Members
present and voting;
6. "Year" means the calendar year;
7. "Sugar" means sugar in any of its recognized commercial
Forms derived from sugar cane or sugar beet, including edible and
fancy molasses, syrups and any other form of liquid sugar, but does
not include final molasses or low-grade types of non-centrifugal sugar
produced by primitive methods;
8. "Entry into force" means the date on which this
Agreement enters into force provisionally or definitively, as provided
for in article 40:
9. "Free market" means the total of net imports of the
world market, except those resulting from the operation of special
arrangements as defined in chapter IX of the International Sugar
Agreement, 1977;
10. "World market" means the international sugar market
and includes both sugar traded on the free market and sugar traded
under special arrangements as defined in chapter IX of the
International Sugar Agreement, 1977.
CHAPTER III. INTERNATIONAL SUGAR ORGANIZATION
Article 3
Continuation, headquarters and structure of the International Sugar
Organization
- The lnternational Sugar Organization established under the
International Sugar Agreement, 1968, and maintained in existence
under the International Sugar agreements, 1973, 1977, 1984 and 1987,
shall continue in being for the purpose of administering this
Agreement and supervising its operation, with the membership, powers
and functions set out in this Agreement.
- The headquarters of the Organization shall be in London, unless
the Council decides otherwise by special vote.
- The Organization shall function through the lnternational Sugar
Council, its Administrative Committee and its Executive Director and
staff.
Article 4
Membership of the Organization
Each Party to this Agreement shall be a Member of the Organization.
Article 5
Membership by intergovernmental organizations
Any reference in this Agreement to a "Government" or "Governments"
shall be construed as including the European Economic Community and
any other intergovernmental organization having responsibilities in
respect of the negotiation, conclusion and application of
international agreements, in particular commodity agreements.
Accordingly, any reference in this Agreement to signature,
ratification, acceptance or approval, or to notification of
provisional application or to accession shall, in the case of such
intergovernmental organizations, be construed as including a reference
to signature, ratification, acceptance, or approval, or to
notification of provisional application, or to accession, by such
intergovernmental organizations.
Article 6
Privileges and immunities
- The Organization shall have international legal personality.
- The Organization shall have the capacity to contract, to acquire
and dispose of movable and immovable property and to institute legal
proceedings.
- The status, privileges and immunities of the Organization in the
territory of the United Kingdom shall continue to be governed by the
Headquarters Agreement between the Government of the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the lnternational Sugar
Organization signed at London on 29 May 1969, with such amendments
as may be necessary for the proper functioning of this agreement.
4. If the seat of the Organization is moved to a country which is
a Member of the Organization, that Member shall, as soon as possible,
conclude with the Organization a agreement to be approved by the Council
relating to the status, privileges and immunities of the Organization,
of its Executive Director, staff and exports and of representatives
of Membership in that country for the purpose of exercising their functions.
5. Unless any other taxation arrangements are implemented under the
agreement envisaged in paragraph 4 of this article and pending the
conclusion of that agreement the new host Member shall;
(a) Grant exemption from taxation on the remuneration paid by the
Organization to its employees, except that such exemption need not
apply to its own nationals; and
(b) Grant exemption from taxation on the assets, income and other
property of the Organization.
6. If the seat of the Organization is to be moved to a country which
is not a Member of the Organization, the Council shall, before that
move, obtain a written assurance from the Government of that country:
(a) That it shall, as soon as possible, conclude with the
Organization an agreement as described in paragraph 4 of this article;
and
(b) That, pending the conclusion of such an agreement, it shall
grant the exemptions provided for in paragraph 5 of this article.
7. The Council shall endeavour to conclude the agreement described
in paragraph 4 of this article with the Government of the country to
which the seat of the Organization is to be moved before transferring
the seat.
CHAPTER IV. INTERNATIONAL SUGAR COUNCIL
Article 7
Composition of the International Sugar Council
- The highest authority of the Organization shall be the
International Sugar Council, which shall consist of all the Members
of the Organization.
- Each Member shall have one representative in the Council, and if
it so desires, one or more alternates. Furthermore, a Member may
appoint one or more advisers to its representatives or alternates.
