Chapter I: Institution of the FORO

Article 1.

The IBERO-AMERICAN FORO OF RADIOLOGICAL AND NUCLEAR REGULATORY ORGANIZATIONS, hereinafter "FORO", was created by the Veracruz Agreement, dated July 9, 1997. The current members of FORO are the regulatory bodies of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Spain, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal and Uruguay.

Article 2.

The FORO may gradually incorporate more regulatory authorities from the countries of the Ibero-American Region, to regulate and control practices and activities involving sources of ionizing radiation and nuclear materials.

Article 3.

The FORO shall not carry out activities to promote the nuclear programmes of the member countries or those related to aspects that are the exclusive competence of the responsible authorities of each country.

Chapter II: Objectives

Article 4.

The objective of the FORO is to promote a high level of safety in all practices and activities involving sources of ionizing radiation and nuclear materials in the member countries and, by extension, in the countries of the Ibero-American Region, for which purpose it will promote the exchange of information and experiences in matters of nuclear, radiological and physical safety, as well as in legal and organizational matters of mutual and priority interest, among the Ibero-American regulatory authorities.

Chapter III. Conditions for Admission

Article 5.

FORO membership shall be open to the authorities responsible for the regulation and control of nuclear, radiological and physical security of countries that meet the following requirements:

• a) To be a Member State of the International Atomic Energy Agency.
• b) Belong to the Ibero-American Region.
• c) To have a regulatory infrastructure in the matters pertaining to the FORO.

Article 6.

The applicant State shall submit a request for membership to FORO indicating the regulatory authority that represents it. Only one representation per country will be admitted.

Chapter IV. Structure

Article 7.

The FORO is governed by a governing body called the Plenary, composed of those with the highest representation in the regulatory authorities that comprise it. The FORO structure also includes the Technical Executive Committee and the Secretariat.

Chapter V. Plenary

Article 8.

The functions and powers of the Plenary are as follows

• a) To define the policies of the FORO.
• b) To approve the FORO Statute and its modifications.
• c) To approve the incorporation of new members.
• d) To issue directives for the administration of financial resources.
• e) To approve the Annual Budget.
• f) To approve requests for extraordinary expenses.
• g) To approve the appointment of the Chairman of the Technical Executive Committee.
• h) To appoint the FORO Secretariat.
• i) To approve the technical program.
• j) To authorise the publication of the results of the FORO's technical work.

Chapter VI. Meetings of the Plenary

Article 9.

Ordinary meetings of the Plenary shall be held once a year. Extraordinary meetings may be held to address specific issues. Meetings shall be validly constituted with the presence of at least three quarters of the members. Decisions shall be taken in three rounds, the first two of which shall be by consensus. If consensus is not reached, a qualified majority of three-fourths of the members present shall apply in the third round. Decisions shall be recorded in the Minutes.

Chapter VII. President of the Plenary

Article 10.

The President of the Plenary shall represent FORO and shall have a term of office of one (1) year, on a rotating basis, following the alphabetical order of the countries, in the Spanish language. In case of impossibility to assume the mandate, the presidency shall be exercised by the member of the Plenary who succeeds him/her in alphabetical order.

Article 11.

The functions and attributions of the President of the Plenary are the representation of the FORO in any institutional sphere and the convening and organization of the meetings of the Plenary.

Chapter VIII. Executive Technical Committee

Article 12.

The Executive Technical Committee (CTE) will be formed by a maximum of eleven members, nine of which will be permanent and two non-permanent. The permanent representation corresponds to the radiological and nuclear regulatory authorities of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Spain, Mexico, Peru and Uruguay. The non-permanent representation will rotate every two years.

Article 13.

Each member of the Executive Technical Committee will be appointed by the regulatory authority of his/her country, and will have a high technical qualification in radiation protection, physical and nuclear safety, knowledge of the regulatory reality of the region and technical decision-making capacity, with access to the senior management of their authorities.

Article 14.

The Executive Technical Committee shall have a Chairman, elected from among its members, whose appointment shall be approved by the Plenary. His/her term of office shall be three (3) years, renewable for an equal period.

Article 15.

Regular meetings of the Executive Technical Committee shall be held twice a year. Extraordinary meetings may be held to address specific topics, with the prior approval of the Plenary. Decisions shall be adopted by consensus of the members present, and if this is not possible, a qualified majority of two thirds shall be adopted. Decisions shall be recorded in the Minutes.

Article 16.

The functions and attributions of the Technical Executive Committee are to elaborate, propose and execute the FORO Technical Program.

Article 17.

The functions and powers of the Chairman of the Technical Executive Committee are to direct the work of the CTE and to coordinate with the President of the Plenary and the Head of the Secretariat in communications to and from the Secretariat.

Chapter IX. FORO Secretariat

Article 18.

The FORO Secretariat, based in the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, will be responsible for the administrative management according to the guidelines of the Plenary and the instructions of its President, providing support to the whole structure and serving as a link to promote and disseminate the activities and institutions of the FORO. The FORO Secretariat shall have a Secretary appointed by the Plenary for three (3) years, renewable.

Article 19.

The functions and attributions of the Secretariat are to verify the execution of financial resources, to keep the registry and archive of institutional documentation and to coordinate with the presidents of the FORO and the CTE in communications to and from abroad.

Chapter X. Technical Program

Article 20.

The technical program is developed through Working Groups, which execute projects and activities. The members of the working groups will be appointed by each regulatory authority and must be experts with high technical qualifications and availability to participate in these activities.

Chapter XI. Institutional Relations

Article 21.

The FORO shall establish relations with institutions, regional and international organizations, whose objectives are of interest for the fulfillment of its purposes and for the dissemination of the results of its work.

Article 22.

The FORO will avoid duplicating the activities carried out by other institutions or technical organizations in the FORO's field of interest, so that the aspects addressed are complementary.

Chapter XII. Economic Basis

Article 23.

The FORO shall be financed by voluntary contributions from its members. The financial resources of the FORO shall be used in an equitable manner for the development of its activities and for its expansion and maintenance, according to the directives and planning approved by the Plenary. Monetary and in-kind contributions shall be registered at the FORO Secretariat.

Article 24.

Each regulatory body shall assume the expenses derived from the participation of its delegation in the meetings of the Plenary, except in exceptional cases, which shall be considered by the Plenary itself. The host regulatory body shall assume the expenses derived from the organization of the Plenary meetings.

Chapter XIII. Languages

Article 25.

The deliberations, communications and documentation of the FORO will be in Spanish.

Chapter XIV. Modification of the Statute

Article 26.

Any amendment to the present Statute shall be submitted to the Plenary for consideration and subsequent approval. Any such proposal must be submitted to the Secretariat at least ninety (90) days prior to the regular meeting.

Chapter XV. Entry into Force

Article 27.

The present Statute shall enter into force as from the date of their approval by the Plenary at its regular annual meeting and shall be registered with the FORO Secretariat, and the previous Statute shall cease to have effect.

Transitory Provisions:

FIRST:

For the purpose of calculating the time periods set forth in Articles 14 and 18, the date of approval of this statute shall be considered as the beginning of the corresponding terms of office.

SECOND:

The Plenary shall approve the Rules of Procedure of this Statute no later than September 30.