Submission of amendments in the course of a debate and on the order of priority of amendments

Resolution 474 (1971)

Author(s):

Parliamentary Assembly

Origin

Assembly debate on 23 January 1971 (25th Sitting) (seeDoc. 2856, report of the Committee on Rules of Procedure). Text adopted by the Assembly on 23 January 1971 (25th Sitting).

The Assembly,

1. Mindful of the difficulties and confusion than can arise through the oral submission of amendments and sub-amendments to draft texts under discussion ;

2. Considering in particular that, since several languages are used in Assembly debates, the submission of oral amendments in the course of a debate should be allowed only as an exception ;

3. Anxious, however, to preserve the flexibility of procedure offered by the present regulations on the tabling of amendments ;

4. Wishing to lighten the task of the President of the Assembly when he is called upon to give the rulings provided for under Rule 30(2) and (4) of the Rules of Procedure ;

5. Having noted the report of the Committee on Rules of Procedure (Doc. 2856),

6. Resolves :

a to amend Rule 30 (2) of the Assembly Rules of Procedure so that it reads as follows :

Amendments shall relate directly to the text which it is sought to alter. The President shall decide whether they are in order. Amendments should apply only to the substantive text [(1) In accordance with the provisions of Rule 46, the substantive text is the draft recommendation, opinion, resolution or order (including preamble) submitted to the Assembly for approval.] ; they must be signed by their author and, unless the President decides otherwise after consultation with the Chairman of the committee concerned, must be laid on the Table so as to leave sufficient time for them to be printed and distributed before they are discussed." ;

b to amend Rule 30 (4) of the Rules of Procedure so that it reads as follows :

"If two or more contradictory amendments relate to the same paragraph, the amendment which differs most from the text of the committee's report shall have priority over the others and shall be put first to the vote. If it is agreed to, the other amendments shall be considered as having been thereby negatived ; if it is negatived, the amendment which, according to the same principle, is next in priority shall be put to the vote, and similarly for each of the remaining amendments. In case of doubt as to the degree of priority, the President shall give a ruling after consultation with the Chairman of the committee concerned."