Canon 447. The Episcopal Conference, a permanent institution, is the assembly of the
Bishops of a country or of a certain territory, exercising together certain pastoral offices for Christ’s faithful of that territory. By forms and means of apostolate suited to the circumstances of time and place, it is to promote, in accordance with the law, that greater good which the Church offers to all people.

Episcoporum conferentia, institutum quidem permanens, est coetus Episcoporum alicuius nationis vel certi territorii, munera quaedam pastoralia coniunctim pro christifidelibus sui territorii exercentium, ad maius bonum provehendum, quod hominibus praebet Ecclesia, praesertim per apostolatus formas et rationes temporis et loci adiunctis apte accommodatas, ad normam iuris.

Canon 448. §1 As a general rule, the Episcopal Conference includes those who preside over all the particular Churches of the same country, in accordance with can. 450.

§2 An Episcopal Conference can, however, be established for a territory of greater or less extent if the Apostolic See, after consultation with the diocesan Bishops concerned, judges that circumstances suggest this. Such a Conference would include only the Bishops of some particular Churches in a certain territory, or those who preside over particular Churches in different countries. It is for the Apostolic See to lay down special norms for each case.

§1. Episcoporum conferentia regula generali comprehendit praesules omnium Ecclesiarum particularium eiusdem nationis, ad normam can. 450.

§2. Si vero, de iudicio Apostolicae Sedis, auditis quorum interest Episcopis dioecesanis, personarum aut rerum adiuncta id suadeant, Episcoporum conferentia erigi potest pro territorio minoris aut maioris amplitudinis, ita ut vel tantum comprehendat Episcopus aliquarum Ecclesiarum particularium in certo territorio constitutarum vel praesules Ecclesiarum particularium in diversis nationibus exstantium; eiusdem Apostolicae Sedis est pro earundem singulis peculiares normas statuere.

Canon 449. §1 It is for the supreme authority of the Church alone, after consultation with the Bishops concerned, to establish, suppress, or alter Episcopal Conferences.

§2 An Episcopal Conference lawfully established has juridical personality by virtue of the law itself.

§1. Unius supremae Ecclesiae auctoritatis est, auditis quorum interest Episcopis, Episcoporum conferentias erigere, supprimere aut innovare.

§2. Episcoporum conferentia legitime erecta ipso iure personalitate iuridica gaudet.

Canon 450. §1 By virtue of the law, the following persons in the territory belong to the
Episcopal Conference: all diocesan Bishops and those equivalent to them in law; all coadjutor Bishops, auxiliary Bishops and other titular Bishops who exercise in the territory a special office assigned to them by the Apostolic See or by the Episcopal
Conference. Ordinaries of another rite may be invited, but have only a consultative vote, unless the statutes of the Episcopal Conference decree otherwise.

§2 The other titular Bishops and the Legate of the Roman Pontiff are not by law members of the Episcopal Conference.

§1. Ad Episcoporum conferentiam ipso iure pertinent omnes in territorio Episcopi dioecesani eisque iure aequiparati, itemque Episcopi coadiutores, Episcopi auxiliares atque ceteri Episcopi titulares peculiari munere, sibi ab Apostolica Sede vel ab Episcoporum conferentia demandato, in eodem territorio fungentes; invitari quoque possunt Ordinarii alterius ritus, ita tamen ut votum tantum consultivum habeant, nisi Episcoporum conferentiae statuta aliud decernant.

§2. Ceteri Episcopi titulares necnon Legatus Romani Pontificis non sunt de iure membra Episcoporum conferentiae.

Canon 451. Each Episcopal Conference is to draw up its own statutes, to be reviewed by the Apostolic See. In these, among other things, arrangements for the plenary meetings of the Conference are to be set out, and provision is to be made for a permanent committee of Bishops, and a general secretary of the Conference, and for other offices and commissions by which, in the judgement of the Conference, its purpose can more effectively be achieved.

Quaelibet Episcoporum conferentia sua conficiat statuta, ab Apostolica Sede recognoscenda, in quibus, praeter alia, ordinentur conferentiae conventus plenarii habendi, et provideantur consilium Episcoporum permanens et secretaria generalis conferentiae, atque alia etiam officia et commissiones quae iudicio conferentiae fini consequendo efficacius consulant.

Canon 452. §1 Each Episcopal Conference is to elect its president and determine who, in the lawful absence of the president, will exercise the function of vice-president. It is also to designate a general secretary, in accordance with the statutes.

§2 The president of the Conference or, when he is lawfully impeded, the vice-president, presides not only over the general meetings of the Conference but also over the permanent committee.
[NB see Authentic Interpretation of canon 452, 23.V.1988]

§1. Quaelibet Episcoporum conferentia sibi eligat praesidem, determinet quisnam, praeside legitime impedito, munere pro-praesidis fungatur, atque secretarium generalem designet, ad normam statutorum.

§2. Praeses conferentiae, atque eo legitime impedito pro-praeses, non tantum Episcoporum conferentiae conventibus generalibus, sed etiam consilio permanenti praeest.

Canon 453. Plenary meetings of the Episcopal Conference are to be held at least once a year, and moreover as often as special circumstances require, in accordance with the provisions of the statutes.

Conventus plenarii Episcoporum conferentiae habeantur semel saltem singulis annis, et praeterea quoties id postulent peculiaria adiuncta, secundum statutorum praescripta.

