2000D0690 — EN — 10.04.2003 — 001.001 — 1
This document is meant purely as a documentation tool and the institutions do not assume any liability for its contents
►B COMMISSIONDECISION
of8November2000
settingupanEnterprise Policy Group
(notified under document number C(2000) 3089)
(2000/690/EC)
(OJ L 285, 10.11.2000, p. 24)
Amended by:
Official Journal
No page date
►M1Commission Decision 2003/247/EC of 9 April 2003 L 93 27 10.4.2003
▼B
COMMISSIONDECISION
of8November2000
settingupanEnterprise Policy Group
(notified under document number C(2000) 3089)
(2000/690/EC)
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Whereas:
(1)Article 157 of the Treaty establishing the European Community
has assigned to the Community and the Member States the taskof ensuring that the conditions required for the competitiveness
of the Community's industry exist.
(2)On the groundsof rationalis ation and in order to facilitate the
integration of the Commission's work on good practice and coor-dination with the Member States, as stated in the Commissioncommunication ‘challengesfor enterpris e policy in the knowl-
edge-driven economy’ (
1), the Commission requires a body for
reflection, debate and advice, consisting of high-level expertsfrom the enterprise community and representatives of theMember States, entitled the ‘Enterprise policy group’ (EPG), inorder to examine general enterprise policy issues and to assistthe Commission in the identification and dissemination of good
practice.
(3)In order to achieve greater transparency and efficiency in enter-
prise policy and to enable it to play a more strategic role inmeeting challengesin the knowledge-driven economy, the EPG
should comprise two sections, the first comprising representa-
tives from the Member States, and the second comprisingeminent persons, chosen by the Commission from a wide rangeof highly and appropriately qualified applicants, active inindustry, services, the business community or in fields of activitylinked to the development of innovation and the knowledge-
driven economy.
(4)In order to allow adequate representation of the Directors-
General of industry and of the national authorities responsiblefor small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), it is appropriatethat the MembersStatesmay appoint up to two repres entatives
for the first section.
(5)The EPG should therefore be set up and its terms of reference
and internal organisation should be defined.
(6)In order to guarantee an adequate representation of SMEs, afixed allowance should be provided for those participating inthe work of the EPG who are employed by an SME.
(7)The Committee on Commerce and Distribution and the Consul-tative Committee for Cooperatives, Mutual Societies,
Associations and Foundations should be dissolved,
HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:
Article 1
An Enterprise policy group, hereinafter referred to as ‘the group’,
whose members are appointed by the Commission, is hereby estab-lished by the Commission. Its task is to advise the Commission onenterprise policy issues.2000D0690 — EN — 10.04.2003 — 001.001 — 2
(1) COM (2000) 256 final, including Annex describing the best procedure
▼B
Article 2
1. The Group shall consist of two Sections:
— A first Section (Directors-General), comprising up to two represen-
tativesfrom each Member State, nominated by each Member State,
— A second professional chamber, comprising up to ►M145◄
members appointed by the Commission, representing a wide range
of expertise in domains of importance to enterprises.
2. Working groups may be set up to study specific subjects on the
basis of a mandate.
3. The Commission may invite experts to participate in the work of
the group, sections or working groups.
4. The group, its sections and working groups shall meet in the form
and according to the timetable determined by the Commission. TheCommission shall chair the meetings and Commission officials maytake part in them.
5. The group and its sections shall adopt their rules of procedure on
the basis of a draft presented by the Commission. The Commissiondepartments shall provide the secretariat.
6. The Commission may publish on the Internet, in the original
language of the document concerned, any conclusion, summary, part
conclusion or working paper relating to the group or its sections.
Article 3
The following provisions shall apply for the second section:
— appointment shall be in a personal capacity and advice should be
given to the Commission independently of any outside instruction,
— information obtained through the work of the group, itss ectionsor
working groups, shall not be divulged, where it is stated by the
Commission to relate to a confidential matter,
— the term of office of members shall be two years, renewable. They
shall remain in office until they are replaced, or until the expiry of
their term of office,
— memberswho are no longer able to make an effective contribution
to the work of the group, who resign or who breach the require-
ments set out in the first or second indent of the present Article orin Article 287 of the Treaty establishing the European Community,may be replaced for the remainder of their term,
— The names of the members shall be published in the Official
Journal of the European Communities .
Article 4
Travel and subsistence expenses incurred by members, observers and
experts, in connection with the activities of the group, shall be reim-bursed by the Commission in accordance with the provisions in forcewithin the Commission. Their functions shall not be remunerated.Nevertheless, the Commissioner responsible for enterprise policy maydecide that members, observers or experts who are employed by a
small or medium-sized enterprise (
1), may also be compensated for the
costs resulting from preparatory work and of being away from theirenterprise, by a fixed allowance of EUR 500 a day, to a maximum of10 daysa year.
Article 5
Commission Decisions 81/428/EEC (
2) and 98/215/EC (3) are hereby
repealed.2000D0690 — EN — 10.04.2003 — 001.001 — 3
(1) According to the definition given in the Commission Recommendation of 3
April 1996 (OJ L 107, 30.4.1996 P. 4), including the self-employed.
(2) OJ L 165, 23.6.1981, p. 24.
(3) OJ L 80, 18.3.1998, p. 51.
▼B
Article 6
This Decision shall take effect on the day of its publication in the Offi-
cial Journal of the European Communities . It shall apply until 31
December 2005. The Commission will decide whether to extend it or
not before that date.2000D0690 — EN — 10.04.2003 — 001.001 — 4