EN Official Journal of the European Union C 347/4

COMMISSION DECISION

of 19 October 2015

setting up the Counterfeit Coin Experts Group on the Commission's policy and Regulations regarding the protection of euro coins against counterfeiting

(2015/C 347/05)

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

Whereas:

(1) Commission Decision (EU) 2015/512 (1) provides that the Directorate-General for Economic and Financial Affairs (‘the Directorate-General’) is responsible for the tasks related to the preparation of legislative and regulatory initiatives of the Commission with the objective of the protection of the euro against counterfeiting, and of support in that area through training and technical assistance. With a view to coordinate the necessary actions to protect the euro coins against counterfeiting the Commission needs to call upon the expertise of specialists in an advisory body (2).

(2) It is therefore necessary to set up a group of experts in the field of the protection of euro coins against counterfeiting and to define its tasks and its structure.

(3) The group should assist the Commission in the preparation of legislation or in policy definition and to provide expertise when preparing implementing measures with regard to the protection of euro coins against counterfeiting. The group should also establish cooperation between the public authorities involved in the protection of the euro against counterfeiting.

(4) The group should be composed of experts of Member States' authorities, the European Central Bank (‘ECB’) and of Europol.

(5) Rules on disclosure of information by members of the group should be laid down.

(6) Personal data should be processed in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 45/2001 (3) of the European Parliament and of the Council. It is appropriate to fix a period for the application of this Decision. The Commission will in due time consider the advisability of an extension,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

Subject matter

The Commission's Counterfeit Coin Experts Group (hereinafter CCEG), is hereby set up.

Article 2

Task

The tasks of the CCEG shall be:

(a) to assist the Commission in the preparation of legislative proposals or delegated acts or policy initiatives for the protection of euro coins against counterfeiting;

(b) to establish cooperation between the Heads of the Coin National Analysis Centres (‘CNACs’) established in accordance with Article 5(1) of Council Regulation (EC) No 1338/2001 (4), the Commission, the European Technical Scientific Centre (‘ETSC’) (5), the European Central Bank (‘ECB’) and Europol in matters relating to policy initiatives and actions aimed at an efficient anti-counterfeiting strategy;

(c) to provide advice and expertise to the Commission for implementing Union legislation, programmes and policies, in particular with regards to Regulation (EU) No 1210/2010 of the European Parliament and of the Council (6);

(d) to exchange experience and establish good practices for the protection of euro coins against counterfeiting;

(e) to raise awareness among the public authorities involved in the protection of the euro against counterfeiting for upcoming threats and to monitor implementation of effective repressive measures for an anti-counterfeiting policy strategy;

(f) to promote training initiatives for the protection of the euro coins against counterfeiting;

(g) to promote and develop studies or technical support in facilitating counterfeiting detection activities;

(h) to discuss issues relating to the technical specifications of counterfeit euro coins and the security features for the protection of euro coins against counterfeiting.

Article 3

Consultation

The Commission may consult the CCEG on any matter relating to the protection of euro coins against counterfeiting.

Article 4

Membership — Appointment

1. Members shall be Member States' CNACs, ECB and Europol.

2. Members shall inform the Commission of their appointed representatives and substitutes.

3. Personal data shall be collected, processed and published in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 45/2001.

Article 5

Operation

1. The competent Commission service shall appoint the Chairperson of the group.

2. In agreement with the competent Commission service, the CCEG may set up sub-groups to examine specific questions on the basis of terms of reference defined by the group.

3. The Commission's representative may invite experts from outside the CCEG with specific competence in a subject on the agenda to participate in the work of the group or sub-group on an ad hoc basis. In addition, the Commission's representative may give observer status to individuals, organisations as defined in Rule 8(3) of the horizontal rules on expert groups (7) and candidate countries.

4. Members of the CCEG and their representatives, as well as invited experts and observers, shall comply with the obligations of professional secrecy laid down by the Treaties and their implementing rules, as well as with the Commission's rules on security regarding the protection of EU classified information, laid down in Commission Decisions (EU, Euratom) 2015/443 (8) and (EU, Euratom) 2015/444 (9). Should they fail to respect these obligations, the Commission may take all appropriate measures.

5. The meetings of the CCEG shall be held on Commission premises with the exception of the meetings of sub-groups which may be held outside the Commission premises. The Commission shall provide secretarial services.

6. The CCEG shall adopt its rules of procedure on the basis of the standard rules of procedure for expert groups.

7. The Commission shall publish all relevant documents on the activities carried out by CCEG including agendas, minutes and participants' submissions either by including them in the Register of Commission expert groups and other similar entities or via a link from that Register to a dedicated website containing those documents. The relevant documents shall not be published where disclosure of a document would undermine the protection of a public or private interest pursuant to Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council (10).

Article 6

Meeting expenses

1. Participants in the activities of the CCEG and of its sub-groups shall not be remunerated for the services they render.

2. Travel expenses incurred by participants in the activities of the CCEG shall be reimbursed by the Commission in accordance with the provisions in force within the Commission. Travel and subsistence expenses shall be reimbursed, in the same manner, for the members of the sub-groups.

3. The expenses referred to in paragraph 2 shall be reimbursed within the limits of the available appropriations allocated under the annual procedure for the allocation of resources.

Article 7

Applicability

This Decision shall apply as from the date of its adoption until 31 December 2025.

Done at Brussels, 19 October 2015. For the Commission Pierre MOSCOVICI Member of the Commission

(1) Commission Decision (EU) 2015/512 of 25 March 2015, amending Decision 1999/352/EC, ECSC, Euratom establishing the European Anti-fraud Office (OJ L 81, 26.3.2015, p. 4).

(2) Pursuant to Article 4 of the Commission Decision 2005/37/EC of 29 October 2004 establishing the European Technical and Scientific Centre (ETSC), the Commission is required to coordinate the necessary actions to protect euro coins against counterfeiting through periodic meetings of counterfeit coin experts (OJ L 19, 21.1.2005, p. 73).

(3) Regulation (EC) No 45/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 December 2000 on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data by the Community institutions and bodies and on the free movement of such data (OJ L 8, 12.1.2001, p. 1).

(4) Council Regulation (EC) No 1338/2001 of 28 June 2001 laying down measures necessary for the protection of the euro against counterfeiting (OJ L 181, 4.7.2001, p. 6).

(5) Council Decision 2003/861/EC of 8 December 2003 concerning analysis and cooperation with regard to counterfeit euro coins (OJ L 325, 12.12.2003, p. 44).

(6) Regulation (EU) No 1210/2010 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 December 2010 concerning authentication of euro coins and handling of euro coins unfit for circulation (OJ L 339, 22.12.2010, p. 1).

(7) C(2010) 7649 final.

(8) Commission Decision (EU, Euratom) 2015/443 of 13 March 2015 on Security in the Commission (OJ L 72, 17.3.2015, p. 41).

(9) Commission Decision (EU, Euratom) 2015/444 of 13 March 2015 on the security rules for protecting EU classified information (OJ L 72, 17.3.2015, p. 53).

(10) Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 May 2001 regarding public access to European Parliament, Council and Commission documents (OJ L 145, 31.5.2001, p. 45).