<СОГЛАШЕНИЕ ОБ УЧРЕЖДЕНИИ ЛАТИНСКОГО СОЮЗА> [англ.](Заключено в г. Мадриде 15.05.1954)
[Translation]
AGREEMENT
ESTABLISHING THE LATIN
UNION
(Madrid, 15.V.1954)
The States signatories to this
Convention,
Aware of the mission incumbent upon the Latin peoples in the
evolution of ideas, the enhancement of morals and the material progress of the
world,
Faithful to the spiritual values on which their humanistic and
Christian civilization is based,
United by their common destiny and
adhering to the same principles of peace and social justice, respect for human
dignity and freedom, and independence and integrity of the Nations,
Relying on the solidarity which past history and common ideals create and
sustain among peoples whose policies are based thereon,
Decide to unite
their efforts to ensure the complete fulfilment of their cultural aspirations
and thus contribute to the strengthening of peace and to the constant moral
improvement and material progress of humanity,
And to this end, agree to
create the Latin Union.
Membership and goals of the Latin Union
Article
I
The Latin Union is composed of those States of Latin language and culture
which sign and ratify this Agreement, or accede to it in due form.
Article
II
The goals of the Latin Union are:
(a) To promote maximum
intellectual cooperation between member countries and to reinforce the spiritual
and moral ties that unite them.
(b) To strengthen and disseminate the
values of their common cultural heritage.
(c) To improve mutual knowledge
of the characteristics, institutions and specific needs of each of the Latin
peoples.
(d) To place the moral and spiritual values of Latinity at the
service of international relations, as a means of improving understanding and
cooperation among countries and achieving prosperity for their
peoples.
International agreements
Article III
For the efficient
implementation of its programme, the Latin Union may enter into special
agreements:
(a) With a member State.
(b) With a non-member
State.
(c) With any international and intergovernmental organization or
institution which may collaborate in the implementation of the programme of the
Latin Union.
Legal status
Article IV
Member States shall grant to
the Latin Union the legal status required for the full performance of its
functions, as determined in this Agreement, subject to their own sovereignty and
legislation.
Article V
1. The main organs of the Latin Union shall be:
the Congress, the Executive Council and the Secretariat.
2. The Congress
may also establish any subsidiary organs which it deems
necessary.
Congress
Article VI
1. The Congress shall be composed of
representatives of the member States of the Union.
2. The Government of
each member State shall appoint a delegation composed of not more than five
representatives.
3. The Secretary-General of the Union shall be the
Secretary-General of the Congress.
Article VII
1. The Congress shall
meet every two years in regular session, at the location and on the date that it
decides.
2. It shall meet in special session when convened by the
Executive Council in the cases contemplated in article XV, paragraph (i), at the
location determined by the Council.
Article VIII
1. Each delegation
shall have one vote in the Congress and in each of its subsidiary organs.
2. No delegation may represent another or vote for it.
3. Observers shall
not have the right to vote.
Article IX
The Congress and its subsidiary
organs shall adopt their decisions by a majority of the delegations present and
voting, except as specified in article X.
Article X
Decisions of the
Congress shall be taken by a two-thirds majority of the delegations present and
voting in the following cases:
(a) Approval of the texts of the
international agreements contemplated in article III.
(b) Approval of the
regular budget of the Latin Union. However, the contributions of the member
States which constitute that majority must represent at least fifty per cent of
the contributions to the Union.
(c) Change of headquarters.
(d)
Approval of the text of any amendment to the provisions of this
Agreement.
Article XI
The Congress shall:
(a) Draw up and approve
its rules of procedure.
(b) Determine the general focus of the activities
of the Latin Union and approve its work programme for each biennium.
(c)
Establish the budget of the Union, the financial participation of each member
State and the currency in which payments are to be made.
(d) Proclaim
those States which ratify or accede to this Agreement, when it enters into
force, to be members of the Latin Union.
(e) Elect the States to serve on
the Executive Council.
(f) Appoint the Secretary-General of the Union and
approve the organization of the Secretariat, as well as that of its subordinate
organs.
(g) Consider the reports of the Executive Council, the
Secretariat and the member States of the Union.
(h) Propose to member
States plans of general interest to be implemented in their respective
territories.
(i) Approve any agreements that the Latin Union may conclude
pursuant to article III.
Article XII
The Congress may invite States that
do not belong to the Latin Union as well as international organizations or
institutions that may contribute to the implementation of the Union"s programme
to attend its regular and special meetings as observers.
Executive
council
Article XIII
1. The Executive Council shall be composed of ten
member States, elected for four years.
2. Half of the membership of the
Executive Council shall be renewed every two years.
3. The Congress shall
elect the countries to serve on the Executive Council, in the proportion of four
European countries to six American countries, endeavouring to ensure fair
geographical distribution to the extent possible.
4. The member States of
the Executive Council may be re-elected.
5. The elected States shall
designate their representatives to the Council.
6. The Council shall
proceed every two years to elect from among its members in rotation a President
who shall cast the deciding vote in the event of a tie.
7. The
Secretary-General of the Union shall act as Secretary-General of the
Council.
Article XIV
1. The Executive Council shall meet at least once a
year, in regular session, at the location of its choice, taking into account the
recommendations of the Congress.
2. The Executive Council may be convened
by its President in special session, either by decision of the President or at
the request of one third of its members.
3. The President of the Council
shall determine the location where the meeting is to be held.
Article
XV
The Executive Council shall:
(a) Draw up its rules of procedure,
subject to approval by the Congress.
(b) Submit the organigram and
regulations of the Secretariat of the Union for the approval of the
Congress.
(c) Ensure that the Secretariat implements the resolutions of
the Congress and its own resolutions, in accordance with the guidelines which it
establishes for that purpose.
