Rules of Procedure of the Council

The Council adopts its own Rules of Procedure. They effectively came into force when they were ratified at the Council’s 4th session in July 2004.

RULES OF PROCEDURE OF THE COUNCIL
OF THE INTERNATIONAL CENTRE
FOR SYNCHROTRON-LIGHT FOR EXPERIMENTAL SCIENCE
AND APPLICATIONS IN THE MIDDLE EAST (SESAME)

2016 Edition

CONTENTS

 

Rules of Procedure of the Council

Rule 1:   Preamble
Rule 2:   Functions and powers of the Council
Rule 3:   Directorate and staff
Rule 4:   Access to facilities
Rule 5:   Financial and other resources
Rule 6:   Relations with other organizations
Rule 7:   Amendments
Rule 8:   Seat Agreement
Rule 9:   Withdrawal
Rule 10:  Dissolution
Rule 11:   Entry into force

Adopted by the Council at its 1st session and ratified at its 4th session. Revised text incorporating amendments adopted by the Council at its 23rd and 28th sessions.

 

 

Rule 1. Preamble

  1. The International Centre for Synchrotron-light for Experimental Science and Applications in the Middle East, hereinafter referred to as ‘SESAME’, has been established as an autonomous body set up under the auspices of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, hereinafter referred to as ‘UNESCO’, by Decision 3.3.3 of the 164th session of the Executive Board to which the 31st session of the General Conference delegated authority for creating such a centre in Jordan.

  2. The orientation of the programme and the activities of SESAME are defined in the Statutes, Article I.

  3. The Organs of SESAME shall be the Council and a Directorate assisted by support staff. The role of the Council has been determined in the Statutes, Article III. According to the Statutes, Article III.5, internal Rules of Procedure for the Council have to be worked out which is the purpose of this document.

 

 

Rule 2. Functions and powers of the Council

  1. The Council is the principal organ of SESAME. Its composition and voting rights are defined in the Statutes, Article III.

  2. It shall perform all functions according to the Statutes and the Rules of Procedure and may delegate certain tasks to the Directorate of SESAME.

  3. The Council shall, subject to the provisions of the Statutes:
    • determine SESAME’s policy in scientific, technical and administrative matters;
    • approve the Centre’s programme of activities;
    • approve the Centre’s financial regulations and staff rules;
    • adopt the budget of SESAME and decide on the upper and lower limits of national contributions. Details on these limits shall be given in the Financial Regulations. A draft budget will be prepared by the Director in accordance with the Financial Regulations of SESAME;
    • review expenditures, and approve and publish annual accounts of SESAME;
    • decide on the establishment of staff posts required;
    • have any other such powers and perform any other such functions as may be necessary for the purposes of the Statutes.

  4. The Council shall meet at least once a year in ordinary session, preferentially at the seat of SESAME. The cost for the participation in these meetings of the delegates nominated by the Members shall be covered by the authorities they represent. If this condition cannot be met, the President of the Council shall be informed and he shall try to find ways to achieve a full representation of all Members of Council. If delegates have difficulty to attend Council Meetings because of political or administrative problems, the President of the Council, and the host government will take the necessary steps to ensure their free access to the Council Meetings.

  5. Except where otherwise provided for by the Statutes and these Rules, decisions of the Council are taken by simple majority of the Members.

  6. For the decisions of any matter in the Council, the presence of Delegates from more than half of the Members shall be necessary to constitute a quorum. If a Member has lost its right to vote due to non-payment of its contributions to the operational budget, the non-voting Member’s vote shall be removed from the number of votes to be considered in any issue put to a vote.

  7. Observers may submit proposals for discussion at Council sessions, but shall not have the right to vote.

  8. The Council shall elect a president and two vice-presidents who shall hold office for two years and they may be re-elected for one more term.

  9. The Council shall establish subordinate bodies as may be necessary for the purposes of SESAME, specifically to advise the Council on the implementation of SESAME’s mission.

 

 

Rule 3. Directorate and staff

The composition, the procedure for nomination and the duties of the Directorate have been defined in Articles V and VI of the Statutes. Some additional rules are determined in the following sections.

  1. The Director (similar in level to an Assistant Director-General of UNESCO) shall be elected by Council by a two-thirds majority vote. The election of executive staff will also require a two-thirds majority of the Council.

    These appointments are made for a fixed period of 4 years with the possibility of renewal for one more term. Exceptions to these rules will require a unanimous vote of the Council.

  2. The Director shall be the Chief Executive Officer and the legal Representative of SESAME. His duties are defined in Article VI of the Statutes.

  3. If the office of Director falls vacant in the interval between two sessions of the Council, an Interim Director shall be appointed for a period ending on the day of the closure of the next ordinary session of the Council. The Members of the Council shall elect this Interim Director by postal ballot. This appointment shall require a two-thirds majority vote of the Members of SESAME voting.

  4. The Directorate shall be assisted by a number of scientific, technical, administrative and clerical staff as authorised by the Council on the recommendation of the Director. The legal status of the staff is determined in the Seat Agreement signed between Jordan and SESAME.

