Article 1Tasks and composition1.The Joint Committee, established in accordance with Article 52 of the Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Partnership and Cooperation between the European Union and its Member States, on the one part, and the Kingdom of Thailand, on the other part (the ‘Agreement’), shall perform its tasks as provided for in the Agreement and in these Rules of Procedure.2.Pursuant to Article 52(4) of the Agreement, the Joint Committee shall have the prerogative to discuss the functioning and implementation of any specific agreement as referred to in Article 53(1). As part of the common institutional framework, the Joint Committee shall discuss the matters referred to it by committees set up under any specific agreement referred to in Article 53(1) and those of the subcommittees of those committees set up under the specific agreements.3.The Joint Committee shall be composed of representatives of both Parties at the highest possible level.Article 2Chairing1.The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand shall chair the Joint Committee when convened at Ministerial level. This function can be delegated to a senior official.2.The Joint Committee shall be chaired alternately by each of the Parties, for a period of one year, from 1 January to 31 December of the same year. The other Party shall act as Co-Chair.Article 3Meetings1.The Joint Committee shall normally meet in Brussels and Bangkok alternately once every year or as otherwise agreed by the co-chairs. The meetings of the Joint Committee shall be convened by the Chair hosting the meeting on a date fixed by mutual agreement. Extraordinary meetings of the Joint Committee may be held at the request of either Party, if the Parties so agree.2.If both Parties agree, the meetings of the Joint Committee may exceptionally be held by means of video- or teleconference.3.The Joint Committee shall meet at ministerial level but may meet at the level of senior officials if the Parties so agree.4.Unless otherwise decided by the co-chairs, meetings of the Joint Committee shall not be public.Article 4Participants1.Before each meeting, each Party shall inform the co-chairs, through the Secretariat, of the intended composition of its delegation.2.Where appropriate and by mutual agreement between the Parties, experts or representatives of other bodies may be invited to attend the meetings of the Joint Committee as observers or in order to provide information on a particular subject.Article 5SecretariatA representative of the European External Action Service and a representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand shall act jointly as Secretaries of the Joint Committee. All communications to and from the co-chairs of the Joint Committee shall be forwarded to the Secretaries. Correspondence to and from the co-chairs of the Joint Committee may be by any written means, including electronic mail.Article 6Agendas for meetings1.The Chair shall draw up a provisional agenda for each meeting. The provisional agenda shall be forwarded, together with the relevant documents, to the other Party no later than 15 calendar days before the start of the meeting.2.Items to be included in the provisional agenda shall be submitted to the Chair no later than 21 calendar days before the beginning of the meeting.3.The agenda shall be adopted by the Joint Committee at the beginning of each meeting. Items other than those on the provisional agenda may be placed on the agenda if the two Parties so agree.4.The Chair may, in agreement with the Co-Chair, shorten the time limits referred to in paragraph 1 in order to take account of the requirements of a particular case.Article 7Minutes1.Draft minutes of each meeting shall be drawn up jointly by the two Secretaries, normally within 30 calendar days from the date of the meeting. The draft minutes shall be based on a summing up by the Chair of the conclusions arrived at by the Joint Committee.2.The minutes shall be approved by both Parties within 45 calendar days of the date of the meeting or by any date agreed by the Parties. Once there is agreement on the draft minutes, two original copies shall be signed by the Chair and the Co-Chair. Each Party shall receive one original copy.Article 8Decisions and recommendations1.The Joint Committee may take decisions and make recommendations in order to attain the objectives of the Agreement. Decisions and recommendations of the Joint Committee shall be adopted by mutual agreement of the Parties. Decisions and recommendations shall be adopted following completion by the Parties of their respective internal procedures in accordance with their laws and regulations.2.Each decision shall be binding as of the date of its adoption.3.When the Joint Committee adopts decisions or recommendations, such acts shall be entitled ‘Decision’ or ‘Recommendation’ respectively, followed by a serial number, the date of their adoption and a description of the subject matter.4.The Joint Committee may take decisions or make recommendations by written procedure if both Parties so agree. By mutual agreement of the Parties, a deadline may be foreseen for the completion of the written procedure, at the end of which the Chair and the Co-Chair of the Joint Committee may declare, unless any of the Parties communicates the contrary, that a mutual agreement of the Parties has been reached.5.Decisions and recommendations adopted by the Joint Committee shall be authenticated by two original copies.6.Each Party may decide on the publication of the decisions and recommendations of the Joint Committee in its respective official publication.Article 9Correspondence1.Correspondence addressed to the Joint Committee shall be directed to one of the Secretaries, who will in turn inform the other Secretary.2.The Secretariat shall ensure that correspondence addressed to the Joint Committee is forwarded to the Chair and the Co-Chair and circulated, where appropriate, as documents referred to in Article 10 of these rules of procedure.3.Correspondence from the Chair and the Co-Chair shall be sent to the Parties by the Secretariat and circulated, where appropriate, as documents referred to in Article 10 of these rules of procedure.Article 10Documents1.Where the deliberations of the Joint Committee are based on written supporting documents, such documents shall be numbered and circulated by the Secretariat to the Members.2.Each Secretary shall be responsible for circulating the documents to the respective representatives in the Joint Committee and systematically copying the other Secretary.3.When a Party submits information destined to be treated confidentially, the other Party shall treat the information as such.Article 11Expenses1.Each Party shall meet any expenses it incurs as a result of participating in the meetings of the Joint Committee with regard to staff, travel, and subsistence expenditure as well as postal and telecommunications expenditure.2.Expenditure in connection with the organisation of meetings and reproduction of documents shall be borne by the Party hosting the meeting.Article 12Amendment of rules of procedureThese rules of procedure may be amended by mutual agreement of the Parties, through a decision of the Joint Committee in accordance with Article 8.Article 13Specialised Working Groups1.The Joint Committee may decide to set up specialised working groups to assist it in the performance of its tasks.2.The Joint Committee shall determine the terms of reference of the specialised working groups set up pursuant to paragraph 1.3.The specialised working groups shall report to the Joint Committee after each of their meetings.4.The specialised working groups shall not have any decision-making power but may submit recommendations to the Joint Committee.