Decision No 4/2002 of the EC-Mexico Joint Council

of 6 November 2003

adopting rules of procedure of the EC-Mexico special committees

(2003/824/EC)

THE JOINT COUNCIL,

Having regard to the Economic Partnership, Political Coordination and Cooperation Agreement between the European Community and its Member States, of the one part, and the United Mexican States, of the other part, signed in Brussels on 8 December 1997, hereinafter referred to as the "Agreement", and in particular Article 49 thereof,

Whereas:

(1) By Decision No 2/2000, adopted on 23 March 2000, the EC-Mexico Joint Council set up a special committee on customs cooperation and rules of origin, a special committee on standards and technical regulations, a special committee on sanitary and phytosanitary measures, a special committee on steel products, a special committee on government procurement and a special committee on intellectual property matters.

In addition, by Decision No 2/2001, adopted on 27 February 2001, the EC-Mexico Joint Council set up a Special Committee on Financial Services.

(2) In accordance with Article 49 of the Agreement, the EC-Mexico Joint Council is to determine in its rules of procedure how the special committees are to function,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

The rules of procedure of the EC-Mexico special committees are hereby established as set out in the Annex to this Decision, which shall become an Appendix to the rules of procedure of the EC-Mexico Joint Council annexed to Decision No 1/2001 of the EC-Mexico Joint Council(1).

Article 2

This Decision shall enter into force on 6 November 2003

Done at Brussels, 6 November 2003.

For the Joint Council

The President

L. E. Derbez

(1) OJ L 70, 12.3.2001, p. 1.

ANNEX

"Appendix

RULES OF PROCEDURE OF THE EC-MEXICO SPECIAL COMMITTEES

Article 1

Presidency

Every meeting of the EC-Mexico special committees (hereinafter referred to as "special committees") shall be presided alternately by a representative of the Commission of the European Communities and by a representative of the Mexican Government, normally at senior civil servant level.

Article 2

Meetings

The special committees shall meet in accordance with the respective Articles of Decision No 2/2000 of the EC-Mexico Joint Council of 23 March 2000 and Decision No 2/2001 of the EC-Mexico Joint Council of 27 February 2001 implementing Articles 6, 9 12(2)(b) and 50 of the Economic Partnership, Political Coordination and Cooperation Agreement, which set up each of them.

Article 3

Delegations

Before each meeting, the chairman of the special committees shall be informed of the intended composition and the head of the delegation of each party.

Article 4

Secretariat

1. An official of the Commission of the European Communities, of the one part, and an official of the Government of Mexico, of the other part, shall act jointly as secretaries of the special committees.

2. All correspondence to and from the chairman of the special committees provided for in these rules of procedure shall be forwarded to the secretaries of the special committees and to the Secretaries and the chairman of the EC-Mexico Joint Committee and, where appropriate, to the members of the EC-Mexico Joint Committee.

Article 5

Documents

When the deliberations of the special committees are based on written supporting documents, such documents shall be numbered and circulated as documents of the special committee by the two secretaries.

Article 6

Publicity

Unless otherwise decided, the meetings of the special committees shall not be public.

Article 7

Agendas for meetings

1. A provisional agenda for each meeting shall be drawn up by the secretaries of the special committees no later than 30 days before the meeting, together with the supporting documentation. The agenda shall be forwarded to the chairman, secretaries and members of the EC-Mexico Joint Committee not later than 15 days before the beginning of the meeting.

The agenda shall be adopted by the special committees at the beginning of each meeting. Items not on the provisional agenda may be added with the agreement of both parties.

2. With the agreement of the parties, the time limits specified in paragraph 1 may be shortened in order to take account of the requirements of a particular case.

Article 8

Minutes

Minutes shall be taken for each meeting in accordance with the following procedure, and shall be based on a summing up by the chairman of the conclusions arrived at by the special committees:

(a) the parties will draft and agree on a first version of the minutes directly after the special committee meeting;

(b) the parties will then have 20 working days to circulate the minutes internally and compare the versions cleared internally;

(c) upon adoption by the special committees, the minutes shall be signed by the chairman and by the secretaries within 10 working days after the end of the internal clearance procedure referred to in (b);

(d) a copy of the minutes shall be forwarded to the chairman and secretaries of the EC-Mexico Joint Committee.

Article 9

Recommendations

1. In those cases where the special committee is empowered to make recommendations in accordance with Decision No 2/2000 or Decision No 2/2001, those acts shall be entitled "recommendation", followed by a serial number, by the date of their adoption and by a description of their subject.

2. Where the special committee makes a recommendation, the provisions of Articles 10, 11 and 12 of Decision No 1/2001 of the EC-Mexico Joint Council that establish the rules of procedure of the Joint Council shall apply mutatis mutandis.

3. The recommendations of the special committee shall be forwarded to the secretaries of the EC-Mexico Joint Committee.

Article 10

Expenses

1. The United Mexican States and the European Community shall each defray the expenses they incur by reason of their participation in meetings of the special committees, both with regard to staff, travel and subsistence expenditure and with regard to postal and telecommunications expenditure.

2. Expenditure in connection with the material organisation of meetings, interpretation at meetings, and the translation and reproduction of documents shall be borne by the party which hosts the meetings.

Article 11

Annual report

The special committees shall report annually to the EC-Mexico Joint Committee.

Article 12

Other special committee

These rules of procedure shall apply to any other special committee or body set up, in accordance with Article 49 of the Agreement, to assist the EC-Mexico Joint Council in the performance of its duties."