Article 8
Powers and functions of the Council
- The Council shall exercise all such powers and perform or
arrange for the performance of all such functions as are necessary
to carry out the provisions of this Agreement and to pursue the
liquidation of the Stock Financing Fund established under article 49
of the International Sugar Agreement, 1977, as delegated by the
council under that Agreement to the Council under the lnternational
Sugar Agreement, 1984, and the International Sugar Agreement, 1987,
pursuant to article 8, paragraph 1, of the latter.
- The council shall adopt, by special vote, such rules and
regulations as are necessary to carry out the provisions of this
Agreement and are consistent therewith, including rules of procedure
for the Council and its committees, and the financial and staff
regulations of the Organization. The Council may, in its rules of
procedure, provide a procedure whereby it may, without meeting,
decide specific questions.
- The Council shall keep such records as are requited to perform
its functions under this Agreement and such other records as it
considers appropriate.
- The Council shall publish an annual report and such other
information as it considers appropriate.
Article 9
Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Council
- For each year, the Council shall elect from among the
delegations a Chairman and a Vice Chairman, who may be re-elected
and shall not be paid by the Organization.
- In the absence of the Chairman, the duties of the post shall be
carried out by the Vice-Chairman. ln the temporary absence of both
the Chairman and the Vice-Chairman or the permanent absence of one
or both, the council may elect from among the delegations new
officers, temporary or permanent as appropriate.
- Neither the chairman nor any other officer presiding at meetings
of the Council shall vote. They may, however, appoint another person
to exercise the voting rights of the Member which they represent.
Article 10
Sessions of the Council
- As a general rule, the Council shall hold one regular session in
each year.
- In addition, the Council shall meet in special session whenever
it so decides or at the request of:
(a) Any five Members;
(b) Two or more Members holding collectively 250 votes or more under
article 11 as determined under article 25; or
(c) The Administrative Committee.
3. Notice of sessions shall be given to Members at least 30 calendar
days in advance, except in case of emergency, when such notice shall
be given at least 10 calendar days in advance.
4. Sessions shall be held at the headquarters of the Organization
unless the Council decides otherwise by special vote. If any Member
invites the Council to meet elsewhere than at the headquarters of the
Organization, and the Council agrees so to do, that Member shall pay
the additional costs involved.
Article 11
Votes
- For the purpose of voting under this Agreement, Members shall
hold a total of 2,000 votes distributed as determined under article
25.
- Whenever a Member has its voting rights suspended under article
26, paragraph 2. of this Agreement, its votes shall be distributed
among the other Members according to their shares as determined
under article 25. The same procedure shall apply when the Member
recovers its voting rights, the Member concerned being included in
the distribution.
Article 12
Voting procedure of the Council
- Each Member shall be entitled to cast the number of votes it
holds under article 11 as determined under article 25. It shall not
be entitled to divide such votes.
- By informing the Chairman in writing, any Member may authorize
any other Member to represent its interests and to cast its votes at
any meeting or meetings of the Council. A copy of such
authorizations shall be examined by any credentials committee that
may be set up under the rules of procedure of the Council.
- A Member authorized by another Member to cast the votes held by
the authorizing Member under article 11 as determined under article
25 shall cast such votes as authorized and in accordance with
paragraph 2 of this article.
Article 13
Decisions of the council
- All decisions of the Council shall be taken and all
recommendations shall be made, in principle. by consensus. ln the
absence of consensus, decisions and recommendations shall be made by
simple majority vote, unless this Agreement provides for a special
vote.
- ln arriving at the number of votes necessary for any decision of
the council, votes of Members abstaining shall not be reckoned and
those Members shall not be considered as 'voting' for the purposes
of article 2, definition 4 or definition 5, as the case may be.
Where a Member avails itself of the provisions of article 12, and
its votes are cast at a meeting of the Council, such Member shall,
for the purposes of paragraph 1 of this article, be considered as
present and voting.
- All decisions of the Council under this Agreement shall be
binding upon Members.
Article 14
Cooperation with other organizations
- The Council shall make whatever arrangements are appropriate for
consultation or cooperation with the United Nations and its organs,
in particular the United Nations Conference on Trade and
Development, and with the Food and Agriculture organization and such
other specialized agencies of the United Nations and
intergovernmental organizations as may be appropriate.
- The Council, bearing in mind the particular role of the United
Nations Conference on Trade and Development in international
commodity trade, shall as appropriate keep the United Nations
Conference on Trade and Development informed of its activities and
programmes of work.
- The Council may also make whatever arrangements are appropriate
for maintaining effective contact with international organizations
of sugar producers, traders and manufacturers.
