Artikel 8

1. The Council is the executive organ of the Organization and shall be responsible for directing the activities of the Organization.
2. The Council shall consist of the President and the Vice President and twenty-three other Member States.
3. Council members shall be elected by ballot at each regular session of the General Assembly in accordance with the General Regulations. Council members should, in principle, be drawn from different parts of the world, with a view to achieving a worldwide representation.
4. At the Council, Member States shall preferably be represented by a delegate from a national authority responsible for the regulation, provision, maintenance or operation of Marine Aids to Navigation of that Member State.
5. Seventeen members of the Council, at least one of which must be the President or Vice President, shall constitute a quorum for the sessions of the Council.
6. The Council shall meet at least once a year.
7. Any Member State not represented on the Council may participate in the Council meetings, but will not be entitled to vote.
8. The Council shall:
a) Exercise such responsibilities as may be delegated to it by the General Assembly;
b) Coordinate the activities of the Organization within the framework of the overall policy, the strategic vision and the outline budget, as decided by the General Assembly;
c) Review and approve the financial statements, including the annual budget;
d) Decide on Affiliate membership;
e) Convene the General Assembly;
f) Report to the General Assembly on the work of the Organization;
g) Review papers submitted to it in accordance with the General Regulations;
h) Refer to the General Assembly all matters requiring decision by the General Assembly;
i) Approve recommendations, guidelines, manuals and other appropriate documents;
j) Approve submissions to other organizations;
k) Appoint Chairs and Vice Chairs of Committees and subsidiary bodies and review and approve their work programmes;
l) Decide the venue and the year of the Organization’s conferences and symposia as described in the General Regulations; and
m) Approve the Staff Rules.
9. Council members may, after having informed the President and the Secretary-General, invite Affiliate Members to participate as technical advisors at Council meetings to provide advice and support on operational and technical matters.