Rules of Procedure of the Meeting of the High Contracting Parties to the Hague Convention of 1954 for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict

Adopted by the Meeting of the High contracting Parties to Convention at its first meeting (Paris, 16-25 July 1962), at its second meeting (Paris, 13 November 1995), at its third meeting (Paris, 13 November 1997), at its fourth meeting (Paris, 18 November 1999), at its fifth meeting (5 November 2001), at its sixth meeting (Paris, 26 October 2005) and amended at its fifteenth meeting (Paris, 11 December 2023).

Rule 1

Functions of the Meeting of the High Contracting Parties

1.1 The Meeting of the High Contracting Parties to the Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict with Regulations for the Execution of the Convention adopted in The Hague on 14 May 1954 (hereinafter referred to as “the Convention”), performs any functions which have been conferred on it by the Convention or the Regulations for its execution, in accordance with Article 27 of the Convention. 

1.2 The purpose of the Meeting of the High Contracting Parties is to study problems concerning the application of the Convention and of the Regulations for its execution, and to formulate recommendations in respect thereof, in accordance with Article 27 of the Convention.

Rule 2

High Contracting Parties to the Convention

The representatives of all High Contracting Parti es to the Convention may participate, with the right to vote, in the work of the Meeting of the High Contracting Parties. 

Rule 3

Observers

3.1 The representatives of Member States of UNESCO not parties to the Convention and of Associate Members, as well as of permanent observer missions to UNESCO may participate in the work of the Meeting of the High Contracting Parties as observers, without the right to vote and subject to Rule 16.3. 

3.2 Representatives of the United Nations and organizations of the United Nations system and other intergovernmental organizations that have concluded mutual representation agreements with UNESCO, may participate in the work of the Meeting of the High Contracting Parties as observers, without the right to vote and subject to Rule 16.3.

3.3 Representatives of other intergovernmental and international non-governmental organizations, invited by the Director-General, may participate in the work of the Meeting of the High Contracting Parties, without the right to vote and subject to Rule 16.3. 

Rule 4

Sessions 

The Meeting of the High Contracting Parties is convened by the Director-General in accordance with Article 27.1 of the Convention. 

Rule 5

Date and Place

5.1 The Director-General shall determine the date of the session. The Director-General shall communicate such date to all High Contracting Parties and observers.

5.2 Should at least one-fifth of the High Contracting Parties requests to convene a meeting while the Meeting of the High Contracting Parties is not in session, the date of the session shall be set within sixty days, unless logistically not possible.

5.3 Sessions shall be held at the Headquarters of UNESCO, unless the Meeting of the High Contracting Parties decides to meet elsewhere.

Rule 6

Online sessions 

6.1 The Meeting of the High Contracting Parties may hold online sessions only during periods of emergency or in exceptional circumstances rendering in praesentia meetings impracticable.

6.2 At a session, the Meeting of the High Contracting Parties may decide to hold an online session by a simple majority of High Contracting Parties present and voting. 

6.3 Should at least one third of the High Contracting Parties proposes the holding of an online session while the Meeting of the High Contracting Parties is not in session, the Director-General shall consult all the High Contracting Parties by correspondence. The Meeting of the High Contracting Parties shall hold an online session, unless one third of the High Contracting Parties disagrees to the proposal.

6.4 Elections by secret ballot held pursuant to the present Rules in the course of an online session shall be conducted in praesentia. The Secretariat shall make the necessary arrangements therefor, including the place and time of the election, which shall be notified to States Parties in advance of the ballot. Other voting held pursuant to the present Rules shall preferably be conducted in praesentia.

Rule 7 

Provisional Agenda

7.1 The provisional agenda of the session shall be prepared by the Director-General, in consultation with the Bureau.

7.2 The provisional agenda of a session shall include:

(a) Any question required by the Convention and the present Rules of Procedure;

(b) Any question the inclusion of which has been decided by the Meeting of the High Contracting Parties at a previous session; 

(c) Any question proposed by the High Contracting Parties to the Convention; 

(d) Any question proposed by the Director-General.

7.3 The Secretariat shall circulate to the High Contracting Parties and observers the provisional agenda at least sixty days before the opening of a session of the Meeting of the High Contracting Parties and as soon as possible in exceptional circumstances.

Rule 8 

Adoption of the agenda 

The Meeting of the High Contracting Parties shall adopt its agenda at the beginning of each session.

Rule 9

Amendments, deletions and new items 

The Meeting of the High Contracting Parties may amend, delete or add new items to the agenda so adopted if so decided by a two-thirds majority of the High Contracting Parties present and voting.

Rule 10

Bureau

10.1 The Bureau shall consist of the Chairperson, the Vice-Chairperson(s) and the Rapporteur. 

10.2 The Bureau shall coordinate the work of the Meeting of the High Contracting Parties and fix the order of business of the session. It shall also assist the Chairperson in carrying out her or his functions.

10.3 The Bureau, convened at the request of its Chairperson, shall meet as frequently as deemed necessary. The Bureau may, if the Chairperson deems it appropriate, be consulted by correspondence.

