ARTICLE I

ARTICLE II

ARTICLE III

ARTICLE IV

ARTICLE V

ARTICLE VI

ARTICLE VII

ARTICLE VIII

ARTICLE IX

ARTICLE X

ARTICLE XI

ARTICLE XII

ARTICLE XIII

ARTICLE XIV

Office of the Secretariat

1629 K Street NW Suite 702

Washington DC 20006 USA

Telephone: (202) 463-6660

Fax: (202) 463-6950

Email: secretariat@icac.org

a.

To observe and keep in close touch with developments affecting the world cotton situation.

b.

To collect, disseminate, and keep complete, authentic and timely statistics and other information relating to world production, trade, consumption, stocks and prices of cotton; and other textile fibers, or of textiles, insofar as they affect the cotton economy and do not duplicate assignments that Members have given to other international bodies.

c.

To suggest to Members of the ICAC, as and when advisable, any measures the ICAC considers suitable and practicable for the furtherance of international collaboration directed towards developing and maintaining a sound world cotton economy.

d.

To be the forum for international discussions on matters related to cotton prices, without, however, prejudicing discussions currently being carried on elsewhere, for example, in the UNCTAD. Such discussions should take place regularly both in the Standing Committee and at annual Plenary Meetings.

a.

Membership in the ICAC is open to all members of the United Nations or of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, expressing an interest in cotton.

b.

Any other government expressing an interest in cotton shall be eligible to apply for membership.

a.

An applicant shall address a communication to the Executive Director stating:

b.

The Standing Committee or the Advisory Committee, as applicable, shall thereupon consider the communication of the applicant

c.

Normally the accession of an applicant qualifying for membership under the provisions of Section 1 a. of this article shall be confirmed at the next meeting of the Standing Committee. However, should the matter of accession be raised at a Plenary Meeting the Advisory Committee shall confirm the accession.

d.

Application for membership under the provisions of Section 1 b. of this article shall be considered by the Advisory Committee.

e.

Whenever it confirms or approves the admission of an applicant to membership in the ICAC, the Standing Committee or Advisory Committee shall, at the same time, confirm the amount of the financial contribution assessed to such Member in the year of its accession in accordance with the provisions of Section 4 c. of this article.

f.

The Executive Director shall notify the applicant concerned in writing of the action taken.

a.

Any Member desiring to withdraw shall address a communication to the Executive Director to that effect, stating the date on which it is desired to make the withdrawal effective, which shall be at least 30 days after receipt of the notice by the Executive Director.

b.

The Executive Director shall inform the Advisory Committee or the Standing Committee, as applicable, of any withdrawal and, in acknowledging the withdrawal, shall notify the Member concerned of its financial status with the ICAC.

a.

The assessment of each Member shall be the sum rounded to the nearest $100 of:

b.

Assessments shall be due on July 1 each year and payable during the following three months of the ICAC's fiscal year. Each payment received from a Member shall be applied against the longest out- standing debt due the ICAC from that Member.

c.

The initial assessment of a Member in the ICAC shall be calculated as provided in Section 4 a. of this article. Such initial assessment shall be prorated according to the number of full quarters remaining in the ICAC's fiscal year. The pro rata contribution shall be determined by the relationship of the average trade that was used in determining the pro rata contributions last assessed for existing Members.

d.

The initial assessment of a Member shall be due on the date on which its accession becomes effective and payable during the following three months.

e.

On withdrawal or suspension of a Member, no remission or refund shall be made of any part of its assessment for the ICAC's fiscal year during which the withdrawal takes place. Any unpaid assessment for that year shall become payable on the date when the Executive Director receives the communication referred to in Section 3 a. of this article.

f.

If the assessment of a Member is in arrears for twelve months, except for a minimal amount, not to exceed 15 percent of its current annual assessment, the Executive Director shall notify the Member concerned that, unless payment is received within six months after the date of notification, the provision of documents and other services will be discontinued thereafter. If payment is still not received after a further six months, the membership of that Member shall be suspended.

g.