(d) Maintain frequent contact, through the
appropriate channel, with member States and their National Committees, in order
to provide them with all necessary assistance in the performance of their
obligations under the programme of the Union.
(e) Prepare the agenda,
work plan and preliminary budget to be submitted to the Congress, at least six
months in advance.
(f) Submit the text of the agreements contemplated in
article III for the approval of the Congress.
(g) Submit for the approval
of the Congress or, in an emergency, the member States the acceptance of
donations, bequests or subsidies for the implementation of the programme,
whether from governments, public or private entities or individuals.
(h)
Provide study grants to artists, scientists, teachers, students, technicians and
workers in the various Latin countries.
(i) Convene the Congress in
special session in an emergency. This may be done at the request of the majority
of the member States or by decision of two thirds of the members of the
Council.
Secretariat
Article XVI
1. The Secretariat shall provide
all administrative and technical services for the Union.
2. It shall be
headed by a Secretary-General, appointed by the Congress for a period of four
years.
3. The appointment of the Secretary-General shall be
renewable.
Article XVII
The Secretary-General shall:
(a) Ensure
the implementation of all the resolutions of the Congress and the Executive
Council of the Latin Union.
(b) Appoint the staff of the Secretariat and
all its subordinate organs, according to regulations established by the
Executive Council.
(c) Submit the administrative report and financial
statements of the Union annually to the Executive Council.
(d) Organize
and direct a publications and information service on the general activities of
the Union.
(e) Maintain the closest coordination between all the organs
and services of the Union and be responsible for liaison with the member States
and National Committees.
(f) Make the necessary technical arrangements
for cultural exchanges between Latin countries.
(g) Centralize exchange
services of all kinds and manage the funds allocated to such exchanges by the
Congress.
(h) Convene meetings of the Committees created by the Congress
and participate in their work.
Headquarters
Article XVIII
The
permanent headquarters of the Latin Union shall be established in the capital of
one of the Latin American States.
Obligations of member States
Article
XIX
1. Member States undertake to pay to the Union the financial
contributions determined by the Congress.
2. Such contributions shall be
based on a scale approved by the Congress in regular session, which may be
revised every two years.
Article XX
Each member State shall appoint a
National Committee responsible for maintaining ongoing contact with the
Secretariat of the Union, through the appropriate channels, in order to
cooperate in the implementation of its programme.
Article XXI
Each
member State shall transmit to the Union, following the format and timing
determined by the Congress, a report on its activities and achievements within
the framework of the programme of the Union and on the follow-up to the
resolutions and recommendations adopted by the Congress. It shall also transmit
the report of its National Committee, when
appropriate.
Amendments
Article XXII
The text of any amendments to
the provisions of this Agreement proposed by a member State shall be submitted
to the Executive Council, at least one year before the next regular meeting of
the Congress. The Council shall immediately transmit the text to the other
member States and shall include it on the agenda of the Congress.
Article
XXIII
1. Amendments to the provisions of this Agreement shall enter into
force after they have been ratified by a majority of the member States.
2. Amendments concerning the goals, organs, voting system and obligations of
member States shall enter into force only after they have been ratified by the
entire membership of the Union.
Ratification, accession and entry into
force
Article XXIV
1. This Agreement shall enter into force between the
States that have ratified it as soon as it has been ratified by a majority of
the States which participated in the Second International Congress of the Latin
Union held in 1954.
2. The instruments of ratification or accession shall
be deposited with the provisional Executive Council established in the
transitional provisions. The Council shall inform all States signatories to this
Agreement of receipt of all instruments of ratification and the date of entry
into force of the Agreement in accordance with the preceding
paragraph.
Article XXV
Following the entry into force of this Agreement,
subsequent ratifications or accessions shall take effect immediately.
Instruments of ratification or accession shall be deposited with the Executive
Council, which shall notify the other signatories of receipt of such
instruments.
Article XXVI
1. This Agreement, the Spanish, Italian,
Portuguese and French texts of which are equally authentic, shall be deposited
in the archives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Spain, in Madrid,
following the Second International Congress of the Latin Union.
2.
Instruments of ratification and accession shall be transmitted by the Executive
Council or provisional Executive Council to the above-mentioned Ministry for
keeping in its archives.
Denunciation
Article XXVII
1. Any member
State may denounce this Agreement by giving notice to the Executive Council,
which shall transmit such notice to the other member States.
2. The
denunciation shall not become effective until six months after the date of the
notice to the Council.
Transitional provisions
First. The Second
International Congress of the Latin Union shall elect a provisional Executive
Council which shall become, ipso facto, the Executive Council of the Union as
soon as this Agreement enters into force.
Second. The terms of one half
of the members of the provisional Council shall expire during the first regular
session of the Congress to be held after this Agreement has entered into force.
The retiring members shall be designated by drawing lots, if necessary,
respecting the proportion of two European countries to three American
countries.
Third. The terms of the other half of the members of the
Council shall expire during the second regular session of the Congress to be
held after this Agreement has entered into force.
Fourth. Until the
meeting of the next Congress of the Latin Union, the Secretariat shall have a
Secretary-General and three Deputy Secretaries, appointed by the Second
International Congress of the Latin Union. They shall perform their functions
according to the guidelines of the provisional Executive Council, as established
in this Agreement.
Fifth. The next Congress of the Latin Union shall
designate the Latin American capital where the permanent headquarters of the
Union will be located.
Sixth. All States of Latin language and culture
which took part in either of the first two International Congresses of the Latin
Union shall be invited to sign and ratify this Agreement.
In witness
whereof, the undersigned Plenipotentiaries have signed the Spanish, Italian,
Portuguese and French texts of this Agreement.
Done in Madrid on the
fifteenth day of May of nineteen hundred and fifty-four.
