Additional
provisions relating to Assembly debates
(adopted by the Bureau of the Assembly on 25 March 2002 and
17 December 2007)
i.Organisation
of debates
In accordance with Rule 38
, the
modalities for the organisation of Assembly debates are as follows:
1. The time allotted
for debating – as well as voting – in the agenda in respect of each
report or group of reports should be adhered to. Therefore, the
general debate will have to be interrupted somewhat earlier, so
as to leave time for consideration of amendments and final voting
of all texts. The President may allow the sitting to continue beyond
the indicative closing times agreed by the Assembly if this is necessary
to complete the business the Assembly has agreed to take at those
sittings.
2. So that it may
be known in advance how long voting is likely to take, unless the
Bureau decides otherwise and except for debates under urgent procedure,
all amendments shall be tabled in accordance with the following
deadlines:
— for the first
day of a part-session, three hours before the opening of the sitting;
— for debates on
the second day, not later than 4 p.m. on the first day of the part-session;
— for debates on
the subsequent days of a part session, not later than twenty-three
and a half hours before the opening of the sitting at which the
debate is to begin.
Unless the Bureau decides otherwise,
sub-amendments must be tabled at least one hour before the scheduled
end of the sitting preceding that in which the debate begins.
3. If speakers whose
names have been duly entered on the list and who are actually present, are
not able to speak for lack of time, they shall be authorised to
hand in the text of their speech in writing, in a final and legible
form at the end of the debate, in one of the official or working languages,
for publication in the Official report, provided that it does not
exceed the speaking time they would have been allowed.
The text, in electronic format
and no longer than 400 words, shall be submitted to the Table Office
not later than four hours after the list of speakers is interrupted.
4. To ensure that
the speaking time is respected, the time available is displayed
and a bell rings when the time ends.