A Member that has withdrawn under the provisions of Section 3 of this article or whose membership has been suspended under Section 4 f., shall not be readmitted to membership until at least one-fifth of all debts due the ICAC from that Member have been paid. Its membership shall continue only if no additional arrears accumulate while its debt to the Committee is being repaid in full, and only if the Member continues to pay its debt to the Committee in installments of not less than one-fourth of the remainder per year.

a.

At each meeting of the Advisory Committee, the Conference Chair shall be designated by the host Member. The Chair of the Standing Committee will serve as First Vice Chair. The host Member may designate one or more other vice chairs. The Conference Chair shall normally preside at meetings of the Steering Committee and Plenary Sessions. Other Committees shall designate their own Chair and Vice Chairs.

b.

The Executive Director of the ICAC shall serve as Secretary General and may appoint one or more Associate Secretaries General. Should the Executive Director be unavailable, the host Member shall designate the Secretary General.

c.

Each Member shall notify the Executive Director as soon as possible of the names of its representatives, alternates, and advisors and such other information, including the designation of a head of delegation, as may be required for registration.

d.

During the discussions on any matter, any Member may raise a point of order and may move the closure or adjournment of the debate. In each case, the presiding officer shall immediately state his or her ruling, which shall stand unless overruled by the meeting.

a.

To appoint an Executive Director and to determine his or her basic contract and emoluments.

b.

To consider and act on any other matter within the terms of reference of the ICAC.

a.

Between Plenary Meetings, the Advisory Committee shall be represented at Washington D.C by a Standing Committee, which shall be subordinate to it.

b.

The Advisory Committee may delegate authority on specific matters to the Standing Committee. The Advisory Committee may modify or withdraw any such delegation of authority.

c.

All actions taken by the Standing Committee may be reviewed by the Advisory Committee.

d.

The Chair of the Standing Committee shall report at each meeting of the Advisory Committee on the activities of the Standing Committee since the last meeting.

(1)

To constitute a medium for exchange of views in regard to current and prospective developments in the international cotton situation.

(2)

To give practicable effect to all directions, decisions, and recommendations of the Advisory Committee.

(3)

To prepare work programs.

(4)

To see that the work programs are carried out insofar as the finances of the ICAC will permit. This responsibility shall involve, but not necessarily be limited to:

(5)

To prepare an agenda and timetable for the Advisory Committee and to make recommendations for consideration by that Committee. The agenda should include the date and place of the next meeting of the Advisory Committee.

(6)

To establish practicable cooperation with the United Nations, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the International Institute for Cotton, and other international organizations concerned with matters of interest to the ICAC.

(1)

To create and maintain at Washington D.C a Secretariat, which shall comprise an Executive Director and his or her staff. (See Article VII.)

(2)

To employ such staff as it may deem necessary for the purpose, having in mind the desirability of drawing qualified personnel as broadly as possible from participating Members.

(3)

To appoint a new Executive Director and determine the terms of his or her employment in the event of a need in the interim period between meetings of the Advisory Committee.

(4)

To define, as it finds necessary for the efficient conduct of business, the duties and responsibilities of any of its officers or of the Secretariat.

(5)

To recommend amendments to these Rules and Regulations.

(1)

Meetings shall be held at the call of the Chair or the Executive Director, at the request of any Member, or by decision of the Standing Committee.

(2)

Notice of at least 10 days shall normally be given.

(3)

Meetings shall be held in private unless the Standing Committee decides otherwise.

(1)

Presence of delegates from one third of the Members shall constitute a quorum.

(2)

In the absence of a quorum the meeting shall proceed if at least eight Members are represented. However, the minutes shall identify which decisions, if any, were adopted in the absence of a quorum and which Member, if any, abstained in their adoption.

(3)

Any such decisions shall normally become binding. However, Members who were either absent or reserved their position may express their opposition within a period of ten days from the date of the provisional minutes and if the number of those opposing the decision is greater than those who supported the decision at the meeting, the decision will be overturned, which fact shall be reported in the final minutes.

(1)

Adoption of an agenda shall be the first order of business at all meetings.

(2)

A provisional agenda shall be prepared by the Executive Director and shall be transmitted to all Members with the notice of the meeting. An item can be placed on the provisional agenda by any Member by notifying the Executive Director at least one week prior to the meeting.

