Commissions – Rules and Regulations

Expectations and obligations for Commission members

1. A member of a Technical Commission of PIANC is a highly qualified professional, appointed by the First Delegate of his/her country. He/she acts as a link between the Commission and the navigation community in his/her country.

2. A member of a Commission is appointed for a term of four years and can be reappointed for a maximum of two additional terms of four years.

3. Members must commit themselves:

· to attend the meetings of the Commissions on a regular basis;

· to execute the actions that are assigned to them;

· to help review Working Group Reports, assuring their accordance with the approved Terms of Reference and with the high technical standards that PIANC wants to uphold;

· to provide advice when requested within a reasonable amount of time;

· to represent PIANC in events (within their country).

4. The main activities of the Commissions, in which the members are expected to contribute to their possibilities include:

• executing relevant parts of the Association's Strategic Plan;
• generating, managing, co-ordinating and supervising Working Groups;
• proposing subjects for Congresses and Conferences;
• taking initiatives to produce articles for the e-Magazine;
• providing technical as well as non-technical information about the Commission's relevant activities, in particular for the international website;
• participating in relevant internal and external Conferences, Seminars, Workshops, Debates, etc;
• seeking funds, where appropriate and relevant, from other sources in co-operation with the Secretary-General, to support the activities of PIANC;
• providing advice to the President or the General Secretariat on topics within their scope;
• charging Sub-Commissions or Task Groups with specific tasks.

5. Commissions meet, in principle, twice a year. The spring meetings (generally in February) are held in Brussels on dates agreed with the General Secretariat, in order to create possibilities of networking between the Commissions. The fall meetings (generally in September) are usually held in a member nation represented in the Commission.

6. No costs connected with the activities of the Commissions shall be chargeable to the Association, unless agreed by the General Secretariat.

7. The language of the discussions is English, so that members are expected to be reasonably fluent in this language.