Article 15
Relationship with the Common Fund for Commodities
- The Organization shall take full advantage of the facilities of
the Common Fund for Commodities.
- ln respect of the implementation of any project under paragraph
1 of this article, the Organization shall not act as an executing
agency, nor incur any financial obligation for guarantees given by
individual Members or other entities. No Member shall be responsible
by reason of its membership in the organization for any liability
arising from borrowing or lending by any other Member or entity in
connection with such projects.
Article 16
Admission of observers
- The Organization may invite any non member State to attend any
of its meetings as an observer.
- The Council may also invite any of the organizations referred to
in article 14, paragraph 1, to attend any of its meetings as an
observer.
Article 17
Quorum for the Council
The quorum for any meeting of the Council shall be the presence of
more than two thirds of all Members, the Members thus present holding
at least two thirds of the total votes of all Members under article 11
as determined under article 25. If there is no quorum on the day
appointed for the opening of any council session, or if in the course
of any Council session there is no quorum at three successive
meetings, the Council shall be convened seven days later; at that
time, and throughout the remainder of that session, the quorum shall
be the presence of more than half of all Members, the Members thus
present representing more than half of the total votes of all Members
under article 11 as determined under article 25. Representation in
accordance with article 12, paragraph 2, shall be considered as
presence.
CHAPTER V. ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE
Article 18
Composition of the Administrative Committee
- The Administrative Committee shall consist of 18 members. Ten
shall, in principle, be the 10 largest financial contributing
Members in each year, and 8 members shall be elected from the
remaining Membership of the Council.
- If one or more of the 10 largest financial contributing Members
in each year does not wish to be automatically appointed to the
Administrative Committee, the shortfall in membership shall be made
good by appointing the next largest financial contributing Member or
Members willing to serve. When those 10 members of the
Administrative Committee have thus been appointed, the other 8
members of the Committee shall be elected from the remaining
Membership of the Council.
- The election of the additional 8 members shall take place each
Year on the basis of votes under article 11 as determined under
article 25. The Members appointed to the Administrative committee
under the provisions of paragraphs 1 or 2 of this article shall not
be entitled to vote in this election.
- No Member shall be eligible to sit on the Administrative
Committee unless it has paid its contributions in full in accordance
with article 26.
- Each member of the Administrative Committee shall appoint one
representative and may appoint in addition one or more alternates
and advisers. In addition, all Members of the Council shall be
eligible to attend this Committee as observers and may be invited to
speak.
- The Administrative Committee shall elect its Chairman and
Vice-Chairman for each year. The Chairman shall not have the right
to vote and may be re-elected. In the absence of the Chairman, the
duties of the post shall be carried out by the Vice-Chairman.
- The Administrative Committee shall normally meet three times a
year.
- The Administrative Committee shall meet at the headquarters of
the Organization, unless it decides otherwise. If any Member invites
the Administrative Committee to meet elsewhere than at the
headquarters of the Organization, and the Administrative Committee
agrees so to do, that Member shall pay the additional costs
involved.
Article 19
Election to the Administrative Committee
- The Members elected from among the largest financial
contributing Members in each year under the procedure in paragraphs
1 or 2 of article 18 shall be appointed to the Administrative
Committee.
- The election of the additional 8 members of the Administrative
Committee shall take place in the Council. Each Member eligible
pursuant to the provisions of article 18, paragraphs 1, 2, and 3,
shall cast all the votes to which it is entitled under article 11 as
determined under article 25 for a single candidate. A Member may
cast for another candidate any votes which it exercises pursuant to
article 12, paragraph 2. The 8 candidates receiving the largest
number of votes shall be elected.
3. If a member of the Administrative Committee is suspended from the
exercise of its voting tights under any of the relevant provisions of
this Agreement, each Member which has voted for it or assigned its
votes to it in accordance with this article may, during such time as
that suspension is in force. assign its votes to any other member of
the Committee.
4. If a Member appointed to the Committee under the provisions of
paragraphs 1 or 2 of article 18 ceases to be a Member of the
Organization, it shall be replaced by the next largest financial
contributing Member willing to serve and, if necessary, an election
shall be held to select an additional elected member of the Committee.
If a Member elected to the Committee ceases to be a Member of the
Organization, an election shall be held to replace that Member on the
Committee. Any Member which voted for or assigned its votes to the
Member which has ceased to be a Member of the Organization, and which
does not vote for the Member elected to fill the vacancy on the
committee, may assign its votes to another member of the Committee.
