It devolves upon the Government of the Swiss Confederation to determine, by mutual agreement with the Government of the country interested, the share to be contributed by the Administration of this latter country toward the expenses of the International Bureau, and, if necessary, the rates to be levied by that Administration in conformity with Article 7 preceding.
Article 19
Congresses of plenipotentiaries of the contracting countries, or simple Administrative Conferences, according to the importance of the questions to be solved, are held when a demand for them is made or approved by two-thirds, at least, of the Governments or Administrations, as the case may be.
Nevertheless, a Congress must be held at least once every five years.
Each country may be represented either by one or several delegates, or by the delegation of another country. But it is understood that the delegate or delegates of one country can be charged with the representation of two countries only, including the country which they represent.
In the deliberations each country has one vote only.
Each Congress fixes the place of meeting for the following Congress.
For Conferences, the Administrations fix the places of meeting upon proposal of the International Bureau.
Article 20
In the interval which elapses between the meetings, any Postal Administration of a country of the Union has the right to address to the other Administrations belonging to it, through the intermediary of the International Bureau, proposals concerning the regimen of the Union. But to become executive these propositions must obtain, as follows:
- 1st. Unanimity of votes, if they involve a modification of the stipulations of Articles 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 9 preceding.
- 2d. Two-thirds of the votes, if they involve a modification of the stipulations of the Convention other than those of Articles 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 9.
- 3d. A simple absolute majority, if they involve the interpretation of the stipulations of the Convention, except in the case of dispute contemplated in Article 17 preceding.
The binding decisions are sanctioned, in the first two cases, by a diplomatic declaration, which the Government of the Swiss Confederation is charged to prepare and transmit to all the Governments of the contracting countries, and, in the third case, by a simple notification from the International Bureau to all the Administrations of the Union.
Article 21
The following are considered as forming, for the application of Articles 16, 19, and 20 preceding, a single country, or a single Administration, as the case may be:
