Article 1
Co-operation and consultation

The International Labour Organisation and the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations agree that, with a view to facilitating the effective attainment of the objectives set forth in their respective Constitutions within the general framework established by the Charter of the United Nations, they will act in close co-operation with each other and will consult each other regularly in regard to matters of common interest.

Article 2
Reciprocal representation

2. Representatives of the FAO shall be invited to attend the meetings of the International Labour Conference and to participate without vote in the deliberations of the Conference and of its committees with respect to items on their agenda in which the FAO has an interest.

3. Appropriate arrangements shall be made by agreement from time to time for the reciprocal representation of the International Labour Organisation and the FAO at other meetings convened under their respective auspices which consider matters in which the other organisation has an interest.

Article 3
ILO-FAO joint committees

1. The International Labour Organisation and the FAO may refer to a joint committee any question of common interest which it may appear desirable to refer to such a committee.

2. Any such joint committee shall consist of an equal number of representatives of each organisation; the number of representatives to be designated by each organisation shall be agreed on between the two organisations; the United Nations shall be invited to designate a representative to attend the meetings of the committee; the committee may also invite other specialised agencies to be represented at its meetings as may be found desirable.

3. The reports of any such joint committee shall be submitted to the Governing Body of the International Labour Office and to the Executive Committee of the FAO; a copy of the reports of the committee shall be communicated to the Secretary-General of the United Nations for the information of the Economic and Social Council.

4. Any such joint committee shall regulate its own procedure.

Article 4
Exchange of information and documents

1. Subject to such arrangements as may be necessary for the safeguarding of confidential material, the fullest and promptest exchange of information and documents shall be made between the International Labour Organisation and the FAO.

2. The Director-General of the International Labour Office and the Director-General of the FAO, or their duly authorised representatives, shall, upon the request of either party, consult with each other regarding the provision by either organisation of such information as may be of interest to the other.

Article 5
Personnel arrangements

The International Labour Organisation and the FAO agree that the measures to be taken by them, within the framework of the general arrangements for co-operation in regard to personnel arrangements to be made by the United Nations, will include:

(a) measures to avoid competition in the recruitment of their personnel; and

(b) measures to facilitate interchange of personnel on a temporary or permanent basis, in appropriate cases, in order to obtain the maximum benefit from their services, making due provision for the retention of seniority and pension rights.

Article 6
Statistical services

1. The International Labour Organisation and the FAO agree to strive, within the framework of the general arrangements for statistical co-operation made by the United Nations, for maximum co-operation with a view to the most efficient use of their technical personnel in their respective collection, analysis, publication, standardisation, improvement and dissemination of statistical information. They recognise the desirability of avoiding duplication in the collection of statistical information whenever it is practicable for either of them to utilise information or materials which the other may have available or may be specially qualified and prepared to collect, and agree to combine their efforts to secure the greatest possible usefulness and utilisation of statistical information and to minimise the burdens placed upon national governments and other organisations from which such information may be collected.

2. The International Labour Organisation and the FAO agree to keep each other informed of their work in the field of statistics and to consult each other in regard to all statistical projects dealing with matters of common interest.

If compliance with a request for assistance made by either organisation to the other would involve substantial expenditure for the organisation complying with the request, consultation shall take place with a view to determining the most equitable manner of meeting such expenditure.

Article 8
Implementation of the agreement

The Director-General of the International Labour Office and the Director-General of the FAO may enter into such supplementary arrangements for the implementation of this agreement as may be found desirable in the light of the operating experience of the two organisations.

Article 9
Entry into force

This agreement shall come into force on its approval by the Governing Body of the International Labour Office and the FAO Conference.

Article 10
Notification to and registration by the United Nations

1. In accordance with their respective agreements with the United Nations the International Labour Organisation and the FAO will inform the Economic and Social Council forthwith of the terms of the present agreement.

Article 11
Revision and termination

1. This agreement shall be subject to revision by agreement between the International Labour Organisation and the FAO.

2. It may be terminated by either party on 31 December of any year by notice given to the other party not later than 30 September of that year.

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Date of entry into force: 11 September 1947
Published in: Agreements concluded between the International Labour Organisation and Other International Intergovernmental Organisations, Volume I, ILO, Geneva (no date).

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NB. See also Understanding Supplementary to the Agreement between the International Labour Organisation
and the Food and Agriculture Organisation, concluded in 1955.
This agreement has been updated by the Memorandum of Understanding between the ILO and the FAO signed on 7 September 2004.