5. ln special circumstances, and after consultation with the member
of the Administrative Committee for which it voted or to which it
assigned its votes in accordance with the provisions of this article,
a Member may withdraw its votes from that member for the remainder of
the year. That Member may then assign these votes to another member of
the Administrative Committee but may not withdraw these votes from
that other member for the remainder of that year. The member of the
Administrative Committee from which the votes have been withdrawn
shall retain its seat on the Administrative Committee for the
remainder of that year. Any action taken pursuant to the provisions of
this paragraph shall become effective after the chairman of the
Administrative Committee has been informed in writing thereof.
Article 20
Delegation of powers by the Council to the Administrative Committee
1. The Council may, by special vote, delegate to the Administrative
Committee the exercise of any or all of its powers, other than the
following:
(a) Location of the headquarters of the Organization under article
3, paragraph 2;
(b) Appointment of the Executive Director and any senior official
under article 23;
(c) Adoption of the administrative budget and assessment of
contributions under article 25;
(d) Any request to the Secretary General of the United Nations
Conference on Trade and Development to convene a negotiating
conference under article 35, paragraph 2;
(e) Recommendation of an amendment under article 44;
(f) Extension or termination of this Agreement under article 45.
Article 21
Voting procedure and decisions of the Administrative Committee
- Each member of the Administrative Committee shall be entitled to
cast the number of votes received by it under article 19, and cannot
divide these votes.
- Any decision taken by the Administrative Committee shall require
the same majority as that decision would require if taken by the
Council and shall be reported to the Council.
- Any Member shall have the right of appeal to the Council, under
such conditions as the Council may prescribe in its rules of
procedure, against any decision of the Administrative Committee.
Article 22
Quorum for the Administrative Committee
The quorum for any meeting of the Administrative Committee shall be
the presence of more than half of all members of the Committee, the
members thus present representing at least two thirds of the total
votes of all members of the Committee.
CHAPTER VI. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND STAFF
Article 23
Executive Director and staff
- The Council shall appoint the Executive Director by special
vote. The terms of appointment of the Executive Director shall be
fixed by the Council.
- The Executive Director shall be the chief administrative officer
of the Organization and shall be responsible for the performance of
the duties devolving upon him in the administration of this
Agreement.
- The Council, after consulting the Executive Director, shall by
special vote appoint any senior official on such terms as it shall
determine.
- The Executive Director shall appoint other members of the staff
in accordance with regulations and decisions of the Council.
- The Council, in accordance with article 8, shall adopt rules and
regulations embodying the fundamental conditions of service and the
basic rights, duties and obligations of all members of the
Secretariat.
- Neither the Executive Director not any member of the staff shall
have any financial interest in the sugar industry or sugar trade.
- Neither the Executive Director nor any member of the staff shall
seek or receive instructions regarding their duties under this
Agreement From any Member or from any authority external to the
Organization. They shall refrain from any action which might reflect
on their position as international officials responsible only to the
Organization. Each Member shall respect the exclusively
international character of the responsibilities of the Executive
Director and staff and shall not seek to influence them in the
discharge of their responsibilities.
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CHAPTER VII. FINANCE
Article 24
Expenses
- The expenses of delegations to the Council, the Administrative
Committee or any of the committees of the Council or of the
Administrative Committee shall be met by the Members concerned.
- The expenses necessary for the administration of this Agreement
shall be met by annual contributions from Members, assessed in
accordance with article 25. If, however, a Member requests special
services, the Council may require that Member to pay for them.
- Appropriate accounts shall be kept for the administration of
this Agreement.
Article 25
Adoption of the administrative budget and contributions of Members
- For the purpose of this article Members shall hold 2000 votes.
- (a) Each Member shall hold the number of votes specified in the
annex, which shall be adjusted in accordance with sub-paragraph (d)
below.
(b) No Member shall hold fewer than 6 votes.
(c) There shall be no fractional votes. Rounding shall be permitted
in the process of calculation and to ensure that the full number of
votes is allocated.
(d) Votes in the annex which are not taken up at the time of the
entry into force of this Agreement shall be apportioned among
individual Members, other than those holding 6 votes in the annex. The
unallocated votes shall be distributed in the proportion that the
number of their votes in the annex bears to the total number of votes
of all Members holding more than 6 votes.
