Decision No 2/2002 of the Association Council between the European Communities and their Member States, on the one part, and the Republic of Estonia, of the other part

of 27 February 2002

amending, through the setting-up of a Joint Consultative Committee, Decision No 1/98 establishing the rules of procedure of the Association Council

(2002/850/EC)

THE ASSOCIATION COUNCIL,

Having regard to the Europe Agreement establishing an association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Estonia, of the other part(1), and in particular Article 114 thereof,

Whereas:

(1) Dialogue and cooperation between economic and social interest groups in the European Community and the Republic of Estonia can make a major contribution to the development of their relations.

(2) It seems appropriate that such cooperation be organised between the members of the Economic and Social Committee of the European Communities and the Republic of Estonia's economic and social partners, by the setting up of a Joint Consultative Committee.

(3) This means that the rules of procedure of the Association Council, adopted by Decision No 1/98(2), have to be amended accordingly,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

The following rules shall be added to the rules of procedure of the Association Council:

"Article 15

Joint Consultative Committee

A Joint Consultative Committee is hereby established entrusted with the task of helping the Association Council with a view to promoting dialogue and cooperation between the economic and social interest groups in the European Community and the Republic of Estonia. Such dialogue and cooperation shall encompass all economic and social aspects of relations between the European Community and the Republic of Estonia, as they arise in the context of the implementation of the Europe Agreement. The Joint Consultative Committee shall express its views on questions arising in these areas.

Article 16

The Joint Consultative Committee shall comprise six representatives of the Economic and Social Committee of the European Communities and six representatives of the Republic of Estonia's economic and social interest groups.

The Joint Consultative Committee shall carry out its tasks on the basis of consultation by the Association Council or, as regards the promotion of dialogue between economic and social circles, on its own initiative.

Members shall be chosen to ensure that the Joint Consultative Committee is as faithful a reflection as possible of the various economic and social interest groups in both the European Community and the Republic of Estonia.

The Joint Consultative Committee shall be co-chaired by a member of the Economic and Social Committee of the European Communities and an Estonian member.

The Joint Consultative Committee shall adopt its own rules of procedure.

Article 17

The Economic and Social Committee of the European Communities, on the one hand, and the Estonian economic and social interest groups, on the other hand, shall each defray the expenses they incur by reason of their participation in the meetings for the Committee and of its working groups with regard to staff, travel and subsistence expenditure and to postal and telecommunications expenditure.

Expenditure in connection with interpreting at meetings, translation and reproduction of documents shall be borne by the Economic and Social Committee, with the exception of Estonian expenditure in connection with interpreting or translation into or from Estonian, which shall be borne by the Estonian economic and social interest groups.

Other expenditure relating to the material organisation of meetings shall be borne by the Party which hosts the meetings."

Article 2

This Decision shall enter into force on the first day of the second month following the date of its adoption.

Done at Brussels, 27 February 2002.

For the Association Council

The President

J. Piqué i Camps

(1) OJ L 68, 9.3.1998, p. 3.

(2) OJ L 73, 12.3.1998, p. 17.