Rule 11

Election of officers

11.1The Meeting of the High Contracting Parties shall elect the Chairperson, up to four Vice-Chairpersons and the Rapporteur at the opening of each session in conformity with the principle of equitable geographical representation.

11.2 The term of office of the Chairperson, the Vice-Chairperson(s) and the Rapporteur will run from the opening of the session of the Meeting of the High Contracting Parties in which they are elected until a new Bureau is elected at the next session. 

11.3 The Chairperson, the Vice-Chairperson(s) and the Rapporteur shall not be eligible for immediate re-election after completing two consecutive terms.

Rule 12 

Powers and duties of the Chairperson

12.1 In addition to exercising the powers and duties which are conferred upon her or him elsewhere by the present Rules of Procedure, the Chairperson shall open and close each plenary meeting of the Meeting of the High Contracting Parties. She or he shall direct the discussions, ensure observance of the present Rules of Procedure, accord the right to speak, put questions to the vote and announce decisions. She or he shall rule on points of order and, subject to the present Rules of Procedure, shall control the proceedings and the maintenance of order. She or he shall not vote, but she or he may instruct another member of her or his delegation to vote in her or his place.

12.2 Should the Chairperson be absent during a meeting, or part thereof, her or his powers and duties shall be exercised by one of the Vice-Chairpersons, selected according to the English alphabetical order of the States members of the Bureau commencing with the country of the Chairperson. A Vice-Chairperson acting as Chairperson shall have the same power and duties as the Chair person.

Rule 13

Quorum

13.1 A quorum shall consist of a majority of the High Contracting Parties referred to in Rule 2 and represented at the Meeting of the High Contracting Parties. 

13.2The Meeting of the High Contracting Parties shall not decide on any matter unless a quorum is present. 

Rule 14 

Public nature of meetings 

14.1 Meetings shall be held in public unless decided otherwise by the Meeting of the High Contracting Parties. 

Rule 15 

Subsidiary bodies

15.1 The Meeting of the High Contracting Parties may establish such subsidiary bodies, including working groups as it deems necessary for the performance of its functions. 

15.2 The Meeting of the High Contracting Parties shall define the composition and the terms of reference (including mandate and duration of office) and, if necessary, the quorum of such subsidiary bodies at the time of their establishment. 

15.3 Each subsidiary body shall elect its Chairperson.

15.4 In appointing members of subsidiary bodies, due regard shall be given to principle of equitable geographical representation.

Rule 16

Order and time-limit of speeches

16.1 The Chairperson shall call upon speakers in the order in which they signify their wish to speak.

16.2 For the convenience of the discussion, the Chairperson may limit the time to be allowed to each speaker. 

16.3 The consent of the Chairperson must be obtained whenever an observer wishes to address the Meeting of the High Contracting Parties. 

Rule 17 

Draft resolutions and amendments

17.1 Draft resolutions and amendments may be proposed by the High Contracting Parties and shall be transmitted in writing to the Secretariat of the Meeting of the High Contracting Parties which shall circulate them to all participants.

17.2 As a general rule, no draft resolution or amendment shall be discussed or put to the vote unless it has been circulated reasonably in advance to all participants in the working languages of the Meeting of the High Contracting Parties. 

Rule 18 

Points of order

18.1 During the discussion of any matter, a High Contracting Party may rise to a point of order and the point of order shall be immediately ruled upon by the Chairperson.

18.2 A High Contracting Party may appeal against the ruling of the Chairperson. The appeal shall be put to the vote immediately, and the Chairperson’s ruling shall stand unless overruled by a majority of the High Contracting Parties present and voting.

Rule 19

Procedural Motions 

During the discussion of any matter, a High Contracting Party may propose a procedural motion: suspension or adjournment of the meeting, adjournment of the debate or closure of the debate.

Rule 20 

Suspension or adjournment of the meeting 

During the discussion of any matter, a High Contracting Party may move the suspension or the adjournment of the meeting. Such motions shall not be debated but shall be immediately put to the vote. 

Rule 21

Adjournment of the debate 

During the discussion of any matter, a High Contracting Party may move the adjournment of the debate on the item under discussion. On moving the adjournment, the High Contracting Party shall indicate whether it moves the adjournment sine die or to a particular time which it shall specify. In addition to the proposer of the motion, one speaker may speak in favour of, and one against, the motion, after which the motion shall be immediately put to the vote. The Chairperson may limit the time to be allowed to speakers under this rule. 

Rule 22 

Closure of the debate

During the discussion of any matter, a High Contracting Party may move the closure of the debate on the item under discussion, whether or not any other speaker has signified her or his wish to take part in the discussion. If application is made for permission to speak against the closure, it may be accorded to not more than two speakers, after which the motion shall be immediately put to the vote. If the Meeting of the High Contracting Parties is in favour of the closure, the Chairperson shall declare the closure of the debate. The Chairperson may limit the time to be allowed to speakers under this rule.