3. Votes shall be revised on an annual basis according to the
following procedure:
(a) each year, including the year of entry into force of this
Agreement, at the time of the publication of the Sugar Year Book by
the lnternational Sugar Organization, a composite tonnage basis shall
be calculated for each Member which shall comprise:
- 35 per cent of that Member's exports to the free market plus
- 15 per cent of that Member's total exports under special
arrangements, plus
- 35 per cent of that Member's free market imports, plus
The data used to calculate the composite tonnage basis of each
Member shall be, for each category above, the average of that category
for the highest three of the four last years published in the most
recent edition of the Organization's Sugar Year Book. The share of
each Member in the total of all Members' composite tonnage bases shall
be calculated by the Executive Director. All the above data will be
distributed to Members at the time that the calculations are made.
(b) For the second and subsequent years after the entry into force
of this Agreement, the votes of each Member shall be adjusted by the
change in their share in the total of all Members' composite tonnage
bases from that for the same membership for the previous year.
(c) members holding 6 votes shall not be subject to an upward
adjustment under the provisions of sub-paragraph (b) above unless
their share of the total of all Members' composite tonnage bases
exceeds 0.3 per cent.
4. ln the event of the accession of a Member or Members after the
entry into force of this Agreement, their votes shall be determined
according to the annex as adjusted in the light of paragraphs 2 and 3
above. If the acceding Member or Members are not listed in the annex
of this Agreement, the Council shall decide the number of votes to be
allocated to that Member or Members. Following the acceptance by the
acceding Member or Members not listed in the annex of the number of
votes allocated by the Council, the votes of existing Members shall be
re-calculated so that the total of votes remains at 2000.
5. ln the event of the withdrawal of a Member or Members, the votes
of the withdrawing Member or Members shall bc redistributed to the
remaining Members in proportion to their share in the total of all
remaining Member votes so that the total of the votes of all Members
remains at 2000.
6. Transitional arrangements:
(a) The following provisions apply only to Members of the
International Sugar Agreement, 1987, as of 31 December 1992 and are
limited to the first two calendar years after the entry into force of
this Agreement (that is up to 31 December 1994).
(b) The total number of votes allocated to each Member in 1993 shall
not exceed 1.33 multiplied by that Member's votes in 1992 under the
lnternational Sugar Agreement, 1987, and in 1994 shall not exceed 1.66
multiplied by that Member's votes in 1992 under the lnternational
Sugar Agreement, l987.
(c) For the purpose of establishing the contribution per vote, votes
not taken up due to the application of paragraph 6
(b) above shall not be redistributed to other Members. Hence, the
contribution per vote will be determined on the basis of the reduced
number of overall votes.
7. The provisions of article 26, paragraph 2, relating to the
suspension of voting rights for non fulfilment of obligations, shall
not apply to this article.
8. During the second half of each year, the Council shall adopt the
administrative budget of the Organization for the following year and
shall determine the per vote contribution of Members required to meet
that budget, in the first two years after taking into account the
provisions of paragraph 6 of this article.
9. The contribution of each Member to the administrative budget
shall be calculated by multiplying the per vote contribution by the
number of votes held by it under this article, as follows:
(a) For those which are Members at the time of the final adoption of
the administrative budget, the number of votes which they then hold;
and
(b) For those which become Members after the adoption of the
administrative budget, the number of votes which they receive at the
time of taking up membership, adjusted in proportion to the remainder
of the period covered by the budget or budgets; assessments made upon
other Members shall not be altered.
10. If this Agreement enters into force mote than eight months
before the beginning of its first full year, the council shall at its
first session adopt an administrative budget covering the period up to
the commencement of the first full year. Otherwise, the first
administrative budget shall cover both the initial period and the
first full year.
11. The Council may, by special vote, take such measure as it might
deem appropriate in order to mitigate the effects on Members'
contributions resulting from a possibly limited membership at the time
of the adoption of the administrative budget for the first year of
this Agreement or from any major decrease of membership thereafter.
Article 26
Payment of contributions
- Members shall pay their contributions to the administrative
budget for each year in accordance with their respective
constitutional procedures. Contributions to the administrative
budget for each year shall be payable in freely convertible
currencies and shall become due on the first day of that year;
contributions of Members in respect of the year in which they join
the Organization shall be due on the date on which they become
Members.
