Artikel 10

1. The Sponsoring Partners shall hold an Annual Meeting as notified by the Steering Committee. An extraordinary meeting of the Sponsoring Partners shall be held:
a) When the Steering Committee finds it necessary;
b) Upon the request of one third of the Sponsoring Partners.
2. The Sponsoring Partners may hold the Annual Meeting or extraordinary meetings through distant communication in accordance with rules established by the Meeting.
3. Each Sponsoring Partner is entitled to one representative at the Meeting of the Sponsoring Partners. The Chair shall be invited to present the yearly activity report and the yearly financial statement of the Steering Committee. A representative of the Nomination Committee shall be invited to present the nominations according to Article 8. Observers may be invited by the Steering Committee, and may be given the right to address the Meeting of the Sponsoring Partners, but shall have no right to vote.
4. An invitation to the Meeting of the Sponsoring Partners, with a draft agenda for the Meeting and a presentation of the nominations from the Nomination Committee, shall be sent to the Sponsoring Partners one month before the Meeting.
5. At the Annual Meeting the Sponsoring Partners shall:
a) Receive and consider the yearly activity report of the Steering Committee;
b) Receive and consider the yearly financial statement of the Steering Committee;
c) Approve the audit report or reports;
d) Approve new Sponsoring Partners after recommendation by the Steering Committee;
e) Appoint the Chair, in accordance with Article 6;
f) Appoint members of the Steering Committee, in accordance with Article 7 and paragraph 7 of this Article;
g) Appoint External Auditors, in accordance with Article 15;
h) Appoint Internal Auditors, when so requested by Partners in accordance with Article 8, paragraph 4.
6. The Meeting of the Sponsoring Partners shall decide the number of members of the Steering Committee within the limits set out in Article 7, paragraph 2. This decision shall be communicated to the Nomination Committee three months before the nominations shall be presented to the Partners.
7. In the appointment of members of the Steering Committee, the Meeting of the Sponsoring Partners shall:
a) Aim to assure that the composition of the Steering Committee reflects a balance in terms of professional background, geographical representation, gender and level of development of the person's home State;
b) Take into consideration the member's capacity to take active part in the work of the Steering Committee.
8. If the appointments deviate from the proposal of the Nomination Committee, the Meeting of the Sponsoring Partners shall explain its decision in a written report which shall be communicated to the Nomination Committee, the Partners and the Steering Committee without delay.
9. Decisions of the Meeting shall be taken by simple majority of the present and voting Sponsoring Partners. A decision taken at a meeting requires the presence of representatives of at least half of the Sponsoring Partners plus one. A decision taken through distant communication shall be taken by a simple majority of all Sponsoring Partners.
10. Absent Sponsoring Partners may communicate their vote in advance to the Chairman of the Meeting.