COMMISSION DECISION

of 13 December 2012

amending Decision 2007/134/EC establishing the European Research Council

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

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

Having regard to Decision 1982/2006/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 December 2006 concerning the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007-2013) (1), and in particular Aricles 2 and 3 thereof,

Having regard to Council Decision 2006/972/EC of 19 December 2006 concerning the specific programme “Ideas” implementing the Seventh Framework Programme (2007-2013) of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2), and in particular Article 4(2) and (3) thereof,

Whereas:

(1) By Decision 2007/134/EC of 2 February 2007 establishing the European Research Council (3), the Commission established the European Research Council (hereinafter referred to as “the ERC”) as the means for implementing the specific programme “Ideas”. The ERC consists of an independent Scientific Council supported by a dedicated implementation structure and is established until 31 December 2013.

(2) The Scientific Council consists of scientists, engineers and scholars of the highest repute, appointed by the Commission, and acting in their personal capacity, independent of any outside influence. It is composed of 22 members and acts according to the mandate provided for it in Article 3 of Decision 2007/134/EC.

(3) By Decision 2009/357/EC of 27 April 2009 amending Decision 2007/134/EC establishing the European Research Council (4), the Commission replaced three members following their resignation. By Decision 2011/12/EU of 12 January 2011 amending Decision 2007/134/EC establishing the European Research Council (5), the Commission replaced seven members after their end of term of office.

(4) The mandate of 10 of the members of the Scientific Council expires on 1 February and 26 April 2013 and there is a need for the staged renewal of the Scientific Council membership.

(5) The staged renewal of the Scientific Council should take place according to the provisions of Article 4(6) and (7) of Decision 2007/134/EC, which state, inter alia, that members shall be appointed for a term of four years, renewable once on a basis of a rotating system, which shall ensure the continuity of the work of the Scientific Council and that a member may be appointed for a period of less than the maximum term to allow a staged rotation of membership.

(6) According to Article 4(4) of Decision 2007/134/EC, future members shall be appointed by the Commission based on the factors and criteria set out in Annex I to that Decision and following an independent and transparent procedure for their identification, agreed with the Scientific Council, including a consultation of the scientific community and a report to the European Parliament and the Council. For this purpose, a high level standing Identification Committee of independent experts was set up as an expert group with honoraria paid under the operational budget of the specific programme “Ideas”. The Committee made recommendations for the staged renewal of the Scientific Council membership that have been accepted.

(7) According to Article 4(4) of Decision 2007/134/EC, the appointment of future members shall be published in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 45/2001 (6).

(8) Decision 2007/134/EC should therefore be amended accordingly,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

Annex II of Decision 2007/134/EC is replaced by the text set out in the Annex to this Decision.

Article 2

This Decision shall enter into force on the day of its adoption.