Information note on the delegation of voting rights at WTDC-25

Rules regarding delegation of voting rights are reflected in CV 335 to CV 338. Delegation of voting rights, often referred to as proxies, can take place by means of Transfer of Powers (CV 335) or by Transfer of Vote (CV 336) as further detailed below.

Transfer of Powers (CV 335)
A Member State that cannot send its own delegation to the WTDC venue in Baku, Azerbaijan, may submit to the ITU Secretariat an instrument titled “Transfer of Powers” (“ToP”) granting the delegation of another Member State the right to vote on its behalf. In treaty-making conferences, a ToP may also be used to give the delegation of another Member State powers to sign the Final Acts on its behalf. A template ToP can be found in Annex 1, using the link below.
Such instrument must be signed by one of the following authorities: Head of State, Head of Government, Minister of Foreign Affairs or Minister responsible for questions dealt with by the Conference. Only original ToPs are accepted.
The receiving Member State does not need to be entitled to vote to exercise the voting right of a Member State that cannot send its own delegation to Baku to participate in WTDC.
Original ToPs should be submitted, preferably prior to the start of the Conference, to the attention of the Secretary-General at ITU HQ in Geneva. Once the Conference begins, ToPs may also be deposited with the WTDC Secretariat at the Conference venue in Baku.
Transfer of Vote (CV 336):
A Member State that has sent its own delegation to the WTDC venue in Baku, Azerbaijan, but that is nonetheless unable to attend one or more meetings may transfer to the delegation of another Member State its vote at meetings at which it is unable to be present. An example of wording for such Transfer of Vote can be found in Annex 2, using the link below.
A Transfer of Vote is signed by the head or deputy-head of the delegation which will not be able to attend one or more meetings. Originals are not required, and a Transfer of Vote may be submitted to the Secretariat by email (specifically, to: jur@itu.int). A Transfer of Vote must include the name of the delegation receiving the transfer and the meeting (or meetings) where the Transfer of Vote will be in force.
The receiving Member State must be entitled to vote. No Transfer of Vote can be given to a Member State that has lost the right to vote.
Common observations to both ToP and Transfer of Vote:
Transfers of Powers (CV 335) and Transfers of Vote (CV 336) are commonly referred to collectively as proxies, and the limitation reflected in CV 337 applies to both ToPs and Transfers of Vote.
While a delegation may receive more than one ToP, or Transfer of Vote, or both, it cannot exercise more than one vote on behalf of another Member State (CV 337) in addition to its own at any given time. In other words, in case of a vote, no delegation will receive more than 2 ballot papers or voting paddles.
Member States participating in WTDC exclusively remotely (i.e., with no delegates physically present in Baku, Azerbaijan) cannot submit a Transfer of Vote as they are not physically present at the Conference; they may, however, submit a ToP.
Neither ToPs nor Transfers of Vote grant the receiving delegation a right to speak on behalf of another Member State at the Conference.
Following standard practice, the ITU secretariat will promptly inform the Chairman of the Conference of any ToP / Transfer of Vote duly submitted, and a Conference document will be published in this regard.