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( 1 ) OJ N 2 , 10 . 1 . 1964 , P . 25/64 .

( 2 ) OJ N L 121 , 4 . 6 . 1970 , P . 13 .

COMMISSION DECISION

OF 20 APRIL 1976

SETTING UP THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON SOCIAL QUESTIONS AFFECTING FARMERS AND THE MEMBERS OF THEIR FAMILIES

( 76/410/EEC )

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES ,

HAVING REGARD TO THE TREATY ESTABLISHING THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY ,

WHEREAS AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON SOCIAL QUESTIONS AFFECTING FARMERS WAS SET UP BY THE COMMISSION DECISION OF 19 DECEMBER 1963 ( 1 ) , AS AMENDED BY THE DECISION OF 15 MAY 1970 ( 2 ) ;

WHEREAS IT IS CONSIDERED DESIRABLE , AS A RESULT OF THE ACCESSION OF NEW MEMBER STATES TO THE COMMUNITY , TO ALTER THE RULES RELATING TO THE NUMBER AND APPORTIONMENT OF SEATS ON THIS COMMITTEE ;

WHEREAS , MOREOVER , THE TEXT OF THE SAID DECISION REQUIRES CERTAIN MINOR ALTERATIONS AND THEREFORE IN THE INTERESTS OF CLARITY A COMPLETELY NEW VERSION OF THE TEXT SHOULD BE PRODUCED AND THE SAID DECISION SHOULD BE REPEALED ,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS :

ARTICLE 1

1 . THERE SHALL BE ATTACHED TO THE COMMISSION AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON SOCIAL QUESTIONS AFFECTING FARMERS AND THE MEMBERS OF THEIR FAMILIES ( HEREINAFTER CALLED " THE COMMITTEE " ) .

2 . THE COMMITTEE SHALL BE COMPOSED OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE FOLLOWING INTERESTS : FARMERS , PAID AGRICULTURAL WORKERS AND RURAL FAMILIES .

ARTICLE 2

1 . THE COMMITTEE MAY BE CONSULTED BY THE COMMISSION ON ANY SOCIAL QUESTIONS AFFECTING FARMERS AND MEMBERS OF THEIR FAMILIES WORKING ON THE HOLDING , ALL SUCH QUESTIONS BEING CONSIDERED BOTH IN THEMSELVES AND IN RELATION TO THEIR REPERCUSSIONS ON THE AGRICULTURAL POPULATION AS A WHOLE .

2 . AT THE REQUEST OF ONE OF THE INTERESTS REFERRED TO IN ARTICLE 1 ( 2 ) , THE COMMITTEE MAY ON ITS OWN INITIATIVE AND IN REGARD TO A MATTER WITHIN ITS TERMS OF REFERENCE FORWARD OPINIONS AND REPORTS TO THE COMMISSION .

ARTICLE 3

1 . THE COMMITTEE SHALL CONSIST OF 30 MEMBERS .

2 . SEATS ON THE COMMITTEE SHALL BE APPORTIONED AS FOLLOWS :

_ 21 TO FARMERS' REPRESENTATIVES , INCLUDING FOUR TO REPRESENTATIVES OF YOUNG FARMERS ,

_ SEVEN TO REPRESENTATIVES OF PAID AGRICULTURAL WORKERS ,

_ TWO TO REPRESENTATIVES OF RURAL FAMILIES .

ARTICLE 4

1 . MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE SHALL BE APPOINTED BY THE COMMISSION ON PROPOSALS FROM THE FOLLOWING ORGANIZATIONS SET UP AT COMMUNITY LEVEL :

COMMITTEE OF AGRICULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS IN THE EEC ( COPA ) , EUROPEAN FEDERATION OF AGRICULTURAL WORKERS' UNIONS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY ( EFA ) ,

COMMITTEE OF FAMILY ORGANIZATIONS FOR THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES ( COFACE ) .

FOR EACH SEAT TO BE FILLED , THESE BODIES SHALL PUT FORWARD THE NAMES OF TWO CANDIDATES OF DIFFERENT NATIONALITY .

2 . THE TERM OF OFFICE FOR MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE SHALL BE THREE YEARS . THEIR APPOINTMENTS MAY BE RENEWED . MEMBERS SHALL NOT BE REMUNERATED FOR THEIR SERVICES .

AFTER THE EXPIRY OF THE THREE YEARS MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE SHALL REMAIN IN OFFICE UNTIL THEY ARE REPLACED OR UNTIL THEIR APPOINTMENTS ARE RENEWED .

A MEMBER'S TERM OF OFFICE MAY BE TERMINATED BEFORE THE EXPIRY OF THE THREE YEARS BY RESIGNATION OR DEATH .

