Unidroit ( Iraq is part of this program )

Unidroit: An Overview ( Iraq is part of this program )

PURPOSE

The International Institute for the Unification of Private Law (Unidroit) is an independent intergovernmental Organisation with its seat in the Villa Aldobrandini in Rome. Its purpose is to study needs and methods for modernising, harmonising and co-ordinating private and in particular commercial law as between States and groups of States and to formulate uniform law instruments, principles and rules to achieve those objectives.

ORIGINS

Set up in 1926 as an auxiliary organ of the League of Nations, the Institute was, following the demise of the League, re-established in 1940 on the basis of a multilateral agreement, theUnidroit Statute .

MEMBERSHIP

Membership of Unidroit is restricted to States acceding to the Unidroit Statute. Unidroit's 63 member Statesare drawn from the five continents and represent a variety of different legal, economic and political systems as well as different cultural backgrounds.

FUNDING

The Institute is financed by annual contributions from its member States which are fixed by theGeneral Assembly in addition to a basic annual contribution from the Italian Government. Extra-budgetary contributions may be made to fund specific projects or activities.

STRUCTURE

Unidroit has an essentially three-tiered structure, made up of a Secretariat, a Governing Council and a General Assembly.
TheSecretariat is the executive organ of Unidroit responsible carrying out its Work Programme from day to day. It is headed by a Secretary-General appointed by the Governing Council on the nomination of the President of the Institute. The Secretary-General is assisted by a team of international civil servants and supporting staff. ◦Annual reports on the activity of Unidroit

The Governing Council  supervises all policy aspects of the means by which the Institute's statutory objectives are to be attained and in particular the way in which the Secretariat carries out theWork Programme drawn up by the Council. It is made up of one ex officio member, the President of the Institute, and 25 elected members, mostly eminent judges, practitioners, academics and civil servants.
The General Assembly is the ultimate decision-making organ of Unidroit: it votes the Institute's budget each year; it approves the Work Programme every three years; it elects the Governing Council every five years. It is made up of one representative from each member Government. The Presidency of the General Assembly is held, on a rotating basis and for one year, by the Ambassador of one of the Organisation’s member States.


http://www.unidroit.org/dynasite.cfm?dsmid=103284