TITLE VIII. OF THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL
Article 103
The Social and Economic Council, governed by the dispositions of articles 8 paragraph 3, 28 paragraph 1, and article 53 above, has authority over all the aspects for economic, social and cultural development:
- The general direction of the country’s economy;
Financial and budgetary policies; Policies governing natural resources; Social and cultural policies; Environmental policies.
Article 104
The Economic and Social Council participates in all commissions of national interest with an economic and social character.
With the participation of its different composite entities, it assembles and drafts an annual collection of goals, needs and issues of the civil society with relevant propositions addressed to the attention of the President of the Republic, the Government and Parliament.
Article 105
The Economic and Social Council is charged with giving its opinion on economic, social and cultural questions presented for its review by the President of the Republic, the Government, Parliament or another public institution.
It is obligatorily consulted on all economic, social and cultural planning and programming projects, as well as all legislative operations with a fiscal, economic, social or cultural character. It may participate in a project’s preliminary drafting.
The Prime Minister, in the name of the Government, may call upon the Economic and Social Council for opinions or studies.
Article 106
The Economic and Social Council may also proceed to analyze current issues in economic and social development. It submits its findings to the President of the Republic, the Government and Presidents of the Chambers of Parliament.
Article 107
The Economic and Social Council may nominate one of its members, at the request of the President of the Republic, the Government and the presidents of the Chambers of Parliament, to expose before these institutions the Council’s opinion on the projects or positions of law it receives.
The Government and Parliament are obligated, when they are called upon, to give a response to the opinions and reports formulated by the Economic and Social Council within a maximum delay of three (3) months for the Government, and before the end of their current session for Parliament.
The Economic and Social Council receives a certified copy of all laws, ordinances and decrees at the moment of their promulgation. It ensures the execution of the Government’s decisions related to the economic and social organization of the country.
Article 108
The Economic and Social Council rightly convenes each year in two ordinary sessions of fifteen (15) days each. The first session begins on the third Tuesday of February and the second session begins on the first Tuesday of September.
The opening of each session is postponed to the next day if the original day provisioned is not possible.
If, outside of ordinary sessions, the Council is called upon for a drafting of a law of finances, the Council may convene in an extraordinary session for ten (10) additional days.
The sessions of the Economic and Social Council are public.
Article 109
The members of the Economic and Social Council are:
- The representatives of trade unions, socio-professional associations, and groups elected by their group or association;
Superior executives of the state in the social and economic domains; The representatives of local collectivities nominated by their peers.
In the case of the death or resignation of a Council member, or the loss of his or her profession in the sector of origin, the new member nominated to the vacant seat will continue and finish the already begun mandate.
Article 110
The president of the Economic and Social Council is nominated by the decree of the President of the Republic from among the superior executives of the state nominated to the Council.
The two vice-presidents and other members of the Bureau are nominated by the President’s decree from the proposal of union representatives and socio-professional associations or groups.
The members of the Council’s Bureau hold their nominated positions for the entirety of their mandate.
No member of the Economic and Social Council may be pursued, investigated or judged for opinions expressed during the Council’s sessions.
Article 111
An organic law fixes the internal organization, rules of operation and nomination of the members of the Economic and Social Council.
