GENERAL RULES OF ORGANIZATION of 20 April 1960

THE HIGH AUTHORITY,

Having regard to Article 16 of the Treaty;

Having regard to the General Rules of Organization of 5 November 1954 (Official Journal of the European Coal and Steel Community of 24 November 1954, page 515) ; as amended on 21 June 1956 (Official Journal of the European Coal and Steel Community of 24 September 1956, page 255),

HAS ADOPTED THE FOLLOWING RULES OF GENERAL ORGANIZATION:

Article 1

The High Authority shall, in accordance with the Treaty and with its own Rules of Procedure and with these Rules, make all appropriate arrangements for the attainment of the objectives laid down in the Treaty and for the operation of its departments.

Article 2

The President of the High Authority shall be responsible for the administration of its departments and shall see that decisions of the High Authority are carried out in accordance with these Rules.

The Vice-Presidents shall assist the President in the performance of his duties in accordance with the provisions of the Rules of Procedure and of the Rules of Organization.

Article 3

Save as otherwise decided by the High Authority, acting collectively, the chairmen of working groups shall represent the High Authority before the European Parliament, unless the President or one of the Vice-Presidents does so.

The same shall apply at meetings of the Council of Ministers, of the Consultative Committee and of the committees of the European Parliament.

TITLE I Departmental administration

Article 4

The High Authority shall determine the organization and the areas of responsibility of departments. Subject thereto and in accordance with the directives of the High Authority, the President shall organize and apportion the work.

Article 5

The President shall prepare the draft budget estimates provided for in Article 78 (3) of the Treaty.

The President shall also prepare the draft establishment plan, determining the number of staff posts, provided for in Article 78 (3).

A staff chart shall periodically be circulated to members of the High Authority.

The drafts referred to in the first two paragraphs of this Article shall be approved by the High Authority before being transmitted to the Committee of Presidents provided for in Article 78 of the Treaty.

The President shall be responsible for implementing the budget estimates adopted by the Committee of Presidents.

Article 6

The President shall be responsible for the administration of the staff of the High Authority. To assist him the High Authority may decide to set up an administrative committee consisting of not more than four members of the High Authority. The President shall periodically report to the High Authority on his administrative functions.

However, the powers conferred on the appointing authority by the Staff Regulations of Officials of the Community and the Annexes thereto shall be exercised by the High Authority, acting collectively, in respect of: - Directors-General, Advisers, Deputy Directors-General, Directors and Deputy Directors;

Personal staff of members of the High Authority.

Article 7

The recruitment of Directors-General, Advisers, Deputy Directors-General, Directors and Deputy Directors shall conform to the following procedure: 1. On a proposal from its President, the High Authority shall determine the professional qualifications, experience and other conditions required for a post which is to be filled.

2. The High Authority shall also determine the procedure whereby external candidates may be considered. An invitation for applications must in all cases be circulated internally.

3. For each post to be filled a selection committee shall be set up consisting of at least three members of the High Authority.

4. The selection committee shall review all applications received within the time limit set by the High Authority and invite to Luxembourg for interview, as appropriate, candidates who are worthy of consideration.

5. The selection committee shall submit its report and recommendations to the High Authority.

6. The High Authority shall choose the candidate to whom the post will be offered and shall determine his grading.

Article 8

Personal staff of members of the High Authority shall be appointed by the High Authority on a proposal from the member whom they will serve and may be dismissed by the High Authority on a proposal from that member or from the President, after the opinion, where appropriate, of the committee referred to in Article 6 has been obtained.

Article 9

The President shall prepare drafts of administrative rules of a general nature relating to the operation of the departments of the High Authority, in particular financial and staff regulations. Such rules shall be submitted, where appropriate, for the opinion of the committee referred to in Article 6 and subsequently for decision by the High Authority.

TITLE II Preparation and implementation of decisions of the High Authority

Article 10

The High Authority shall issue directives on how work is to be carried out by its staff and shall take the necessary decisions.

Article 11

The High Authority shall set up working groups. The groups shall include two members of the High Authority, one of whom shall be chairman of the group. The High Authority shall determine the number, terms of reference and composition of such working groups. Members of the High Authority may attend meetings of the working groups. Agenda, minutes and other documents submitted to working groups must also be circulated at the same time to the other members of the High Authority.

The working groups shall prepare proposals for decision by the High Authority in accordance with "rules of procedure of working groups of the High Authority" laid down by the High Authority.

These rules shall, in particular, determine: - the form of documents to be submitted by departments and the time limits for submission;

- representation of members of the High Authority at meetings of working groups;

- attendance of officials at meetings of working groups.

The Chairmen of working groups shall ensure that departments follow the directives of the High Authority or of the working group. The chairmen of working groups shall be responsible for bringing before the High Authority any questions within the terms of reference of their particular group. The report of the Chairman of the working group shall open the discussion in the High Authority ; it shall set out the views both of members of the High Authority and of the departments.

Article 12

Without prejudice to Article 11, the President shall coordinate the preparation of proposals for decision by the High Authority. Since he is responsible to the High Authority for the implementation of decisions, he shall also periodically submit to it a report thereon.

Article 13

The President shall be responsible for liasion with the European Parliament, the Council of Ministers and the Consultative Committee, in accordance with decisions or directives adopted by the High Authority.

Article 14

Subject to the directives issued by the High Authority, each Director-General shall be responsible for: - the operation of his Directorate-General and the performance of duties within his competence,

- liaison on the part of his Directorate-General with the President and members of the High Authority and with the working groups.

TITLE III Appointment of acting President and delegation of the President's powers

Article 15

Where the President is unable to perform his duties, they shall be performed by the Vice-President. Where both the President and the Vice-President are unable to perform those duties, they shall be performed by the second Vice-President ; where the President and the Vice-Presidents are all unable to perform those duties, they shall be performed by the oldest member present.

Where an acting President is appointed in pursuance of the preceding paragraph, any delegation of powers by the President under the conditions laid down in Article 16 shall remain valid unless otherwise decided by the acting President.

Article 16

The President of the High Authority may delegate his powers to the Vice-Presidents and to the Chairman of a working group or his deputy, within the terms of reference of the group.

The President may also delegate to members of the High Authority a part of his administrative functions.

Members of the High Authority may, in addition, be empowered by the President to sign any deeds or documents dealing with financial matters.

Article 17

The President may, for a temporary, terminable period, delegate the powers conferred on him under the third paragraph of Article 16 of the Treaty to Directors-General, Deputy Directors-General, Directors, Deputy Directors, and in special cases, to other officials of the High Authority.

Such delegation of powers shall be given only after the Chairman of any working group concerned and any Director-General concerned have expressed their opinion.

The President shall inform the High Authority of any delegation of his powers.

Article 18

The General Rules of Organization of 5 November 1954, as amended on 21 June 1956, are hereby repealed.

These Rules were discussed and adopted by the High Authority at its meeting on 20 April 1960.

For the High Authority

The President

Piero MALVESTITI