(3)

An item can be added to the agenda during a meeting unless opposed by a majority of those Members present. However, any action taken on this item shall require unanimity for its adoption at that meeting.

(4)

Any proposal newly introduced during a meeting shall require unanimity for its adoption at that meeting.

(1)

Provisional minutes of meetings shall be prepared in summary form. A verbatim record shall be prepared only when requested by the Executive Director, an officer, or a Member.

(2)

Anyone present at a meeting shall have the right to revise material concerning or attributed to him. Any changes shall be notified to the Secretariat within 10 days of the meeting.

(3)

Thereafter the final minutes shall be distributed to all Members.

a.

The officers of the Standing Committee shall be Chair, First Vice Chair, and Second Vice Chair.

b.

The officers of the Standing Committee shall be elected at each regular Meeting of the Advisory Committee. They shall hold office until the election of their successors.

c.

In the election of the officers of the Standing Committee, the Advisory Committee shall take into account:

d.

Officers shall serve without compensation from the ICAC. No expenses of the officers shall be paid by the ICAC, unless the Standing Committee decides otherwise for particular and specific assignments involving travel costs.

a.

The Chair shall be the principal presiding officer and ex-officio a member of all subcommittees and working groups.

b.

If for any reason the Chair cannot complete his or her term of office, the First Vice Chair shall become Chair ad interim for the period until a new Chair is elected.

a.

The First Vice Chair shall preside over meetings of the Standing Committee in the absence of, or at request of, the Chair.

b.

The Second Vice Chair shall preside over meetings of the Standing Committee in absence of, or at re- quest of, the Chair and/or First Vice Chair.

c.

If for any reason the First Vice Chair cannot complete his or her term of office, or if the position is vacated by reason of his or her having become Chair ad interim in accordance with Section 4 b. of this article, the Second Vice Chair shall automatically become First Vice Chair ad interim for the period until a new Vice Chair is elected.

a.

Each subcommittee:

a.

It shall be a condition of his or her employment that he shall not hold any substantial financial interest that would prejudice the conduct of the affairs of the ICAC and that he or she shall not seek or receive instructions from any authority outside the ICAC.

b.

The Executive Director shall receive equal treatment with other members of the Secretariat in all matters, except for determination and implementation of cost of living adjustments to salaries and contributions to retirement benefits which will in the case of the Executive Director be determined by the UN system.

c.

The Executive Director

a.

To request from Members the information detailed in Article IX as well as such special information as may be requested by the Advisory Committee or by the Standing Committee.

b.

To develop and maintain arrangements for the exchange of information relative to the work of the ICAC with non-member governments, other international organizations, and private bodies.

c.

To prepare, publish, and distribute a Quarterly Statistical Bulletin [the frequency of this publication was changed to twice a year by action at the 43rd Plenary Meeting], a Monthly Review of the World Situation [the frequency of this publication was changed to every other month by action at the 43rd Plenary Meeting], and a Press Release based thereon, in accordance with rules prescribed by the Advisory Committee or by the Standing Committee.

d.

To prepare such other reports and analyses as may be requested by the Advisory Committee, the Standing Committee, the subcommittees, or working groups established pursuant to Article VI, Section 1.

e.

To notify Members of meetings of the Advisory Committee, the Standing Committee and the subcommittees. The Executive Director shall decide whom to notify of other meetings.

a.

Press releases or other documents purporting to express the views or opinions of the ICAC may be issued only with the approval of the Advisory Committee or of the Standing Committee, as appropriate.

b.

Statements or articles published by the Secretariat on its own initiative shall bear a disclaimer of any responsibility on the part of the ICAC.

a.

Expenditures shall be debited to the accounts of the fiscal year in which payments are actually made.

b.

Receipts shall be credited to the accounts of the fiscal year in which funds are actually received.

c.

The Secretariat shall prepare and submit to the Standing Committee quarterly statements of the current financial position of the ICAC as of September 30, December 31, March 31 and June 30.

a.

The Standing Committee shall retain an auditor of recognized standing and cause the accounts of the ICAC to be audited at least once a year.

b.

