Procedural motions

Definition of a procedural motion

A definition, necessarily circular, of a procedural motion is that it is a request by a delegation for the conference or assembly to decide on an issue of procedure. There is no exhaustive list of what issues constitute issues of procedure.

Examples of procedural motions are motions to:

1. Suspend a meeting

2. Adjourn a meeting

3. Adjourn a debate

4. Close a debate

5. Reconsider a proposal

6. Divide a proposal for purposes of voting

7. Refrain from taking a decision

8. Decide the order of voting on proposals

9. Decide whether to vote on the next proposal where a previous proposal related to the same question

10. Challenge the ruling of a presiding officer on a point of order

11. Ask for an opinion of the President, the Secretary-General or the Legal Adviser of the Conference

12. Suspend the rules of procedure.

At a 1966 meeting of the UNGA, a discussion took place about whether the rule as to reconsideration applied to procedural proposals. The US representative argued that: ‘The rules of procedure did not make a distinction between substantive and non-substantive proposals. They did distinguish between proposals, on the one hand, and motions of a particular character, such as those mentioned in rules, 117, 120 and 122, on the other.’

The statement of the US representative was correct regarding the UNGA. There are however rules of procedure of conferences and organisations that explicitly distinguish, for purposes of the majority required, between substantive and procedural issues.