UNION OF CENTRAL AND SOUTH EASTERN EUROPEAN CAPITALS INTERNAL INTERNAL REGULATIONS

SECTION 1

Definitions
Article 1
In these regulations the following words shall have the meanings hereby assigned to them:
The Union: Union of Central and South Eastern European Capitals
The General Assembly: The General Assembly of the Union
The President: The President of the Union
The Members: The members Capitals of the Union

SECTION 2

The General Assembly
Article 2
The General Assembly is constituted by the Mayors of the Member capitals or by the representatives they specifically designate for this purpose.

The General Assembly, shall meet once a year in a different capital, at the invitation of this capital. Precedence will be given by alphabetical order continuing after Ljubljana and upon agreement at a 2/3 majority.

It shall be presided by the President of the Union or, in case of prevention, by the person he/she will designate to replace him/her.

Article 3
The General Assembly shall be the deciding body of the Union.

It shall give unanimous decision on the admission of new members and shall be solely competent to decide the dissolution of the Union by a ¾ majority or an amendment to the Union Statute by a 2/3 majority.

Article 4
The date of the General Assembly meeting shall be decided by the President, after consultation with the Standing Committee.

The President shall give each of the members written notice of the General Assembly; he/she shall make sure that baring unforeseen circumstances, the Members receive the Agenda and any documents relating to the meeting to this Assembly.

The General Assembly may not be held unless at least half of the members are represented.

The President shall convene an Extraordinary General Assembly whenever this is requested by at least half of the Members. In this case it must be held within one month from the date of request.

Article 5
Meetings of the General Assembly shall be public unless otherwise requested by one of the Members.

Article 6
Each of the member capitals shall be represented officially at the General Assembly by a delegation consisting of no more than 3 persons, including the city delegate at the Standing Committee.

Should the Standing Committee delegate be absent he can be replaced by another representative of the same City.

Article 7
Each of the delegations present at the General Assembly shall have one vote.

In the case of the vote the absolute majority of the voting members is required for a decision, resolution or motion to be adopted. Exception to this rule are votes relating to the admission of new members, amendments to the statutes and dissolution of the Union.

A vote is null and void whenever it has not been taken by half of the present members.

In the case of equality of votes, the President shall have the casting vote.

Article 8
Any delegation wishing to bring up a point not on the Agenda shall submit it in writing to the President.

The General Assembly will decide whether to change the Agenda.The General Assembly may decide to form amongst its members: workshops, committees, working groups or commissions, which it deems necessary for the proper progress of work. It may also call on the experts.

Article 9
If the member city will make presentation or specially address at General Assembly, it has the possibility to address a written communication to the President.

Article 10
The President will present for approval by the General Assembly the Conclusions of the Conference prepared by the Executive Secretary, assisted by local secretariat of the presiding city.

The President shall have the Minutes drown up or each General Assembly and circulate them to the members as quickly as possible.

The Minutes shall be submitted for the approval of the next General Assembly.

SECTION 3

The President
Article 11
The President shall be the Mayor of the host Capital for the General Assembly of calendar year.

The President of the Union shall be appointed for a term of one year, from 1st January to 31st December of calendar year.

Article 12
The President shall attend to the carrying into effect of the General Assembly decisions, resolutions or motions and shall make sure they are consistent with the statutes.

He/she shall legally represent the Union.

After taking the opinion of the Standing Committee and consulting the members where necessary, he may take the appropriate decision to ensure continuity of the Union actions between two General Assemblies.

SECTION 4

The Standing Committee
Article 13
The Standing Committee shall consist of the delegates appointed by the local government authorities of the member capitals, on the basis of the principle - one delegate per capital, for a period of 3 years. Under the authority of the President it shall ensure continuity of the Union action between two meeting of the General Assembly.

Article 14
The Standing Committee shall be responsible for prompting the responsible parties to carry into effect and will follow up decisions, resolutions and motions taken during General Assemblies, for which it shall prepare the Agenda at least two months before the Conference. It shall be assisted by the Executive Secretary.

Article 15
The Standing Committee shall meet at least twice a year, once in March in Athens and once in the organizing capital of the year. The meetings are chaired by the President or his/her Representative.

The Standing Committee may charge one or more delegates from within the Standing Committee with a particular assignment or study. It may also call on experts.

SECTION 5

The Permanent Secretariat
Article 16
The Permanent Secretariat is situated in Athens. It shall serve as a documentation and coordination center for the activities of the Union, assuring the continuity of the Union.Its costs are covered by the Municipality of Athens.

SECTION 6

The Executive Secretary
Article 17
The Executive Secretary is the Head of the Permanent Secretariat. He/she is nominated by the Mayor of Athens and appointed by the General Assembly for a period of 3 years. He/she assists the President in coordinating the work of the General Assembly and coordinates activities of the Standing Committee.

The Executive Secretary has the right to make a protest, after obtaining the opinion of Standing committee , at any time and situation, that is not in accordance with the statutes of the Union

SECTION 7

Financial Management
Article 18
Management of the Union' s finances listed in the Statutes, shall be performed by a member of the Standing Committee appointed as a treasurer, by the General Assembly on proposal of the Standing Committee for a period of 3 years.

Every year he shall submit for the approval of the ordinary General Assembly the Union' s balance sheet drown up by2 auditors appointed by the Mayor of the presiding city.

The costs of preparing the balance sheet shall be borne by the Union.

Article 19
The annual membership fees fixed by the General Assembly are minimum mandatory levels. These fees shall be collected by the treasurer after each General Assembly.

Article 20
If a member city pays higher fees than those fixed by the General Assembly, the extra amount shall be covered by separate accounting. Amounts those collected remain at the disposalof the members who have paid them and they may use them for any actions consistent with the aims of the Union.

Article 21
The host capital of the General Assembly shall bear the costs occurred by the meeting, including accommodation expenses for the official delegations.

After consulting the Standing Committee, the Union may contribute towards the costs of interpretation and translation entailed by the convening of the General Assembly.

The costs of Standing committee meetings will be covered at the same way by the city of Athens and the other hosting City.

SECTION 8

Miscellaneous
Article 22
The Executive Secretary prepares the documents of the meetings and shall draw up the Minutes, assisted by the delegate of the preceding city. These Minutes shall be submitted for the approval of the Standing Committee at the next meeting.

Article 23
The Regulations are drawn up in a single copy in English language. A certified copy shall be given to the municipal authorities of each member city.

Article 24
These regulations will come into force as soon as they have been adopted by the General Assembly.

Adopted in Podgorica
10th October 2003