Rada vlády pro záležitosti romské menšiny

Rules of Procedure

of the Council of the Government of the Czech Republic for Roma Community Affairs

Article1

Introductory provisions

(1) The Rules of Procedure of the Council of the Government of the Czech Republic for Roma Community Affairs (hereinafter referred to as the „Rules of Procedure“) is the internal regulation of the Council of the Government of the Czech Republic for Roma Community Affairs (hereinafter referred to as the „Council“) which regulates the procedures (meetings) of the Council.

(2) The Rules of Procedure are issued under Article 11 of the Statute of the Council approved through the Government Resolution No.100 of 28 January 2004.

Article 2

Convening of a session of the Council

(1) The Council meets in session – unless determined otherwise – on the last Thursday, each third month. This provision is without prejudice to extraordinary sessions.

(2) As a rule, a session of the Council is convened by its Chairman through the Office of the Council.

In the case of the absence of the Chairman, a session of the Council is convened by the first Vice-Chairman or another member of the Council assigned by the Chairman to do so.

(3) A session of the Council is convened by an invitation in writing which is prepared and distributed by the Office of the Council in such a manner that members of the Council receive it no later than 10 working days prior to the session. The invitation must specify, in addition to the place and time, also the agenda of the session. Attached to the invitation are materials for discussion (unless delivered to members sooner) or positions and recommendations of committees or working groups or expert opinions.

(4) An extraordinary session of the Council must be convened either based on a particular task arising from the Government Resolution or if at least one third of members of the Council requests so, namely in such a manner that the session takes place within 3 weeks of submission of a proposal to this effect. Materials for discussion may be then submitted only directly at the session.

(5) The agenda of a session is proposed by the Chairman of the Council.

(6) Written materials for distribution, together with the invitation, shall be submitted to the Office of the Council no later than 15 working days prior to a session of the Council.

(7) Invited to a session of the Council are its members, permanent representatives or also collaborators of committees and working groups, external experts and guests of individual members of the Council. Attendance of collaborators of committees and working groups, external experts and guests at a session needs to be reported 15 working days prior to a session of the Council to employees of the Office of the Council. Their attendance is subject to approval by the Chairman of the Council (see the Statute of the Council Art. 4).

Article 3

Course of a session of the Council

(1) A session of the Council is chaired by its Chairman. In the case of absence of the Chairman, a session is chaired by the 1st or 2nd Vice-Chairman or another member of the Council assigned by the Chairman.

(2) The Council is quorate and competent to meet, if an absolute majority of its members is present. Resolutions of the Council are adopted by voting. The manner of voting is regulated by Article 4.

(3) Sessions of the Council are closed, unless decided otherwise. A resolution, including the proportion of the vote, is public.

(4) If invited to a session of the Council, permanent collaborators of committees or working groups are present over the entire time of the session, except for voting. As a rule, guests are present at a meeting only up to the moment of the debate over the item on the agenda that concerns them, except for voting.

Sessions of the Council are always attended by employees of the Office of the Council who are present over the entire time of a meeting, including voting.

(5) Written minutes are made of all sessions of the Council. It is also possible to make a sound recording. Responsible for making such recording is a Secretary of the Council. It is signed by the Chairman of the Council or a member of the Council who chaired the session.

(6) Written minutes must specify the date, items on the agenda and brief conclusions on individual items on the agenda, including a verbatim record of opinions and recommendations to the Government or individual ministers on which the Council voted, including the proportion of the vote (who was in favour of the motion, against the motion, abstained from voting). As a rule, the minutes specify tasks assigned to members of the Council (or the Office of the Council, permanent collaborators of committees and working groups), stating the deadline for the implementation and the name of a person responsible for the fulfillment of a particular task.

(7) Attached to these minutes is the attendance list and written opinions (if any) of those members who did not take part in the session. Should any member leave a session of the Council prior to its end, this must be stated in the minutes.

(8) The minutes are distributed on a regular basis, together with the invitation to the next session, to members of the Council or other persons set forth in the permanent distribution list and also to persons set forth ad hoc in the minutes of the session of the Council. A brief version of the minutes is published on the Internet. Responsible for the distribution is the Office of the Council.

