The Federal National Council is the fourth federal authority in terms of order in the hierarchy of the five federal authorities prescribed in the constitution, namely: the Supreme Council of the Federation, Federation President and Vice-President, Federation Cabinet, the Federal National Council, the Federal Judiciary Constitution, Article No. (45).
The Federal National Council (FNC)is comprised of forty (40) members elected from the member emirates. Each emirate has the discretion to select the UAE nationals representing it in the FNC. (Constitution, Articles No’s. (68 & 69), Bylaws No’s. (1), (2))".
Over the previous thirteen (13) legislative sessions during the period from 1972 and 2005, members of the FNC were appointed by the Rulers of the UAE. In 2006, half the members of the FNC were appointed through elections, and the other half through appointment. For the fourteenth (14) legislative session in execution of the Supreme Council of the Federation and the UAE President's two Resolutions No’s. (3 & 4) of 2006 concerning the method of electing the UAE representatives in the Federal National Council, in addition to the Supreme Council of the Federation's Resolution No. (3) of 2005, which hailed the UAE President's speech on the 34th anniversary of the UAE's inceptions as a national action plan to work accordingly over the period to come, drawing the subsequent features of change as regards the FNC in accordance with three phases. The first of which is to start with the election of half the members of the FNC; followed by a second phase in which the FNC's authorities are consolidated and the number of its members increased in order to empower the FNC to provide support, guidance and help for the executive authority; followed by the last phase which is holding direct and free elections of half the members of the FNC.
The FNC seats are distributed to the member Emirates in the following manner:
Eight (8) seats for each of the Emirates of Abu Dhabi and Dubai, six (6) seats for the Emirates of Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah, and four (4) seats for the Emirates of Ajman, Umm Al Quwain and Al Fujeirah.
A member of the Federal National Council shall represent all the Federation people and not only the Emirate he represents. Constitution, Article No. (77) & Bylaws, Article No. (1)).
The following conditions must be met by a member of the Federal National Council:
"to be a national of any of the Federation Emirates, a permanent resident of the Emirate which he represents in the FNC, to be not less than twenty five Gregorian years of age at the time of election, enjoying civil status, of good conduct and reputation, not previously convicted of any sentence in connection with a crime that impugns integrity, unless rehabilitated in accordance with the law and have an adequate knowledge of reading and writing" (Constitution, Article No. (70) and Bylaws No. (3) ).
Membership of the FNC shall be incompatible with any public office in the Federation, including Ministerial portfolios. Should a member be occupying public office in the Federation Government prior to assuming office in the FNC, such member shall submit his resignation within fifteen (15) days following the assumption of office. (Constitution, Article (71) and Bylaws, Articles No’s. (4 & 5).
Before assuming his duties in the FNC, a member of the FNC shall take the following constitutional oath before the FNC in a public session:
"I do solemnly swear by Allah Almighty that I shall be loyal to the United Arab Emirates; that I shall respect the Federation Constitution and laws; and that I shall faithfully and sincerely discharge my duties in the FNC and its committees". Constitution, Article No. (73) and Bylaws No. (7).
A member's remuneration shall be computed as of date of taking the oath. (Constitution, Article No. (83)). A member shall also be entitled to a monthly pension after the expiry of his membership in the FNC if he completed a full legislative term (two calendar years), computed on the assumption that his term in office amounted thirty-five (35) years.
The term of membership in the FNC shall be two (2) Gregorian years, commencing as of date of its first sitting. Such term is known as Legislative Term. (Constitution, Article No. (72) and Bylaws, Article No. (6) ).
The Assembly shall decide upon the validity of the mandate of its members. It shall also decide upon disqualifying members, accepting their resignation from membership, lifting members' immunity and imposing the penalties prescribed in the FNC's Bylaws on them (Bylaws - Articles No’s. (9, 14, 15, 76) Constitution No. (76)).
The FNC shall hold an annual ordinary session lasting not less than six (6) months, commencing on the third week of November each year. (Constitution, Article No. (78) and Bylaws, Article No. (54)).