- If, at the end of four months following the date on which its
contribution is due in accordance with paragraph 1 of this article,
a Member has not paid its full contribution Lo the administrative
budget, the Executive Director shall request the Member to make
payment as quickly as possible. If, at the expiration of two months
after the request of the Executive Director, the Member has still
not paid its contribution, its voting rights in the Council and in
the Administrative Committee shall be suspended until such time as
it has made full payment of the contribution.
- The Council may decide, by special vote, that a Member with two
years contributions unpaid shall cease to enjoy the rights of
membership and/or cease to be assessed for budgetary purposes. It
shall remain liable to meet any other of its financial obligations
under this Agreement. By payment of the arrears the Member will
regain the rights of membership. Any payments made by Members in
arrears will be credited first to those arrears, rather than to
current contributions.
Article 27
Audit and publication of accounts As soon as possible after
the close of each year, the financial statements of the Organization for
that year, certified by an independent auditor, shall be presented to
the Council for approval and publication.
CHAPTER VIII. GENERAL UNDERTAKINGS OF MEMBERS
Article 28
Undertakings by Members
Members undertake to adopt such measures as are necessary to enable
them to fulfil their obligations under this Agreement and fully to
cooperate with one another in securing the attainment of the
objectives of this Agreement.
Article 29
Labour standards
Members shall ensure that fair labour standards are maintained in
their respective sugar industries and, as far as possible, shall
endeavour to improve the standard of living of agricultural and
industrial workers in the various branches of sugar production and of
growers of sugar cane and sugar beet.
Article 30
Environmental aspects
Members shall give due consideration to environmental aspects in all
stages of sugar production.
Article 31
Financial liability of Members
Each Member's financial liability to the Organization and to other
Members is limited to the extent of its obligations concerning
contributions to the administrative budgets adopted by the Council
under this Agreement.
CHAPTER IX. INFORMATION AND STUDIES
Article 32
Information and studies
- The Organization shall act as a centre for the collection and
publication of statistical information and studies on world
production, prices, exports and imports, consumption and stocks of
sugar (including both raw and refined sugar as appropriate) and
other sweeteners, as well as taxes on sugar and other sweeteners.
- Members undertake to supply within the time which may be
prescribed in the rules of procedure all available statistics and
information as may be identified in those rules as necessary to
enable the Organization to discharge its functions under this
agreement. Should this become necessary, the Organization shall use
such relevant information as may be available to it from other
sources. No information shall be published by the Organization which
might serve to identify the operations of persons or companies
Producing, processing or marketing sugar.
Article 33
Market evaluation, consumption and statistics
- The Council shall establish a Committee on Sugar Market
Evaluation, Consumption and Statistics, composed of all Members,
under the Chairmanship of the Executive Director.
- The Committee shall keep under continuous review matters
relating to the world economy of sugar and other sweeteners and
shall apprise Members of the outcome of its deliberations, for which
purpose it shall hold meetings, normally twice a year. ln its
review. the Committee shall take account of all relevant information
gathered by the Organization pursuant to article 32.
- The Committee shall undertake work in the following areas:
(a) preparation of sugar statistics and statistical analysis of
sugar production, consumption, stocks, international trade and prices;
(b) Analysis of market behaviour and factors which affect it, with
special reference to participation of developing countries in world
trade;
(c) Analysis of demand for sugar, including the effects of the use
of any form of natural and artificial substitutes for sugar on world
trade in, and consumption of, sugar;
(d) Other issues as approved by the Council.
4. Each year the Council shall consider a draft forward work
programme, with estimated resource requirements, prepared by the
Executive Director.
CHAPTER X. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
Article 34
Research and development
ln order to achieve the objectives set out in article 1, the Council
may assist both in scientific research and development in the sugar
economy and in the dissemination of the results obtained in this
field. To this end, the Council may cooperate with international
organizations and research institutions on condition that no
additional financial obligations are incurred by the Council.
CHAPTER XI. PREPARATIONS FOR A NEW AGREEMENT
Article 35
Preparations for a new agreement
- The Council may study the feasibility of negotiating a new
international sugar agreement, including a possible agreement with
economic provisions, and report to the Members and make such
recommendations as it seems appropriate.
- The Council may, as soon as it considers appropriate, request
the Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and
Development to convene a negotiating conference.
CHAPTER XII. FINAL PROVISIONS
Article 36
Depositary
The Secretary-General of the United Nations is hereby designated as
the depositary of this Agreement.