(9) Any corrections of the minutes are performed at the beginning of the next session of the Council. Should the correction be requested by a member of the Council or another participant in a session, he shall submit in writing the proposed amended wording no later than within the deadline for the submission of groundwork materials for the next session of the Council, i.e. 15 working days prior to a session of the Council.

Article 4

Voting of the Council

(1) The Council is quorate, if an absolute majority of its members is present in its session.

(2) The Council takes a vote on each item on the agenda separately. In the case that there is only a debate on the agenda of a session, the Council may vote on the wording of its resolution on all items at one go.

(3) As a rule, the voting is public (by acclamation). Vote by secret ballot is only applied, if the Council decided so with respect to any individual voting. Recorded in the minutes shall be the proportion of the vote, rather than the voting choice of individual members. Comments of a member (members) of the Council on the voting is stated in the conclusions only upon his/their request.

(3) Only members of the Council have the right to vote. A conclusion is adopted if the majority of the present members votes in favour of it. In the case of equality of votes, the vote of the Chairman is decisive.

Article 5

Meetings of committees of the Council

(1) Meetings of committees are held according to need. The date and agenda of a meeting are determined by the Secretary of the Committee, as agreed with the Chairman of the Committee. A meeting of the Committee of the Council is convened by the Secretary of the Committee by an invitation in writing. Attached to the invitation are materials for discussion.

(2) Invitations are distributed to members of the Committee and to permanent collaborators according to the regular distribution list and also to guests whose invitation has been decided by the Chairman of the Committee. Each member of the Council may take part in a meeting of any committee.

(3) Upon request of the Chairman of the Council an extraordinary meeting of the Committee of the Council must be convened as soon as possible.

(4) The Chairman of the Committee must meet the request (oral or written) for the extension of the agenda of the meeting, if such a requirement is expressed by at least one third of members of the Committee of the Council or if requested to do so by the Chairman of the Council.

(5) For members of the Council and permanent collaborators who are members of the Committee, their attendance at a meeting is obligatory and cannot be substituted for by a representative. Members of the Committee are obliged to apologize sufficiently in advance and have the right to send their written comment on the discussed matters (a written comment is always attached to written minutes of the meeting of the Committee). The Office of the Council will secure its delivery to members and permanent collaborators of the Committee.

(6) The Committee adopts its conclusions by voting. Entitled to participate in the voting are members of the Committee from the ranks of members of the Council and permanent collaborators. Article 4 of these Rules of Procedure shall apply, as appropriate.

(7) Brief minutes in writing are made of a meeting of the Committee. The minutes are approved by the Chairman of the Committee who signs them. Responsible for the preparation and distribution of the minutes is the Secretary of the Committee.

(8) The minutes of a meeting of the Committee are distributed to all participants in a meeting and upon request also to a member of the Council who requests so

(9) If the Committee does not have its own rules of procedure approved by the Council, these Rules of Procedure shall apply, as appropriate.

Article 6

Meetings of a working group

(1) As a rule, working groups meet informally and decide on a consensual basis. Only informal minutes are made of their meeting, unless the Chairman of the working group decides otherwise.

(2) Attendance at a meeting of a working group is obligatory for its members and permanent collaborators and experts and cannot be substituted for by a representative or a statement in writing.

Article 7

Information on activities of the Council

(1) Materials adopted by the Council and resolutions from a meeting of the Council, including the proportion of the vote, are public. Information on activities of committees and working groups are available for inspection at the Office of the Council.

(2) Roma members of the Council are obliged to inform regional coordinators about results of sessions of the Council.

(3) Information on activities of the Council requested by citizens under Act No. 101/2000 Coll. is prepared by the Office of the Council.

(4) The Chairman of the Council submits to the Government, subject to its prior approval by the Council, a report on activities of the Council for the past calendar year always by 31 March. Should the Council terminate its activities in the course of the calendar year, it shall submit the final report within one month of termination of its activities.

Article 8

Final provisions

(1) These Rules of Procedure took effect on 29 March 2004, based on approval by the Council under Ref. No. 1/2004.

(2) Any amendments and supplements to the Rules of Procedure are subject to approval by the Council.

(3) The Rules of Procedure are available to the public on the web site and at the Office of the Government of the Czech Republic itself. The version displayed on the web site is always the full wording of the valid Rules of Procedure.

Prague, 29 March 2004

PhDr. Petr Mareš

Chairman of the Council of the Government of the Czech Republic for Romany Community Affairs