Article 7 — CEDEAO Traite-revise-1993

AUTHORITY OF HEADS OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT ESTABLISHMENT, COMPOSITION AND FUNCTIONS There is hereby established the Authority of Heads of State and Government of Member States which shall be the supreme institution of the Community and shall be composed of Heads of State and/or Government of Member States. The Authority shall be responsible for the general direction and control of the Community and shall take all measures to ensure its progressive development and the realisation of its objectives. Pursuant to the provisions of Paragraph 2 of this Article, the Authority shall: a) determine the general policy and major guidelines of the Community, give directives, harmonise and co-ordinate the economic, scientific, technical, cultural and social policies of Member States; b) oversee the functioning of Community institutions and follow-up implementation of Community objectives; 8 1. 2. ECOWAS REVISED TREATY c) d) e) t) g) h) i) prepare and adopt its Rules of Procedure; appoint the Executive Secretary in accordance with the provisions of Article 18 of this Treaty; appoint, on the recommendation of Council, the External Auditors; delegate to the Council, where necessary, the authority to take such decisions as are stipulated in Article 9 of this Treaty; refer where it deems necessary any matter to the Community Court of Justice when it confirms, that a Member State or institution of the Community has failed to honour any of its obligations or an institution of the Community has acted beyond the limits of its authority or has abused the powers conferred on it by the provisions of this Treaty, by a decision of the Authority or a regulation of the Council; request the Community Court of Justice, as and when necessary, to give advisory opinion on any legal questions; and exercise any other powers conferred on it under this Treaty.