Article 23 - Committee of the Parties

1. The Committee of the Parties shall be composed of representatives of the Parties to the Convention.

2. The Committee of the Parties shall be convened by the Secretary General of the Council of Europe. Its first meeting shall be held within a period of one year following the entry into force of this Convention for the tenth signatory having ratified it. It shall subsequently meet whenever at least one third of the Parties or the Secretary General so requests.

3. The Committee of the Parties shall adopt its own rules of procedure.

4. The Committee of the Parties shall be assisted by the Secretariat of the Council of Europe in carrying out its functions.

5. A contracting Party which is not a member of the Council of Europe shall contribute to the financing of the Committee of the Parties in a manner to be decided by the Committee of Ministers upon consultation of that Party.