with provisions of Article XIV of this Convention;(r) approve the accounts for the past budgetary period;(s) adopt or amend its own rules and procedures, financial regulations and other internal administrative regulations as may be necessary to carry out its functions;(t) provide the Secretariat for the AIDCP, taking into account the provisions of Article XIV, paragraph 3 of this Convention;(u) establish such subsidiary bodies as it considers necessary;(v) adopt any other measure or recommendation, based on relevant information, including the best scientific information available, as may be necessary to achieve the objective of this Convention, including non-discriminatory and transparent measures consistent with international law, to prevent, deter and eliminate activities that undermine the effectiveness of the conservation and management measures adopted by the Commission.2. The Commission shall maintain a staff qualified in matters pertaining to this Convention, including administrative, scientific and technical areas, under the supervision of the Director, and ensure that it shall include all personnel needed for the efficient and effective application of this Convention. The Commission should seek the most qualified staff available, and give due consideration to the importance of recruiting staff on an equitable basis to promote broad representation and participation of the members of the Commission.3. In considering guidance for the program of work on scientific matters to be addressed by the scientific staff, the Commission shall consider, inter alia, the advice, recommendations, and reports of the Scientific Advisory Committee established pursuant to Article XI of this Convention.Article VIIIMeetings of the Commission1. The ordinary meetings of the Commission shall take place at least once a year, in such location and on such date as the Commission agrees.2. The Commission may also hold extraordinary meetings when deemed necessary. These meetings shall be convened at the request of at least two of the members of the Commission, provided that a majority of the members support the request.3. The meetings of the Commission shall be held only when a quorum is present. Quorum is reached when two-thirds of the members of the Commission are present. This rule shall also apply to meetings of subsidiary bodies established under this Convention.4. The meetings shall be held in English and Spanish, and the documents of the Commission shall be produced in both these languages.5. Members shall elect a Chairman and Vice-Chairman from, unless otherwise decided, different Parties to this Convention. Both officials shall be elected for a period of one (1) year and shall remain in office until their successors are elected.Article IXDecision making1. Unless provided otherwise, all decisions made by the Commission at meetings convened pursuant to Article VIII of this Convention shall be by consensus of members of the Commission present at the meeting in question.2. Decisions on adoption of amendments to this Convention and its annexes, as well as invitations to accede to the Convention pursuant to Article XXX(c) of this Convention, shall require consensus of all Parties. In such cases, the Chairman of the meeting shall ensure that all members of the Commission have the opportunity to express their views on the proposed decisions, which the Parties shall take into account in reaching the final decision.3. The consensus of all the members of the Commission shall be required for decisions on:(a) the adoption and amendment of the Commission's budget, and those that determine the form and proportion of the contributions of the members;(b) the issues referred to in Article VII(i) of paragraph 1 of this Convention.4. With respect to decisions referred to in paragraphs 2 and 3 of this Article, if a Party or member of the Commission, as the case may be, is absent from the meeting in question and has not sent a notification in accordance with paragraph 6 of this Article, the Director shall notify such Party or member of the decision taken at the meeting. If, within thirty (30) days of the receipt by the Party or member of such notification, the Director has not received a response from such Party or member, that Party or member shall be deemed to have joined the consensus on the decision in question. If, within such 30-day period, such Party or member replies in writing that it cannot join the consensus on the decision in question, the decision shall have no effect, and the Commission shall seek to reach consensus at the earliest opportunity.5. When a Party or member of the Commission that was not present at a meeting notifies the Director, in accordance with paragraph 4 of this Article, that it cannot join the consensus on a decision taken at that meeting, that member shall not be able to oppose consensus on the same issue if it is not present at the next meeting of the Commission at which that issue is on the agenda.6. If a member of the Commission is not able to attend a meeting of the Commission due to extraordinary and unforeseen circumstances outside its control:(a) it shall so notify the Director, in writing, prior to the start of the meeting if possible or otherwise at the earliest possible opportunity. Such notification shall be effective upon acknowledgement of its receipt by the Director to the member concerned;