IT MAY ALSO BE TERMINATED WHERE THE BODY WHICH THE MEMBER REPRESENTS REQUESTS THAT HE BE REPLACED .

A PERSON SHALL BE APPOINTED , IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROCEDURE LAID DOWN IN PARAGRAPH 1 , TO REPLACE SUCH MEMBER FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE TERM OF OFFICE .

3 . A LIST OF THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE SHALL BE PUBLISHED BY THE COMMISSION , FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES , IN THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES .

ARTICLE 5

THE COMMITTEE SHALL , BY A TWO-THIRDS MAJORITY OF THE MEMBERS PRESENT , ELECT A CHAIRMAN AND TWO VICE-CHAIRMEN FOR A PERIOD OF THREE YEARS .

THE OFFICERS SHALL PREPARE AND ORGANIZE THE WORK OF THE COMMITTEE .

ARTICLE 6

AT THE REQUEST OF ANY OF THE INTERESTS REPRESENTED , THE CHAIRMAN MAY INVITE A PERSON DELEGATED BY THE INTEREST CONCERNED TO BE PRESENT AT MEETINGS OF THE COMMITTEE . HE MAY LIKEWISE ON SUCH REQUEST INVITE ANY PERSON WITH SPECIAL QUALIFICATIONS IN ANY SUBJECT ON THE AGENDA TO TAKE PART IN AN EXPERT CAPACITY IN THE DELIBERATIONS OF THE COMMITTEE . EXPERTS SHALL TAKE PART IN DISCUSSIONS ONLY OF THOSE QUESTIONS ON ACCOUNT OF WHICH THEY WERE INVITED .

ARTICLE 7

THE COMMITTEE MAY SET UP WORKING PARTIES TO ASSIST IT IN CARRYING OUT ITS WORK .

ARTICLE 8

1 . THE COMMITTEE SHALL BE CONVENED BY THE COMMISSION AND SHALL MEET AT THE COMMISSION HEADQUARTERS . MEETINGS OF THE OFFICIERS SHALL BE CONVENED BY THE CHAIRMAN BY ARRANGEMENT WITH THE COMMISSION .

2 . REPRESENTATIVES OF THE COMMISSION DEPARTMENTS CONCERNED SHALL TAKE PART IN MEETINGS OF THE COMMITTEE , ITS OFFICERS AND WORKING PARTIES .

3 . SECRETARIAL SERVICES FOR THE COMMITTEE AND ITS WORKING PARTIES SHALL BE PROVIDED BY THE COMMISSION .

ARTICLE 9

NO VOTE SHALL BE TAKEN ON THE MATTERS DISCUSSED BY THE COMMITTEE .

THE COMMISSION MAY , WHEN SEEKING THE OPINION OF THE COMMITTEE , SET A TIME LIMIT WITHIN WHICH SUCH OPINION MUST BE GIVEN .

THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY THE VARIOUS INTERESTS REPRESENTED SHALL BE INCLUDED IN A SUMMARY RECORD FORWARDED TO THE COMMISSION .

IN THE EVENT OF UNANIMOUS AGREEMENT BEING REACHED IN THE COMMITTEE ON THE OPINION TO BE GIVEN , THE COMMITTEE SHALL FORMULATE JOINT CONCLUSIONS AND ATTACH THEM TO THE SUMMARY RECORD .

ARTICLE 10

WITHOUT PREJUDICE TO THE PROVISIONS OF ARTICLE 214 OF THE TREATY , WHERE THE COMMISSION INFORMS THEM THAT THE OPINIONS REQUESTED OR THE QUESTION RAISED IS ON A MATTER OF A CONFIDENTIAL NATURE , MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE SHALL BE UNDER AN OBLIGATION NOT TO DISCLOSE INFORMATION WHICH HAS COME TO THEIR KNOWLEDGE THROUGH THE WORK OF THE COMMITTEE OR OF ITS WORKING PARTIES .

IN SUCH CASES , ONLY COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND REPRESENTATIVES OF THE COMMISSION DEPARTMENTS CONCERNED MAY BE PRESENT AT THE MEETINGS .

ARTICLE 11

THE COMMISSION DECISION OF 19 DECEMBER 1963 , AS AMENDED BY THE DECISION OF 15 MAY 1970 , IS HEREBY REPEALED .

ARTICLE 12

THIS DECISION SHALL ENTER INTO FORCE ON 20 APRIL 1976 .

DONE AT BRUSSELS , 20 APRIL 1976 .

FOR THE COMMISSION

P . J . LARDINOIS

MEMBER OF THE COMMISSION