CHAPTER IIIFUNCTIONINGArticle 6Decisions and recommendations1.The EPA Committee shall adopt its decisions and recommendations by consensus.2.The EPA Committee may decide to submit any general matter, which is of mutual interest to the ACP States and the European Union, arising under the Agreement to the ACP-EU Council of Ministers, as defined under Article 15 of the Partnership Agreement between the members of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States, of the one part, and the European Community and its Member States, of the other part (the ‘Cotonou Agreement’).3.In the period between meetings, the EPA Committee may adopt decisions or recommendations by written procedure if both Parties so agree. A written procedure shall consist of an exchange of notes between the Parties.4.The decisions or recommendations of the EPA Committee shall bear the title ‘Decision’ or ‘Recommendation’ followed by a serial number, the date of their adoption and an indication of their content. Each decision shall indicate the date of its entry into force.5.Decisions and recommendations adopted by the EPA Committee shall be authenticated by a representative of the European Commission on behalf of the European Union and by a representative of the Republic of Cameroon.6.Decisions and recommendations shall be forwarded to the Parties as documents of the EPA Committee.Article 7Correspondence1.All correspondence addressed to the EPA Committee shall be directed to its Secretary.2.The Secretary shall ensure that correspondence addressed to the EPA Committee is forwarded to the Chair of the Committee and, where appropriate, circulated as documents referred to under Article 10 of these Rules of Procedure to the focal point of each Party, as defined under Article 92 of the Agreement.3.Correspondence from the Chair of the EPA Committee shall be sent to the focal point of each Party by the Secretary and, where appropriate, circulated as documents referred to under Article 10 of these Rules of Procedure to the other members of the EPA Committee.Article 8Meetings1.The EPA Committee shall meet at regular intervals, not exceeding a period of one year, and shall hold extraordinary meetings whenever circumstances so require, if the Parties so agree.2.Each meeting of the EPA Committee shall be held at a place and on a date agreed by the Parties.3.Meetings of the EPA Committee shall be convened by the Party holding the Chair, after consulting the other Party.4.Invitations shall be sent to participants at the latest 15 days before each meeting.Article 9DelegationsBefore each meeting, the Chair of the EPA Committee shall be informed of the intended composition of the delegations of the European Union and the Republic of Cameroon, and of any observers.Article 10DocumentationWhere the deliberations of the EPA Committee are based on written supporting documents, such documents shall be numbered and circulated as documents of the EPA Committee by the Secretary at least 14 days before the beginning of the meeting.Article 11Agendas for Meetings1.A provisional agenda for each meeting shall be drawn up by the Secretary of the EPA Committee on the basis of proposals made by the Parties. It shall be forwarded by the Secretary of the EPA Committee to each Party's focal point no later than 15 days before the beginning of the meeting.2.The provisional agenda shall include the items for which a request for inclusion on the agenda has been received by the Secretary no later than 21 days before the beginning of the meeting, although such items will not be included on the provisional agenda unless the relevant supporting documents have been received by the Secretary no later than the date of dispatch of that provisional agenda.3.The agenda shall be adopted by the EPA Committee at the beginning of each meeting. Items other than those appearing on the provisional agenda may be placed on the agenda if the Parties so agree.4.The Chair of the EPA Committee, in agreement with the Parties, may invite experts to attend the EPA Committee's meetings in order to provide information on specific subjects.5.With the agreement of the Parties, the Secretary may shorten the time limits specified in paragraphs 1 and 2, in order to take account of the requirements of a particular case.Article 12Minutes1.At the end of each meeting, a summary of the conclusions shall be drawn up and signed by the EPA Committee members.2.Draft minutes of each meeting shall be drawn up by the Secretary at the latest within one month.3.The minutes shall, as a general rule, summarise each item on the agenda, specifying where applicable:
4.The minutes shall also include a list of participants from the EPA Committee, a list of the members of the delegations accompanying them and a list of any observers at the meeting.5.The minutes shall be approved in writing by both Parties within two months of the date of the meeting. Once approved, two copies of the minutes shall be signed by the Secretary and each of the Parties shall receive one original of these authentic documents.Article 13Public access1.Unless otherwise decided by the Parties, the meetings of the EPA Committee shall not be public.2.Each Party may decide to publish the decisions of the EPA Committee in its respective official publication.