b) The Maritime Safety Committee shall provide machinery for performing any duties assigned to it by this Convention, the Assembly or the Council, or any duty within the scope of this Article which may be assigned to it by or under any other international instrument and accepted by the Organisation.
c) Having regard to the provisions of Article 25, the Maritime Safety Committee, upon request by the Assembly or the Council or, if it deems such action useful in the interests of its own work, shall maintain such close relationship with other bodies as may further the purposes of the Organisation.
Article 29
The Maritime Safety Committee shall submit to the Council:
a) proposals for safety regulations or for amendments to safety regulations which the Committee has developed;
b) recommendations and guidelines which the Committee has developed;
c) a report on the work of the Committee since the previous session of the Council.
Article 30
The Maritime Safety Committee shall meet at least once a year. It shall elect its officers once a year and shall adopt its own Rules of Procedure.
Article 31
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Convention but subject to the provisions of Article 27, the Maritime Safety Committee when exercising the functions conferred upon it by or under any international convention or other instrument, shall conform to the relevant provisions of the convention or instrument in question, particularly as regards the rules governing the procedures to be followed.
Part VIII
LEGAL COMMITTEE
Article 32
The Legal Committee shall consist of all the Members.
Article 33
a) The Legal Committee shall consider any legal matters within the scope of the Organisation.
b) The Legal Committee shall take all necessary steps to perform any duties assigned to it by this Convention or by the Assembly or the Council, or any duty within the scope of this Article which may be assigned to it by or under any other international instrument and accepted by the Organisation.
c) Having regard to the provisions of Article 25, the Legal Committee, upon request by the Assembly or the Council or, if it deems such action useful in the interests of its own work, shall maintain such close relationship with other bodies as may further the purposes of the Organisation.
Article 34
The Legal Committee shall submit to the Council:
a) drafts of international conventions and of amendments to international conventions which the Committee has developed;
b) a report on the work of the Committee since the previous session of the Council.
Article 35
The Legal Committee shall meet at least once a year. It shall elect its officers once a year and shall adopt its own Rules of Procedure.
Article 36
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Convention, but subject to the provisions of Article 32, the Legal Committee, when exercising the functions conferred upon it by or under any international convention or other instrument, shall conform to the relevant provisions of the convention or instrument in question, particularly as regards the rules governing the procedures to be followed.
Part IX
MARINE ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION COMMITTEE
Article 37
The Marine Environment Protection Committee shall consist of all the Members.
Article 38
The Marine Environment Protection Committee shall consider any matter within the scope of the Organisation concerned with the prevention and control of marine pollution from ships and in particular shall:
a) perform such functions as are or may be conferred upon the Organisation by or under international conventions for the prevention and control of marine pollution from ships, particularly with respect to the adoption and amendment of regulations or other provisions, as provided for in such conventions;
b) consider appropriate measures to facilitate the enforcement of the conventions referred to in paragraph a) above;
c) provide for the acquisition of scientific, technical and any other practical information on the prevention and control of marine pollution from ships for dissemination to States, in particular to developing countries and, where appropriate, make recommendations and develop guidelines;
d) promote co-operation with regional organisations concerned with the prevention and control of marine pollution from ships, having regard to the provisions of Article 25;
e) consider and take appropriate action with respect to any other matters falling within the scope of the Organisation which would contribute to the prevention and control of marine pollution from ships including co-operation on environmental matters with other international organisations, having regard to the provisions of Article 25.
Article 39
The Marine Environment Protection Committee shall submit to the Council:
a) proposals for regulations for the prevention and control of marine pollution from ships and for amendments to such regulations which the Committee has developed;
b) recommendations and guidelines which the Committee has developed;
c) a report on the work of the Committee since the previous session of the Council.
Article 40
The Marine Environment Protection Committee shall meet at least once a year. It shall elect its officers once a year and shall adopt its own Rules of Procedure.
Article 41
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Convention, but subject to the provisions of Article 37, the Marine Environment Protection Committee, when exercising the functions conferred upon it by or under any international convention or other instrument, shall conform to the relevant provisions of the convention or instrument in question, particularly as regards the rules governing the procedures to be followed.
Part X
TECHNICAL CO-OPERATION COMMITTEE
Article 42
The Technical Co-operation Committee shall consist of all the Members.
Article 43
a) The Technical Co-operation Committee shall consider, as appropriate, any matter within the scope of the Organisation concerned with the implementation of technical co-operation projects funded by the relevant United Nations programme Convention for which the Organisation acts as the executing or co-operating agency or by funds-in-trust voluntarily provided to the Organisation, and any other matters related to the Organisation’s activities in the technical co-operation Field.
b) The Technical Co-operation Committee shall keep under review the work of the Secretariat concerning technical co-operation.
c) The Technical Co-operation Committee shall perform those functions assigned to it by this Convention or by the Assembly or the Council, or any duty within the scope of this Article which may be assigned to it by or under any other international instrument and accepted by the Organisation.
d) Having regard to the provisions of Article 25, the Technical Co-operation Committee, upon request by the Assembly and Council or, if it deems such action useful in the interests of its own work, shall maintain such close relationships with other bodies as may further the purposes of the Organisation.
Article 44
The Technical Co-operation Committee shall submit to the Council:
a) recommendations which the Committee has developed;
b) a report on the work of the Committee since the previous session of the Council.
Article 45
The Technical Co-operation Committee shall meet at least once a year. It shall elect its officers once a year and shall adopt its own Rules of Procedure.
Article 46
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Convention, but subject to the provisions of Article 42, the Technical Co-operation Committee, when exercising the functions conferred upon it by or under any international convention or other instrument, shall conform to the relevant provisions of the convention or instrument in question, particularly as regards the rules governing the procedures to be followed.