Article 37
Signature
This Agreement shall be open for signature at the United Nations
Headquarters from 1 May until 31 December 1992 by any Government
invited to the United Nations Sugar Conference, 1992.
Article 38
Ratification, acceptance and approval
- This Agreement shall be subject to ratification, acceptance or
approval by the signatory Governments in accordance with their
respective constitutional procedures.
- Instruments of ratification, acceptance or approval shall be
deposited with the depositary not later than 31 December 1992. The
council may, however, grant extensions of time to signatory
Governments which are unable to deposit their instruments by that
date.
Article 39
Notification of provisional application
- A signatory Government which intends to ratify, accept or
approve this Agreement or a Government for which the Council has
established conditions for accession but which has not yet been able
to deposit its instrument may, at any time, notify the depositary
that it will apply this Agreement provisionally either when it
enters into force in accordance with article 40 or, if it is already
in force, at a specified date.
- A Government which has notified under paragraph 1 of this
article that it will apply this Agreement either when it enters into
force or, if it is already in force, at a specified date shall, from
that time, be a provisional Member until it deposits its instrument
of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession and thus becomes
a Member.
Article 40
Entry into force
- This Agreement shall enter into force definitively on 1 January
1993, or on any date thereafter if, by that date instalments of
ratification, acceptance, approval or accession have been deposited
on behalf of Governments holding 60 per cent of the votes in
accordance with the distribution established in the annex to this
Agreement.
- If, by 1 January 1993, this Agreement has not entered into force
in accordance with paragraph 1 of this article, it shall enter into
force provisionally if by that date instruments of ratification,
acceptance or approval or notifications of provisional application
have been deposited on behalf of Governments satisfying the
percentage requirements of paragraph 1 of this article.
3. If, by 1 January 1993, the required percentages for entry into
force of this Agreement in accordance with paragraph 1 or paragraph 2
of this article are not met, the Secretary-General of the United
Nations shall invite the Governments on whose behalf instruments of
ratification, acceptance or approval or notifications of provisional
application have been deposited to decide whether this Agreement shall
enter into force definitively or provisionally among themselves, in
whole or in part, on such date as they may determine. If this
Agreement has entered into force provisionally in accordance with this
paragraph, it shall subsequently enter into force definitively upon
fulfilment of the conditions set out in paragraph 1 of this article
without the necessity of a further decision.
4. For a Government on whose behalf an instrument of ratification,
acceptance, approval or accession or a notification of provisional
application is deposited after the entry into force of this Agreement
in accordance with paragraph 1, 2 or 3 of this article, the instrument
or notification shall take effect on the date of deposit and, with
regard to notification of provisional application. in accordance with
the provisions of article 39, paragraph 1.
Article 41
Accession
This Agreement shall be open to accession by the Governments of all
states upon conditions established by the council. Upon accession, the
State concerned shall be deemed to be listed in the annex to this
Agreement, together with its votes as laid down in the conditions of
accession.
Accession shall be effected by the deposit of an instrument of
accession with the depositary. Instruments of accession shall state
that the Government accepts all the conditions established by the
Council.
Article 42
Withdrawal
- Any Member may withdraw from this Agreement at any time after
the entry into force of this Agreement by giving written notice of
withdrawal to the depositary. The Member shall simultaneously inform
in writing the Council of the action it has taken.
- Withdrawal under this article shall be effective 30 days after
the receipt of the notice by the depositary.
Article 43
Settlement of accounts
- The Council shall determine any settlement of accounts which it
finds equitable with a Member which has withdrawn From this
Agreement or has otherwise ceased to be Party to this Agreement. The
Organization shall retain any amounts already paid by such Member.
Such Member shall be bound to pay any amounts due from it to the
Organization.
- Upon termination of this Agreement, any Member referred to in
paragraph 1 of this article shall not be entitled to any share of
the proceeds of the liquidation or the other assets of the
Organization; nor shall it be burdened with any part of the deficit,
if any, of the Organization.
Article 44
Amendment
- The Council may, by special vote, recommend to the Members an
amendment of this Agreement. The Council may fix a time after which
each Member shall notify the depositary of its acceptance of the
amendment. The amendment shall become effective 100 days after the
depositary has received notifications of acceptance from Members
holding at least two thirds of the total votes of all Members under
article 11 as determined under article 25, or on such later date as
the Council may have determined by special vote. The Council may fix
a time within which each Member shall notify the depositary of its
acceptance of the amendment and, if the amendment has not become
effective by such time, it shall be considered withdrawn. The
Council shall provide the depositary with the information necessary
to determine whether the notifications of acceptance received are
sufficient to make the amendment effective.
