The General Assembly is the formal decision-making body of the Commission, convening annually to bring together the National Delegates from 23 Member States. It is chaired by the CIESM President, currently M. Robert Calcagno as Acting President of CIESM, with the assistance of the Director General, currently Dr. Laura Giuliano.
H.S.H Prince Albert II of Monaco assumed the role of CIESM Honorary President reaffirming His close ties with the Commission.
This body provides guidance on the strategic orientations of the Commission. It consists of the President, the Director General, and seven National Representatives. Five seats are permanently held by full Member States in Class E (France, Italy, Monaco, Russian Federation, Spain), while the remaining three seats are elected by the General Assembly at each Congress for a three-year term. The current members are Germany, Portugal, and Türkiye.
CIESM Office are located Villa Girasole, 16 bd de Suisse, in Monaco. This is where science programs and initiatives are managed and monitored by a central team of marine specialists. In 2017 the Commission opened offices in Paris as well, at the Oceanographic Institute, with a focus on the interface between science and marine policy.
The Science Council encompasses the chairs of the six scientific committees, elected by Congress participants for a three-year mandate. They provide independent, expert advice on the Commission’s scientific priorities, free from political influence.