  5. Staff shall be appointed and dismissed by the Director in accordance with the Staff Rules of SESAME which shall be modelled on the Staff Rules of UNESCO and which shall be approved by Council by a two-thirds majority of all the Members.

  6. Council Members and Observers shall respect the international character of SESAME and, in particular, of the Directorate and of the Staff.

 

 

Rule 4. Access to facilities

  1. The approval of experiments, beam lines and instrumentation, as well as the allocation of beam time will be the responsibility of the Directorate, taking into account the advice of the Advisory Committees.

  2. Subject to Rule 4.1 above, scientists from Members in the relevant areas of research and training have free access to the SESAME facilities, including existing beam lines and instruments.

  3. Scientists from Non-Members (including Observers) shall have access to the SESAME facilities under the following conditions:
    1. the proposed work must correspond to the objectives of SESAME as laid down in the Statutes, Article I;
    2. their participation must contribute to maintaining or improving the intellectual, instrumental or teaching standards of the overall programme or be of exceptional scientific or technical quality, or otherwise in the clear interest of SESAME or of science in the Middle East and neighbouring regions;
    3. the activities should be carried out preferentially in collaboration with scientists from Members;
    4. in cases in which these Non-Members do not provide scientists from the SESAME Members with reciprocal access to comparable facilities, they will be expected to become Members of SESAME should their use of SESAME start to approach that of Members;
    5. if condition (b) is not satisfied, the Director may allow use of SESAME on the condition that the resources (financial, in-kind or manpower) to be supplied should not only cover the needs of the experiment in question but should also provide an indirect contribution to the general operating cost.

  4. The Council will monitor the use of SESAME by scientists from Non-Members, which the Director will report to the Council annually.

  5. The Council will encourage, and give support to, national agencies representing Members of SESAME so that they may closely involve the industrial sectors of the region in exploiting the unique opportunities offered by SESAME.

 

 

Rule 5. Financial and other resources

  1. The resources of SESAME shall consist of:
    1. direct contributions by Members of SESAME which shall be financial or partly in the form of secondment of staff or other contributions in-kind; these alternative contributions shall, by mutual agreement with the Directorate of SESAME, be relevant to the needs of SESAME and shall pertain to all financial commitments stipulated in the Statutes;
    2. additional resources as may be made available by UNESCO, Observers, other States and International Organizations, and from payments it receives for services rendered.

  2. Voluntary contributions and legacies may be accepted and established as trust funds in accordance with the Financial Regulations. Gifts may also be accepted. Such contributions shall be allocated by SESAME for its programme of activities and the needs of the Centre.

  3. The Financial Regulations mentioned above and subsequent amendments shall be worked out by the Council and shall require a two-thirds majority of the Members for approval.

 

 

Rule 6. Relations with other organizations

SESAME may co-operate with Specialised Agencies of the United Nations and other international organizations and national bodies whose interests and activities are related to its purpose, including signing Memoranda of Understanding on co-operation.

 

 

Rule 7. Amendments

Any Amendments of these Rules shall have to be approved by the Council of SESAME with a two-thirds majority.

 

 

Rule 8. Seat Agreement

  1. SESAME, the Representatives of its Members and Observers and the Centre’s Staff shall enjoy, by virtue of an Agreement to be concluded between SESAME and Jordan, the State on the territory of which SESAME has its seat (“Host State”) or with such other or additional territory decided by a two-thirds majority of the Council, the privileges and immunities which are necessary for the implementation of its mission.

  2. This Seat Agreement shall also contain provisions for exemption of taxes and import and export fees for equipment owned by SESAME or groups using its facilities.

  3. Other Members of SESAME shall do everything in the spirit of good will to allow and facilitate transport of staff and material of SESAME and its users through their territories.

  4. Jordan, being the host country, agrees to develop special cooperation with the Palestinian Authority for enhancing scientific research and developing programmes related to SESAME.

 

 

Rule 9. Withdrawal

If the Centre shall extend its operation after 31 December 2011, any Member or Observer of SESAME wishing to withdraw at any time after this shall do so by giving notice in writing to the President of the SESAME Council. The withdrawal shall take effect at the end of the next financial year following that in which the notice was given or at such later date proposed by the Member or the Observer. Any withdrawal shall be notified to the Director-General of UNESCO by the President of the SESAME Council.

 

 

Rule 10. Dissolution

  1. SESAME may be dissolved by a decision of the Council. The Council may so resolve only if a six months written notice setting out the grounds for the proposed dissolution has been sent to all Members. Any resolution to dissolve SESAME shall require a two-thirds decision by the Members present and voting, provided that the number of Members voting is more than one half of the Members of SESAME. The President of the SESAME Council shall inform the Director-General of UNESCO of the dissolution of the Centre.

  2. In case of the dissolution of SESAME, the land, the buildings and the machines will become a property of Jordan. Previous SESAME Members can continue with the project through a bilateral agreement with Jordan.

 

 

Rule 11. Entry into force

These Rules shall enter into force after the Statutes have been signed by at least 6 Members.

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