- Any Member on behalf of which notification of acceptance of an
amendment has not been made by the date on which such amendment
becomes effective shall, as of that date, cease to be Party to this
Agreement, unless such Member has satisfied the Council that
acceptance could not be secured in time owing to difficulties in
completing its constitutional procedures and the Council decides to
extend for such Member the period fixed for acceptance. Such Member
shall not be bound by the amendment before it has notified its
acceptance thereof.
Article 45
Duration, extension and termination
- This Agreement shall remain in force until 31 December 1995,
unless extended under paragraph 2 of this article or terminated
earlier under paragraph 3 of this article.
- The Council may, by special vote, extend this Agreement beyond
31 December 1995 for successive periods, not exceeding two years on
each occasion. Any Member which does not accept any such extension
of this Agreement shall so inform the Council in writing and shall
cease to be a Party to this Agreement from the beginning of the
period of extension.
- The Council may at any time decide, by special vote, to
terminate this Agreement with effect From such date and subject to
such conditions as it may determine.
- Upon termination of this Agreement, the Organization shall
continue in being for such time as may be requited to carry out its
liquidation and shall have such powers and exercise such functions
as may be necessary for that purpose.
- The Council shall notify the depositary of any action taken
under paragraph 2 or paragraph 3 of this article.
Article 46
Transitional measures
- Where in accordance with the International Sugar Agreement,
1987, the consequences of anything done, to be done or omitted to be
done would, for the purposes of the operation of that Agreement,
have taken effect in a subsequent year, those consequences shall
have the same effect under this Agreement as if the provisions of
the 1987 Agreement had continued in effect for those purposes.
- The administrative budget of the Organization for 1993 shall be
provisionally approved by the Council under the International Sugar
Agreement, 1987, at its last regular session in 1992. subject to
final approval by the Council under this Agreement at its first
session in 1993.
IN WlTNESS WHEREOF the undersigned, being duly authorized thereto,
have affixed their signatures under this Agreement on the dates
indicated.
DONE at Geneva, this twentieth day of March, one thousand nine
hundred and ninety two. The texts of this Agreement in the Arabic,
Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish languages shall be
equally authentic.
ANNEX
Allocation of votes for the purposes of Article 25
| Algeria |
38 |
Indonesia |
18 |
| Argentina |
22 |
Jamaica |
6 |
| Australia |
117 |
Japan |
176 |
| Austria |
14 |
Madagascar |
6 |
| Barbados |
6 |
Malawi |
6 |
| Belarus |
11 |
Mauritius |
15 |
| Belize |
6 |
Mexico |
49 |
| Bolivia |
6 |
Morocco |
14 |
| Brazil |
94 |
Nicaragua |
6 |
| Bulgaria |
18 |
Norway |
19 |
| Cameroon |
6 |
Panama*/ |
6 |
| Colombia |
18 |
Papua New Guinea*/ |
6 |
| Congo*/ |
6 |
Peru |
9 |
| Costa Rica*/ |
6 |
Philippines |
12 |
| Cote d'Ivoire |
6 |
Republic of Korea |
59 |
| Cuba |
151 |
Romania |
18 |
| Dominican Republic |
23 |
Russian Federation |
135 |
| Ecuador |
6 |
South Africa |
46 |
| Egypt |
37 |
Swaziland |
13 |
| El Salvador |
6 |
Sweden |
15 |
| EEC |
332 |
Switzerland |
18 |
| Fiji |
12 |
Thailand |
85 |
| Finland |
16 |
Turkey |
21 |
| Ghana |
6 |
Uganda |
6 |
| Guatemala |
16 |
United Republic of Tanzania |
6 |
| Guyana |
6 |
United States of America |
178 |
| Honduras*/ |
6 |
Uruguay |
6 |
| Hungary |
9 |
Zimbabwe |
8 |
| India |
38 |
|
|
| Total |
|
|
2000 |
*/ Not participating in the United Nations Sugar Conference, 1992,
but included because the country is a Member of the International
Sugar Organization established by the International Sugar Agreement,
1987.
|