Part XI
THE SECRETARIAT
Article 47
The Secretariat shall comprise the Secretary-General and such other personnel as the Organisation may require. The Secretary-General shall be the chief administrative officer of the Organisation and shall, subject to the provisions of Article 22, appoint the above-mentioned personnel.
Article 48
The Secretariat shall maintain all such records as may be necessary for the efficient discharge of the functions of the Organisation and shall prepare, collect and circulate the papers, documents, agenda, minutes and information that may be required for the work of the Organisation.
Article 49
The Secretary-General shall prepare and submit to the Council the financial statements for each year and the budget estimates on a biennial basis, with the estimates for each year shown separately.
Article 50
The Secretary-General shall keep Members informed with respect to the activities of the Organisation. Each Member may appoint one or more representatives for the purpose of communication with the Secretary-General.
Article 51
In the performance of their duties the Secretary-General and the staff shall not seek or receive instructions from any Government or from any authority external to the Organisation. They shall refrain from any action which might reflect on their position as international officials. Each Member on its part undertakes to respect the exclusively international character of the responsibilities of the Secretary-General and the staff and not to seek to influence them in the discharge of their responsibilities.
Article 52
The Secretary-General shall assume any other functions which may be assigned to him by the Convention, the Assembly or the Council.
Part XII
FINANCES
Article 53
Each Member shall bear the salary, travel and other expenses of its own delegation to the meetings held by the Organisation.
Article 54
The Council shall consider the financial statements and budget estimates prepared by the Secretary-General and submit them to the Assembly with its comments and recommendations.
Article 55
a) Subject to any agreement between the Organisation and the United Nations, the Assembly shall review and approve the budget estimates.
b) The Assembly shall apportion the expenses among the Members in accordance with a scale to be fixed by it after consideration of the proposals of the Council thereon.
Article 56
Any Member which fails to discharge its financial obligation to the Organisation within one year from the date on which it is due, shall have no vote in the Assembly, the Council, the Maritime Safety Committee, the Legal Committee, the Marine Environment Protection Committee or the Technical Co-operation Committee unless the Assembly, at its discretion, waives this provision.
Part XIII
VOTING
Article 57
Except as otherwise provided in the Convention or in any international agreement which confers functions on the Assembly, the Council, the Maritime Safety Committee, the Legal Committee, the Marine Environment Protection Committee, or the Technical Co-operation Committee, the following provisions shall apply to voting in these organs:
a) each Member shall have one vote;
b) decisions shall be by a majority vote of the Members present and voting and, for decisions where a two-thirds majority vote is required, by a two-thirds majority vote of those present;
c) for the purpose of the Convention, the phrase „Members present and voting” means Members present and casting an affirmative or negative vote. Members which abstain from voting shall be considered as not voting.
Part XIV
HEADQUARTERS OF THE ORGANISATION
Article 58
a) The Headquarters of the Organisation shall be established in London.
b) The Assembly may by a two-thirds majority vote change the site of the Headquarters if necessary.
c) The Assembly may hold sessions in any place other than the headquarters if the Council deems it necessary.
Part XV
RELATIONSHIP WITH THE UNITED NATIONS AND OTHER ORGANISATIONS
Article 59
The Organisation shall be brought into relationship with the United Nations in accordance with Article 57 of the Charter of the United Nations as the specialised agency in the field of shipping and the effect of shipping on the marine environment. This relationship shall be effected through an agreement with the United Nations under Article 63 of the Charter of the United Nations, which agreement shall be concluded as provided in Article 25.
Article 60
The Organisation shall co-operate with any specialised agency of the United Nations in matters which may be the common concern of the Organisation and of such specialised agency, and shall consider such matters and act with respect to them in accord with such specialised agency.
Article 61
The Organisation may, on matters within its scope, co-operate with other intergovernmental organisations which are not specialised agencies of the United Nations, but whose interests and activities are related to the purposes of the Organisation.
Article 62
The Organisation may, on matters within its scope, make suitable arrangements for consultation and co-operation with non-governmental international organisations.
Article 63
Subject to approval by a two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly, the Organisation may take over from any other international organisations, governmental or non-governmental, such functions, resources and obligations within the scope of the Organisation as may be transferred to the Organisation by international agreements or by mutually acceptable arrangements entered into between competent authorities of the respective organisations. Similarly, the Organisation may take over any administrative functions which are within its scope and which have been entrusted to a Government under the terms of any international instrument.
Part XVI
LEGAL CAPACITY, PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES
Article 64
The legal capacity, privileges and immunities to be accorded to, or in connection with, the Organisation, shall be derived from and governed by the General Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the Specialised Agencies approved by the General Assembly of the United Nations on 21 November 1947, subject to such modifications as may be set forth in the final (or revised) text of the Annex approved by the Organisation in accordance with Sections 36 and 38 of the said General Convention.
Article 65
Pending its accession to the said General Convention in respect of the Organisation, each Member undertakes to apply the provisions of appendix II to the present Convention.
Part XVII
AMENDMENTS
Article 66
Texts of proposed amendments to the Convention shall be communicated by the Secretary-General to Members at least six months in advance of their consideration by the Assembly. Amendments shall be adopted by a two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly. Twelve months after its acceptance by two thirds of the Members of the Organisation, other than Associate Members, each amendment shall come into force for all Members. If within the first 60 days of this period of twelve months a Member gives notification of withdrawal from the Organisation on account of an amendment the withdrawal shall, notwithstanding the provisions of Article 73 of the Convention, take effect on the date on which such amendment comes into force.