in from any action which might adversely reflect on their position as international officials。 The Members of the WTO shall respect the international character of the responsibilities of the Director…General and of the staff of the Secretariat and shall not seek to influence them in the discharge of their duties。
Article VII
Budget and Contributions
1。 The Director…General shall present to the mittee on Budget； Finance and Administration the annual budget estimate and financial statement of the WTO。 The mittee on Budget； Finance and Administration shall review the annual budget estimate and the financial statement presented by the Director…General and make remendations thereon to the General Council。 The annual budget estimate shall be subject to approval by the General Council。
2。 The mittee on Budget； Finance and Administration shall propose to the General Council financial regulations which shall include provisions setting out：
（a） the scale of contributions apportioning the expenses of the WTO among its Members； and
（b） the measures to be taken in respect of Members in arrears。
The financial regulations shall be based； as far as practicable； on the regulations and practices of GATT 1947。
3。 The General Council shall adopt the financial regulations and the annual budget estimate by a two…thirds majority prising more than half of the Members of the WTO。
4。 Each Member shall promptly contribute to the WTO its share in the expenses of the WTO in accordance with the financial regulations adopted by the General Council。
Article VIII
Status of the WTO
1。 The WTO shall have legal personality； and shall be accorded by each of its Members such legal capacity as may be necessary for the exercise of its functions。
2。 The WTO shall be accorded by each of its Members such privileges and immunities as are necessary for the exercise of its functions。
3。 The officials of the WTO and the representatives of the Members shall similarly be accorded by each of its Members such privileges and immunities as are necessary for the independent exercise of their functions in connection with the WTO。
4。 The privileges and immunities to be accorded by a Member to the WTO； its officials； and the representatives of its Members shall be similar to the privileges and immunities stipulated in the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the Specialized Agencies； approved by the General Assembly of the United Nations on 21 November 1947。
5。 The WTO may conclude a headquarters agreement。
Article IX
Decision…Making
1。 The WTO shall continue the practice of decision…making by consensus followed under GATT 1947。 Except as otherwise provided； where a decision cannot be arrived at by consensus； the matter at issue shall be decided by voting。 At meetings of the Ministerial Conference and the General Council； each Member of the WTO shall have one vote。 Where the European munities exercise their right to vote； they shall have a number of votes equal to the number of their member States which are Members of the WTO。 Decisions of the Ministerial Conference and the General Council shall be taken by a majority of the votes cast； unless otherwise provided in this Agreement or in the relevant Multilateral Trade Agreement。
2。 The Ministerial Conference and the General Council shall have the exclusive authority to adopt interpretations of this Agreement and of the Multilateral Trade Agreements。 In the case of an interpretation of a Multilateral Trade Agreement in Annex 1； they shall exercise their authority on the basis of a remendation by the Council overseeing the functioning of that Agreement。 The decision to adopt an interpretation shall be taken by a three…fourths majority of the Members。 This paragraph shall not be used in a manner that would undermine the amendment provisions in Article X。
3。 In exceptional circumstances； the Ministerial Conference may decide to waive an obligation imposed on a Member by this Agreement or any of the Multilateral Trade Agreements； provided that any such decision shall be taken by three fourths of the Members unless otherwise provided for in this paragraph。
（a） A request for a waiver concerning this Agreement shall be submitted to the Ministerial Conference for consideration pursuant to the practice of decision…making by consensus。 The Ministerial Conference shall establish a time…period； which shall not exceed 90 days； to consider the request。 If consensus is not reached during the time…period； any decision to grant a waiver shall be taken by three fourths4 of the Members。
（b） A request for a waiver concerning the Multilateral Trade Agreements in Annexes 1A or 1B or 1C and their annexes shall be submitted initially to the Council for Trade in Goods； the Council for Trade in Services or the Council for TRIPS； respectively； for consideration during a time…period which shall not exceed 90 days。 At the end of the time…period； the relevant Council shall submit a report to the Ministerial Conference。
4。 A decision by the Ministerial Conference granting a waiver shall state the exceptional circumstances justifying the decision； the terms and conditions governing the application of the waiver； and the date on which the waiver shall terminate。 Any waiver granted for a period of more than one year shall be reviewed by the Ministerial Conference not later than one year after it is granted； and thereafter annually until the waiver terminates。 In each review； the Ministerial Conference shall examine whether the exceptional circumstances justifying the waiver still exist and whether the terms and conditions attached to the waiver have been met。 The Ministerial Conference； on the basis of the annual review； may extend； modify or terminate the waiver。
5。 Decisions under a Plurilateral Trade Agreement； including any decisions on interpretations and waivers； shall be governed by the provisions of that Agreement。
Article X
Amendments
1。 Any Member of the WTO may initiate a proposal to amend the provisions of this Agreement or the Multilateral Trade Agreements in Annex 1 by submitting such proposal to the Ministerial Conference。 The Councils listed in paragraph 5 of Article IV may also submit to the Ministerial Conference proposals to amend the provisions of the corresponding Multilateral Trade Agreements in Annex 1 the functioning of which they oversee。 Unless the Ministerial Conference decides on a longer period； for a period of 90 days after the proposal has been tabled formally at the Ministerial Conference any decision by the Ministerial Conference to submit the proposed amendment to the Members for acceptance shall be taken by consensus。 Unless the provisions of paragraphs 2； 5 or 6 apply； that decision shall specify whether the provisions of paragraphs 3 or 4 shall apply。 If consensus is reached； the Ministerial Conference shall forthwith submit the proposed amendment to the Members for acceptance。 If consensus is not reached at a meeting of the Ministerial Conference within the established period； the Ministerial Conference shall decide by a two…thirds majority of the Members whether to submit the proposed amendment to the Members for acceptance。 Except as provided in paragraphs 2； 5 and 6； the provisions of paragraph 3 shall apply to the proposed amendment； unless the Ministerial Conference decides by a three…fourths majority of the Members that the provisions of paragraph 4 shall apply。
2。 Amendments to the provisions of this Article and to the provisions of the following Articles shall take effect only upon acceptance by all Members：
Article IX of this Agreement；
Articles I and II of GATT 1994；
Article II：1 of GATS；
Article 4 of the Agreement on TRIPS。
3。 Amendments to provisions of this Agreement； or of the Multilateral Trade Agreements in Annexes 1A and 1C； other than those listed in paragraphs 2 and 6； of a nature that would alter the rights and obligations of the Members； shall take effect for the Members that have accepted them upon acceptance by two thirds of the Members and thereafter for each other Member upon acceptance by it。 The Ministerial Conference may decide by a three…fourths majority of the Members that any amendment made effec