Upon any change in incumbency in the office of the Executive Director, the Standing Committee may cause a special audit to be made.

c.

Each auditor's report shall be submitted to the Standing Committee and Coordinating Agencies for approval at the next meeting of the Standing Committee following receipt of the report by the Secretariat.

a.

Unless otherwise directed by the Standing Committee, all funds received by the ICAC shall go into a Working Fund. The Standing Committee shall determine from time to time a threshold dollar amount for checks written on the Working Fund by the Secretariat, at or above which written approval from the Chair of the Standing Committee is required. No individual, including the Executive Director, may sign a check drawn on any of the Committee's accounts to him or herself.

b.

A Reserve Fund is authorized in the amount to be fixed from time to time by the Standing Committee. Withdrawals from the Reserve Fund may be authorized by the Standing Committee, but only when the monies available in the Working Fund are inadequate to cover commitments or liabilities of the ICAC. Each withdrawal from the Reserve Fund must be authorized in specific amount and timing.

a.

Office furnishings and equipment no longer required by the ICAC may be disposed of in accordance with procedures approved by the Standing Committee.

b.

If at any time dissolution of the ICAC appears imminent, the Standing Committee shall decide how best to meet the outstanding financial obligations of the ICAC and to dispose of any remaining assets.

c.

Any assets remaining, after all financial obligations have been met shall be prorated to Members whose assessments are fully paid in proportion to the amount actually contributed by each during the current and preceding three fiscal years.

a.

The Standing Committee is authorized to establish a retirement plan for full time members of the Secretariat.

b.

If such a plan is established,

a.

Quantities of lint cotton in local units including, where feasible, a breakdown into the following staple lengths: under 3/4″, 3/4″ to 1-3/8″, 1-3/8″ and over, or their metric equivalents.

b.

Indications of anticipated production such as area of cotton to be planted, fertilizer sales, planting seed distribution, intentions of farmers to plant cotton, governmental area controls and goals.

c.

Forecasts and estimates of areas planted and harvested, yields, and production by varieties, as soon as available, and at least once at time of plantings and once when crop matures. Crop information should preferably be in terms of lint cotton but where only seed cotton data are available some indication of lint outturn should be supplied.

d.

Monthly, quarterly, or yearly statistics, whichever is more convenient, on production, imports by country of origin and exports by country of destination, preferably in quantity units, of cotton yarn and piece goods.

e.

Coordinating agencies are asked to report promptly, exclusive of the regular monthly report, all changes in Members' regulations which affect cotton.

a.

The Standing Committee shall decide what interpreting facilities the ICAC will provide. The ICAC shall not incur unbudgeted expenses in connection with these facilities.

b.

Formal statements by Members shall be submitted in at least one official language.

a.

The following shall be published in English, French and Spanish:

b.

The following shall be published in all official languages:

c.

The Standing Committee shall determine what other documents of a substantive nature are to be printed in the various languages considering their usefulness to Members and budget implications.

a.

In their decision making the Advisory Committee and the Standing Committee shall strive for unanimity.

b.

In the event that a consensus cannot be achieved in the Standing Committee, the matter under consideration may be referred to the Advisory Committee, unless it is specified in these or otherthe ICAC regulations, that the matter shall be put to a vote in the Standing Committee. The Advisory Committee shall proceed by consensus. In the event of a consensus not being achieved in the Advisory Committee, the matter shall be put to a vote at the request of any Member, in which case the adoption of any recommendation or proposal shall require the approval of a two-thirds majority of Members present and voting.

c.

Each Member shall be entitled to one vote.

d.

An abstention shall not be considered as a vote.

e.

Voting normally shall be by a show of hands unless the majority of Members present and voting request roll call. A secret ballot shall be taken when requested by any Member.

a.

The ICAC shall cooperate with other organizations, public or private, national or international. The Standing Committee shall determine the organizations and the nature and extent of such cooperation.

b.

These organizations, as well as non-member governments and the public, may, with the approval of the host Member, be invited to attend sessions of the Advisory Committee. Participation in the meetings shall be on such terms as the Advisory Committee or the Standing Committee may prescribe.