Canon 454. §1 By virtue of the law diocesan Bishops, those equivalent to them in law and coadjutor Bishops have a deliberative vote in plenary meetings of the Episcopal
Conference.

§2 Auxiliary Bishops and other titular Bishops who belong to the Episcopal
Conference have a deliberative or consultative vote according to the provisions of the statutes of the Conference. Only those mentioned in §1, however, have a deliberative vote in the making or changing of the statutes.

§1. Suffragium deliberativum in conventibus plenariis Episcoporum conferentiae ipso iure competit Episcopis dioecesanis eisque qui iure ipsis aequiparantur, necnon Episcopis coadiutoribus.

§2. Episcopis auxiliaribus ceterisque Episcopis titularibus, qui ad Episcoporum conferentiam pertinent, suffragium competit deliberativum aut consultivum, iuxta statutorum conferentiae praescripta; firmum tamen sit eis solis, de quibus in §1, competere suffragium deliberativum, cum agitur de statutis conficiendis aut immutandis.

Canon 455. §1 The Episcopal Conference can make general decrees only in cases where the universal law has so prescribed, or by special mandate of the Apostolic See, either on its own initiative or at the request of the Conference itself.
[NB see Authentic Interpretation of canon 455 §1, 5.VII.1985]

§2 For the decrees mentioned in §1 validly to be enacted at a plenary meeting, they must receive two thirds of the votes of those who belong to the Conference with a deliberative vote. These decrees do not oblige until they have been reviewed by the
Apostolic See and lawfully promulgated.

§3 The manner of promulgation and the time they come into force are determined by the Episcopal Conference.

§4 In cases where neither the universal law nor a special mandate of the Apostolic
See gives the Episcopal Conference the power mentioned in §1, the competence of each diocesan Bishop remains intact. In such cases, neither the Conference nor its president can act in the name of all the Bishops unless each and every Bishop has given his consent.

§1. Episcoporum conferentia decreta generalia ferre tantummodo potest in causis, in quibus ius universale id praescripserit aut peculiare Apostolicae Sedis mandatum sive motu proprio sive ad petitionem ipsius conferentiae id statuerit.

§2. Decreta de quibus in §1, ut valide ferantur in plenario conventu, per duas saltem ex tribus partibus suffragiorum Praesulum, qui voto deliberativo fruentes ad conferentiam pertinent, proferri debent, atque vim obligandi non obtinent, nisi ab Apostolica Sede recognita, legitime promulgata fuerint.

§3. Modus promulgationis et tempus a quo decreta vim suam exserunt, ab ipsa Episcoporum conferentia determinantur.

§4. In casibus in quibus nec ius universale nec peculiare Apostolicae Sedis mandatum potestatem, de qua in §1, Episcoporum conferentiae concessit, singuli Episcopi dioecesani competentia integra manet, nec conferentia eiusve praeses nomine omnium Episcoporum agere valet, nisi omnes et singuli Episcopi consensum dederint.

Canon 456. When a plenary meeting of the Episcopal Conference has been concluded, its minutes are to be sent by the president to the Apostolic See for information, and its decrees, if any, for review.

Absoluto conventu plenario Episcoporum conferentiae, relatio de actis conferentiae necnon eius decreta a praeside ad Apostolicam Sedem transmittantur, tum ut in eiusdem notitiam acta perferantur, tum ut decreta, si quae sint, ab eadem recognosci possint.

Canon 457. The permanent committee of Bishops is to prepare the agenda for the plenary meetings of the Conference, and it is to ensure that the decisions taken at those meetings are duly executed. It is also to conduct whatever other business is entrusted to it in accordance with the statutes.

Consilii Episcoporum permanentis est curare, ut res in plenario conventu conferentiae agendae praeparentur et decisiones in conventu plenario statutae debite exsecutioni mandentur; eiusdem etiam est alia negotia peragere, quae ipsi ad normam statutorum committuntur.

Canon 458. The general secretary is to:

1° prepare an account of the acts and decrees of the plenary meetings of the
Conference, as well as the acts of the permanent committee of Bishops and to communicate these to all members of the Conference; also to record whatever other acts are entrusted to him by the president or the permanent committee;

2° to communicate to neighbouring Episcopal Conferences such acts and documents as the Conference at a plenary meeting or the permanent committee of Bishops decides to send to them.

Secretariae generalis est:

1° relationem componere actorum et decretorum conventus plenarii conferentiae necnon actorum consilii Episcoporum permanentis, et eadem cum omnibus conferentiae membris communicare itemque alia acta conscribere, quae ipsi a conferentiae praeside aut a consilio permanenti componenda committuntur;

2° communicare cum Episcoporum conferentiis finitimis acta et documenta quae a conferentia in plenario conventu aut a consilio Episcoporum permanenti ipsis transmitti statuuntur.

Canon 459. §1 Relations are to be fostered between Episcopal Conferences, especially neighbouring ones, in order to promote and defend whatever is for the greater good.

§2 The Apostolic See must be consulted whenever actions or affairs undertaken by
Conferences have an international character.

§1. Foveantur relationes inter Episcoporum conferentias, praesertim viciniores, ad maius bonum promovendum ac tuendum.

§2. Quoties vero actiones aut rationes a conferentiis ineuntur formam internationalem praeseferentes, Apostolica Sedes audiatur oportet.