BEAC Terms of Reference

The conference of Foreign Ministers in Kirkenes, Norway, on 11 January 1993 adopted the following Terms of Reference. Download the document.

1.  The purpose of the Barents Euro-Arctic Council will be to serve as a forum for cooperation among the participants.
   
   
2. The Council will consist of the participants at the Kirkenes Conference and of other states wishing to take an active part.
   
   
3. The Council will meet at Foreign Minister or other relevant ministerial level. It may also meet at senior official level.
   
   
4. The Kirkenes Conference is to be considered the founding conference as well as the first session of the Council.
   
   
5. The Council will normally convene once a year at Foreign Minister level. Each session will set the date and venue of the next session upon invitation of a participant.
   
   
6. The chairmanship of each session will be assumed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the host country. The chairmanship will initially rotate between Finland, Norway, Russia and Sweden.
   
   
7. The participant hosting a meeting of the Council will bear the costs related to conference services, premises and interpretation.
   
   
8. Ministerial sessions of the Council will normally be conducted in a Nordic language, Russian and English with simultaneous interpretation being provided by the host country.
   
   
9. Decisions of the Council and its subsidiary bodies will be taken by consensus.
   
   
10. Each session of the Council at Foreign Minister level will be prepared by a meeting or meetings at senior official level. Such meetings will be arranged by the participant hosting the next session of the Council.
    
    
11. The Council and its working bodies may decide to invite special participants, guests or observers to contribute to its work. This may include representatives of regions, subregions and international organizations.
    
    
12. The agenda will be determined by the host country in consultation with the other participants.
    
    
13. Participation in the Council will not in any way infringe on any international obligation, be it of a legal or a political nature, undertaken by any of the participating states.