Rules of procedure
II. Agenda
Regular Sessions
Provisional agenda: Rule 12 | Provisional agenda: Rule 13 | Supplementary items: Rule 14 | Additional items: Rule 15
Special Sessions
Provisional agenda: Rule 16 | Provisional agenda: Rule 17 | Supplementary items: Rule 18 | Additional items: Rule 19
Regular and Special Sessions
Explanatory memorandum: Rule 20 | Adoption of the agenda: Rule 21 | Amendment and deletion of items: Rule 22 | Debate on inclusion of items: Rule 23 | Modification of the allocation of expenses: Rule 24
Regular Sessions
Provisional agenda
The provisional agenda for a regular session shall be drawn up by the Secretary-General and communicated to the Members of the United Nations at least sixty days before the opening of the session.
The provisional agenda of a regular session shall include:
- (a) The report of the Secretary-General on the work of the Organization;
- (b) Reports from the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council, the Trusteeship Council, the International Court of Justice, the subsidiary organs of the General Assembly and the specialized agencies (where such reports are called for under agreements entered into);
- (c) All items the inclusion of which has been ordered by the General Assembly at a previous session;
- (d) All items proposed by the other principal organs of the United Nations;
- (e) All items proposed by any Member of the United Nations;
- (f) All items pertaining to the budget for the next financial year and the report on the accounts for the last financial year;
- (g) All items which the Secretary-General deems it necessary to put before the General Assembly;
- (h) All items proposed under Article 35, paragraph 2, of the Charter by States not Members of the United Nations.
Supplementary items
Any Member or principal organ of the United Nations or the Secretary-General may, at least thirty days before the date fixed for the opening of a regular session, request the inclusion of supplementary items in the agenda. Such items shall be placed on a supplementary list, which shall be communicated to Members at least twenty days before the opening of the session.
Additional items
Additional items of an important and urgent character, proposed for inclusion in the agenda less than thirty days before the opening of a regular session or during a regular session, may be placed on the agenda if the General Assembly so decides by a majority of the members present and voting. No additional item may, unless the General Assembly decides otherwise by a two-thirds majority of the members present and voting, be considered until seven days have elapsed since it was placed on the agenda and until a committee has reported upon the question concerned. [See introduction paras. 11 and 29 
]
Special Sessions
Provisional agenda
The provisional agenda of a special session convened at the request of the Security Council shall be communicated to the Members of the United Nations at least fourteen days before the opening of the session. The provisional agenda of a special session convened at the request of a majority of the Members, or upon the concurrence of a majority in the request of any Member, shall be communicated at least ten days before the opening of the session. The provisional agenda of an emergency special session shall be communicated to Members simultaneously with the communication convening the session. [See introduction, para. 13 ]
The provisional agenda for a special session shall consist only of those items proposed for consideration in the request for the holding of the session.
Supplementary items
Any Member or principal organ of the United Nations or the Secretary-General may, at least four days before the date fixed for the opening of a special session, request the inclusion of supplementary items in the agenda. Such items shall be placed on a supplementary list, which shall be communicated to Members as soon as possible.
Additional items
During a special session, items on the supplementary list and additional items may be added to the agenda by a two-thirds majority of the members present and voting. During an emergency special session, additional items concerning the matters dealt with in may be added to the agenda by a two-thirds majority of the members present and voting. [See introduction para. 13 ]
Regular and Special Sessions
Explanatory memorandum
Any item proposed for inclusion in the agenda shall be accompanied by an explanatory memorandum and, if possible, by basic documents or by a draft resolution. [See introduction para. 11 ]
Adoption of the agenda
At each session the provisional agenda and the supplementary list, together with the report of the General Committee thereon, shall be submitted to the General Assembly for approval as soon as possible after the opening of the session.
Amendment and deletion of items
Items on the agenda may be amended or deleted by the General Assembly by a majority of the members present and voting. [See introduction para. 11 ]
Debate on inclusion of items
Debate on the inclusion of an item in the agenda, when that item has been recommended for inclusion by the General Committee, shall be limited to three speakers in favour of, and three against, the inclusion. The President may limit the time to be allowed to speakers under this rule. [See introduction para. 11 ]
Modification of the allocation of expenses
No proposal for a modification of the allocation of expenses for the time being in force shall be placed on the agenda unless it has been communicated to the Members of the United Nations at least ninety days before the opening of the session.
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