Rule 23

Order of procedural motions

Subject to Rule 18.1, the following motions shall have precedence in the following order over all other proposals or motions before the meeting: 

a) to suspend the meeting; 

b) to adjourn the meeting; 

c) to adjourn the debate on the item under discussion; 

d) for the closure of the debate on the item under discussion.

Rule 24 

Working languages 

24.1 The working languages of the Meeting of the High Contracting Parties shall be Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.

24.2Speeches made at the Meeting of the High Contracting Parties in one of the working languages shall be interpreted into the other languages.

24.3 Speakers may, however, speak in any other language, provided that they make their own arrangements for interpretation of their speeches into one of the working languages.

24.4 The documents of the Meeting of the High Contracting Parties shall be issued in all the working languages.

Rule 25

Deadline for the distribution of documents 

The documents relating to the items on the provisional agenda of each session of the Meeting of the High Contracting Parties shall be distributed, either in paper format or electronically, at the latest thirty days before the opening of the session, and as soon as possible in exceptional circumstances to all High Contracting Parties and observers. 

Rule 26 

Summary records

The Secretariat shall prepare summary records of all statements made during the plenary meetings of the Meeting of the High Contracting Parties in English and French for approval at the opening of the next session. 

Rule 27

Voting rights 

Each High Contracting Party shall have one vote in the Meeting of the High Contracting Parties. 

Rule 28

Consensus 

Every effort shall be made to adopt decisions in the Meeting of the High Contracting Parties by consensus. If consensus cannot be reached, decisions shall be adopted by vote.

Rule 29

Conduct during voting

After the Chairperson has announced the beginning of voting, no one shall interrupt the voting except on a point of order in connection with the actual conduct of the voting.

Rule 30

Simple majority

When the Meeting of the High Contracting Parties resorts to voting and unless otherwise provided in the present Rules of Procedure, decisions shall be taken by a simple majority of the High Contracting Parties present and voting.

Rule 31

Voting by show of hands and roll-call 

31.1 Except as otherwise provided for in the present Rules of Procedure, voting shall be by show of hands.

31.2 When the result of a vote by show of hands is in doubt, the Chairperson may take a second vote by roll-call. Vote by roll-call shall also be taken if it is requested by not less than two High Contracting Parties. The request shall be made to the Chairperson before voting takes place or immediately after the vote by show of hands. 

31.3 When a vote is taken by roll-call, the vote of each High Contracting Party participating shall be inserted in the summary records.

Rule 32 

Order of voting on proposals

32.1 If two or more proposals, other than amendments, relate to the same question, they shall, unless the Meeting of the High Contracting Parties decides otherwise, be voted on in the order in which they were submitted. The Meeting of the High Contracting Parties may, after each vote on a proposal, decide whether to vote on the next proposal. 

32.2 A motion requiring that no decision be taken on a proposal shall have priority over that proposal. 

Rule 33

Voting on amendments 

33.1 When an amendment to a proposal is moved, the amendment shall be voted on first. When two or more amendments to a proposal are moved, the Chairperson shall put them to the vote, starting with the amendment deemed by her or him to be the furthest removed in substance from the original proposal and so on. In case of doubt, the Chairperson shall consult the Meeting of the High Contracting Parties. 

33.2 If one or more amendments are adopted, the amended proposal shall then be put to the vote.33.3 A motion is considered an amendment to a proposal if it merely adds to, deletes from or revises part of that proposal. 

Rule 34 

Meaning of the expression “High Contracting Parties present and voting” 

For the purpose of the present Rules of Procedure, the expression “High Contracting Parties present and voting” means High Contracting Parties casting an affirmative or negative vote. High Contracting Parties who abstain from voting are considered as not voting.

Rule 35 

Secretariat

35.1 The Director-General of UNESCO or her or his representative shall participate in the work of the Meeting of the High Contracting Parties, its subsidiary bodies and the Bureau without the right to vote. She or he may, at any time, make either oral or written statements to the Meeting of High Contracting Parties on any question under discussion.

35.2 The Director-General of UNESCO shall appoint an official of the Secretariat of UNESCO to act as Secretary to the Meeting of the High Contracting Parties, as well as other officials who shall together constitute the Secretariat of the Meeting of the High Contracting Parties. 

35.3 The Secretariat shall receive, translate and distribute all documents; arrange for the interpretation of the discussions; prepare summary records; and publish the adopted resolutions and distribute them to the High Contracting Parties.

35.4 The Secretariat shall also perform all other duties necessary for the proper conduct of the work of the Meeting of the High Contracting Parties. 

Rule 36 

Amendment

The Meeting of the High Contracting Parties may amend the present Rules of Procedure by a decision taken in plenary meeting by a two-thirds majority of the High Contracting Parties present and voting, except when they reproduce provisions of the Convention.

Rule 37

Suspension 

The Meeting of the High Contracting Parties may suspend the application of any of the present Rules of Procedure, except when they reproduce provisions of the Convention, by a decision taken in plenary meeting by a two-thirds majority of the High Contracting Parties present and voting.