Issues of Global Concern
If the Executive Committee determines that the IAP shall issue a Statement in which it takes a public position on a scientific or societal problem of a global nature, the Executive Committee shall appoint an Editorial Board to prepare a draft text.
Such a draft text shall be circulated to the member academies at least six months before the General Assembly meeting at which the text is to be adopted as a Statement. Member academies shall be requested to comment on the draft text and the Editorial Board shall consider all comments so received.
The Executive Committee shall place the final draft before the General Assembly for decision. If the draft receives the support of a majority of all IAP member academies, it shall be made public as an IAP Statement. Any such Statement shall explicitly indicate the IAP member academies that support it.
If it is not possible to submit a final draft to a meeting of the General Assembly, the draft may be submitted by email to IAP member academies for a decision by a vote by email. In that case there shall also be a period of six months between the communication of the draft to IAP member academies and the decision on whether or not to make it public as an IAP statement.
Urgent Issues
If the Co-Chairs determine that the IAP shall issue a Statement on a scientific or societal problem that requires a rapid reaction, they shall submit a draft text to the Executive Committee.
Within two weeks after receiving the draft text the members of the Executive Committee shall send in comments, both on the text as such and on the desirability of issuing a Statement.
Within a week of receiving the above comments the Co-Chairs shall decide whether to proceed with the Statement and, if so, produce a final draft, taking account of the comments received.
The Co-Chairs shall submit the final draft of the Statement to all IAP member academies for approval, indicating the deadline for sending in approvals or disapprovals.
If, at the passing of the deadline, a majority of all IAP member academies has approved the draft, that draft shall be made public as an IAP Statement. Any such Statement shall explicitly indicate the IAP member academies that support it.
Exceptionally Urgent Issues
If the Co-Chairs determine that an exceptional event of the greatest urgency requires immediate action, they shall contact the members of the Executive Committee outlining the Statement they wish to make public.
If there is not within 48 hours after the initial message of the Co-Chairs, a negative response of a majority of the members of the Executive Committee, the Co-Chairs shall publicly issue a Statement on their own behalf.
IAP Publications
The Executive Committee shall appoint from among its members an IAP Publication Committee and charge it with approving, or disapproving, draft publications emanating from an IAP programme or activity to be issued as an IAP publication.
The approval, or disapproval, of a draft publication shall be based on the merits of its data, analysis and conclusions and shall not imply that the IAP or its member academies approve the content of the publication. If necessary, the Publication Committee may decide to subject a draft publication to an independent review process.
Please Note: This description of the IAP statement process is an excerpt from the IAP Statutes and Rules and is currently under review by the Executive Committee.