The provisional Charter Conference should at the earliest possible date decide how best to give effect to the goal of Title III of the European Energy Charter that Protocols be negotiated in areas of cooperation such as those listed in Title III of the Charter.
(1) The Charter Conference may authorise the negotiation of a number of Energy Charter Protocols or Declarations in order to pursue the objectives and principles of the Charter.
(2) Any signatory to the Charter may participate in such negotiation.
(3) A state or Regional Economic Integration Organisation shall not become a party to a Protocol or Declaration unless it is, or becomes at the same time, a signatory to the Charter and a Contracting Party to this Treaty.
(4) Subject to paragraph (3) and subparagraph (6)(a), final provisions applying to a Protocol shall be defined in that Protocol.
(5) A Protocol shall apply only to the Contracting Parties which consent to be bound by it, and shall not derogate from the rights and obligations of those Contracting Parties not party to the Protocol.
(6)
(a) A Protocol may assign duties to the Charter Conference and functions to the Secretariat, provided that no such assignment may be made by an amendment to a Protocol unless that amendment is approved by the Charter Conference, whose approval shall not be subject to any provisions of the Protocol which are authorised by subparagraph (b).
(b) A Protocol which provides for decisions thereunder to be taken by the Charter Conference may, subject to subparagraph (a), provide with respect to such decisions: