Advice to Council 96-07 — Term of office for Joint Public Advisory Committee (JPAC) Members
DISTRIBUTION: General
J/96-05/ADV/07/Rev.2
ORIGINAL: English
Term of office for Joint Public Advisory Committee (JPAC) Members
The Joint Public Advisory Committee (JPAC) of the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC):
IN ACCORDANCE with the request of Council, JPAChasdeveloped a proposal on a possible option regarding the term of office of the members of the Joint Public Advisory Committee; and
RECOGNIZING that the term of office should be the same for the three Parties and that the main objectives are as follows:
- Establish a permanent, uniform process;
- Maximize the smooth continuation of operations during the transition period;
- Allow contributing members to continue their terms to ensure that committee work is followed up;
- Continue to elect a Chair for a one-year term from among the members of JPAC. A Canadian member will continue to serve the first term, an American member the second term, and a Mexican member the third term, consecutively;
- Establish a flexible process so that the quorum will not be destabilized; and
- Avoid short terms in order to reduce the administrative burden on the Parties.
HEREBY RESOLVES that JPAC propose to Council that the JPAC Rules of Procedure be amended to include a new article regarding the term of office, such article to indicate that:
- The term of office of each JPAC member will be three years, renewable for additional increments of one, two or three years as the Parties decide;
- The expiration date of JPAC members will coincide with the Annual Council Session, with the proviso that in the event a successor has not been appointed, those members whose terms have expired will continue to serve until successors are appointed; and
- A member absent for three consecutive JPAC meetings without explanation be deemed to have resigned.