The FNC shall be summoned into session and its session shall be terminated by decree issued by the President of the UAE. Nevertheless, if the Assembly is not called to hold its meeting for its annual ordinary session before the third week of November, the Assembly shall be ipso facto in session on the twenty first of the said month. (Constitution, Article No. (79) and the Bylaws, Articles No’s. (55) & (57)).
The FNC was summoned into session for the first time pursuant to the provision of Article No. (78) of the Constitution, which stipulates that the FNC shall be summoned into session within sixty (60) days of the date of enforcement of the provisions of the Constitution. It held its first sessions on 12/2/1972, which was a procedural session especially allocated to the selection of the FNC Speaker and Staff. On the following day, 13/2/1972, the FNC saw the first legislative term.
According to the Constitution, the Federation President opens the annual ordinary session of the FNC. The President addresses the FNC with a speech, highlighting the country's state of affairs, the most important events and affairs taking place over the year, and any projects and reforms which the Government of the Federation intends to carry out during the new sitting. The Federation President shall have the authority to delegate to the Vice-President or the Prime Minister the power to deliver the speech. (Constitution, Article No. (80)).
Sessions of the FNC shall be held in the Federation capital "Abu Dhabi". Exceptionally, sessions may be held in any other place on the basis of the FNC's decision adopted by the majority vote of its members and with the approval of the Cabinet. (Constitution, Article No. (75) and Bylaws No. (8)).
The FNC's sessions are held in public, and may be held in camera at the request of the Government, the FNC's Speaker or at least a third of its members. (Constitution, Article No. (86) and Bylaws No. (63)).
The FNC shall have legislative competences represented in discussing the constitutional amendments. (Constitution, Article No. (144)), Federal Draft Laws, International Treaties and Conventions and the UAE Budget and Final Account. (Constitution, Article No’s. (89-91) and Bylaws, Article No’s. (84-97)).
The FNC shall enjoy supervisory competencies represented in discussing general subjects addressing the Government's policy in any of the Federation affairs, exchanging opinion and posing questions to the Ministers to inquire about any internal matters in their competencies. The FNC may request the Prime Minister or the Ministers to provide particulars and clarifications concerning any complaints put up to the FNC. (Constitution, Article No’s. (92-93) and the Bylaws, Article No’s. (103-106) & (118)).
The FNC has an administrative staff comprised of the FNC Speaker, his two deputies and two controllers, elected amongst its members by the FNC in its first session in accordance with specific procedures specified in the FNC's Bylaws. (Constitution, Article No. (84) and the Bylaws, Articles No’s. (30 & 35)).
The FNC has eight (8) standing committees specialized in one or more of the Federation affairs, formed by the FNC during the first week of its annual meeting. (Bylaws, Articles No’s. (38) & (39)).
The FNC also has Bylaws which are devised by the FNC itself and issued vide a Federal Decree promulgated by the Federation President with the approval of the Cabinet. The FNC also has an internal system of its own with financial and administrative independence. (Constitution, Article No. (85)).
The FNC has a General Secretariat presided over by a Secretary General appointed vide a resolution by the President of the UAE following the approval of the administrative staff. (Constitution, Article No. (85) and Bylaws, Article No’s. (123) & (124)).
The FNC has a Parliamentary Division comprising all the members of the FNC, whose mission is to regulate the participation of the FNC members in the councils and conferences' activity of all the Arab, Islamic and International Parliamentary Federations. (Parliamentary Division System, Article No’s. 1-14).
The FNC went through thirteen (13) legislative terms for the period from 12/2/1972 up to 17/2/2005, which included thirty three (33) ordinary sessions and four (4) extraordinary sessions, during which four hundred and eleven (411) sessions were held by the FNC and four hundred and forty one (441) draft laws were discussed, of which two hundred and forty one (241) were ordinary laws and one hundred and eighty five (185) were budgets and final accounts of the Federation, six (6) draft laws of which were dismissed and nine (9) draft laws were withdrawn by the Government. During the said legislative terms, four hundred and thirty eight (438) international treaties and conventions were reviewed and signed by the Government, two hundred and forty seven (247) general subjects were deliberated and the Government's policy in various issues of the Federation was discussed, two hundred and eleven (211) questions posed to the Ministers, one hundred and ninety two (192) recommendations and fifty one (51) statements issued.
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