Extraordinary General Assembly
Article 70. In special circumstances and with the approval of the majority of the votes of the Member Committees, the President can convene an Extraordinary General Assembly. He or she must do so on receipt of a request supported by at least one-third of the votes of all Member Committees.
Article 71. At an Extraordinary General Assembly, there are meetings of the Council as defined in Article 21, to which the President can invite members of the Board of Officers, Honorary Presidents, and other interested parties in an advisory capacity.
Article 72. The agenda, the date, and the place of an Extraordinary General Assembly are communicated to the Member Committees and Associate Member Committees by the Secretary General not less than three months before the beginning of the Assembly.
Ordinary General Assembly
Article 58. The Union holds an Ordinary General Assembly, normally at intervals of three years. At each Ordinary Assembly there are:
(a) Meetings of the Council, the Co-ordinating Committee, and the Board of Officers;
(b) Business meetings of the Commissions;
(c) Plenary meetings attended by all Delegates appointed by Member Committees and Associate Member Committees, and Observers appointed by the Board;
(d) Scientific meetings of the Commissions, and Symposia;
(e) Meetings of Working Groups established by the Commissions.
Article 59. The Ordinary General Assembly is attended by:
(a) Members of the Board of Officers;
(b) Chairs and Vice-Chairs of Commissions;
(c) Chairs of Scientific Committees;
(d) Delegations of Member Committees, each of which comprises the Council Representative, Official Members of Commissions, and ordinary delegates;
(e) Delegations of Associate Member Committees, each of which comprises the Observer to the Council, Observers to the Commissions, and delegates;
(f) Honorary and Past Presidents of the Union; and
(g) Representatives invited in accordance with Article 61.
Article 60. Scientific meetings of Commissions, and Symposia, are open to all scientists (including students) who have registered as participants of the General Assembly. The total number of registrants may be restricted by the host Committee so that the meeting can be accommodated within the facilities available.
Article 61. The President of the Union can invite representatives nominated by international organisations to attend the General Assembly as observers.
Article 62. The date and place of the General Assembly are communicated by the Secretary General to Member Committees and Associate Member Committees not less that six months before the beginning of the Assembly.
Article 63. The agenda for the meetings of the Council are based on the proposals submitted by the Member Committees, the Board of Officers, the Co-ordinating Committee, the Scientific Commissions and Committees of the Union.
Article 64. Items for inclusion in the agenda for the meetings of the Council must be received by the Secretary General not later than four months before the beginning of the General Assembly. Items received after this date can be added to the agenda only upon approval by at least half of the votes of those present at the meeting.
Article 65. The Secretary General prepares the agenda for the meetings of the Council, and communicates them to the Member Committees and Associate Member Committees not less than three months before the beginning of the Assembly.
Article 66. For each Ordinary General Assembly, the Secretary General prepares:
(a) for the Council, a detailed report on the affairs of the Union, including the accounts of income and expenditures since the previous Ordinary General Assembly, and the budgetary estimates for the three years following the Assembly;
(b) for all Delegates, a general report on the activities of the Union since the previous Ordinary General Assembly.
Article 67. The Council has full power to make decisions regarding any activity of the Union relating to the objectives defined in Article 1.
In particular, it has the following powers and obligations:
(a) to review the direction of the affairs of the Union by the Board of Officers since the previous Ordinary General Assembly;
(b) to elect:
(i) the members of the Board of Officers;
(ii) the Chairs and Vice-Chairs of Commissions;
(iii) the Chairs of Scientific Committees;
(iv) the representatives of the Union to other international bodies;
(c) to create or abolish Commissions and Scientific Committees, and to decide the titles and the terms of reference of these bodies;
(d) to consider and, if thought fit, to approve programmes of work, resolutions, and recommendations submitted by the Commissions and Scientific
Committees of the Union;
(e) on the proposal of the Board of Officers, to examine and, if thought fit, to accept applications for membership of the Union;
(f) on the proposal of the Board of Officers, to examine and, if thought fit, to accept applications for Associate Membership of the Union;
(g) to decide the year and place of up to the limit of the next two Ordinary General Assemblies;
(h) to appoint a Standing Finance Committee, charged with:
(i) the preparation of a report on the accounts for the period since the last Ordinary General Assembly, and the budget for the period until the
next Ordinary General Assembly;
(ii) the submission of recommendations concerning the finances of the Union;
(iii) the provision of assistance, when so requested by the Treasurer, to review the financial affairs of the Union during the period until the next
Ordinary General Assembly;
(i) to approve the accounts and the budget, on the proposal of the Finance Committee, and to consider recommendations made by this Committee;
(j) to decide the unit of contribution defined in Article 7;
(k) to make rules for the conduct of the work of the General Assembly;
(l) on the proposal of the Board of Officers, to approve proposed amendments to the Statutes;
(m) to take action on any other matter affecting the activities of the Union.
Article 68. Resolutions adopted by the Council and the Commissions during a General Assembly are submitted to the closing plenary meeting of all delegates and observers, for information only.
Article 69. In the absence of any relevant provisions in the Statutes, or in extraordinary circumstances, the Council is authorised to make decisions on all matters relating to the activities of the Union. These decisions must not contain provisions contrary to the terms of the Statutes.