Artikel XVIII

1. The Director-General shall submit to each regular session of the Conference the budget of the Organization for approval.
2. Each Member Nation and Associate Member undertakes to contribute annually to the Organization its share of the budget, as apportioned by the Conference. When determining the contributions to be paid by Member Nations and Associate Members, the Conference shall take into account the difference in status between Member Nations and Associate Members.
3. Each Member Nation and Associate Member shall, upon approval of its application, pay as its first contribution a proportion, to be determined by the Conference, of the budget for the current financial period.
4. The financial period of the Organization shall be the two calendar years following the normal date for the regular session of the Conference, unless the Conference should otherwise determine.
5. Decisions on the level of the budget shall be taken by a two-thirds majority of the votes cast.
6. A Member Organization shall not be required to contribute to the budget as specified in paragraph 2 of this Article, but shall pay to the Organization a sum to be determined by the Conference to cover administrative and other expenses arising out of its membership in the Organization. A Member Organization shall not vote on the budget.