IMO Institutional Structure and Law-Making Process - Prevention of Pollution of the Marine Environment from Vessels - page 26

ninth session in 1975, the IMO Assembly institutionalised this Committee as a
major organ of the organisation through adoption of an amendment to the IMO
Convention. After the entry into force of this 1975 amendment in 1982, the legal
Committee became a permanent organ of the organisation. The committee consists
of all IMO members. 40 The Committee is authorised to consider any legal matters,
including environmental legal matters, within the scope of IMO. 41 The Legal
Committee meets at least once a year. 42

2.3.7 Facilitation Committee (FAL)

In 1968, IMO established the Facilitation Committee to advise the IMO Council on
matters related to facilitation, particularly with respect to the implementation of the
1965 Convention on Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic, which came into
effect on 1967. 43 This Committee was established as a permanent subsidiary body
of the IMO Council in 1972. In 1991, the IMO Assembly institutionalised this
committee as one of the main permanent organs of the organisation through
adoption of an amendment to the IMO Convention. This amendment came into
force in 2008, making this committee one of the main permanent organs of the
organisation. The Committee consists of all members and is empowered to consider
any matter within the scope of the IMO related to the facilitation of international
maritime traffic. There is some indirect relevance of this committee s activities for

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the prevention of marine pollution from ships.

2.3.8 Sub-committees

The IMO also has seven subcommittees to assist the work of MEPC and MSC
including the following:

1. Subcommittee on Human Element, Training and Watchkeeping (HTW);
2. Subcommittee on Implementation of IMO Instruments (III);
3. Subcommittee on Navigation, Communications and Search and Rescue
(NCSR);
4. Subcommittee on Pollution Prevention and Response (PPR);
5. Subcommittee on Ship Design and Construction (SDC);

40 IMO Convention, art 32.
41 IMO Convention, art 33.
42 IMO Convention, art 35.
43 Convention on Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic , opened for signature 9 April 1965,
591 UNTS 265 (entered into force 5 March 1967).