EN Official Journal of the European Union C 135/3

COMMISSION DECISION

of 4 May 2011

on setting up the European ITS Advisory Group

2011/C 135/03

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

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

Having regard to Directive 2010/40/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 July 2010 on the framework for the deployment of Intelligent Transport Systems in the field of road transport and for interfaces with other modes of transport (1), and in particular its Article 16,

Whereas:

(1) Directive 2010/40/EU requires, in its Article 16, the Commission to establish a European ITS Advisory Group to advise it on business and technical aspects of deployment and use of ITS in the Union.

(2) It is therefore necessary to set up such group of experts in the field of Intelligent Transport Systems and to define its tasks and its structure.

(3) The European ITS Advisory Group should advise the Commission on the commercial and technical aspects of the deployment and use of ITS in the Union.

(4) The European ITS Advisory Group should be composed of high level representatives from relevant ITS service providers, associations of users, transport and facilities operators, manufacturing industry, social partners, professional associations, local authorities and other relevant fora.

(5) Rules on disclosure of information by members of the European ITS Advisory Group should be laid down.

(6) Personal data should be processed in accordance with 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 (2).

(7) 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 group of experts on Intelligent Transport Systems, hereinafter referred to as ‘the European ITS Advisory Group’, is hereby set up.

Article 2

Task

The European ITS Advisory Group’s task shall be:

(a) to assist the Commission in the preparation of specifications, to be adopted as delegated acts under the ITS Directive, by notably providing an opinion on the technical and commercial aspects related to them;

(b) to monitor the evolution of policy in the field of ITS and to advise and provide guidance to the Commission on all other issues (non-directly linked to specifications) related to the deployment and use of ITS in the Union;

(c) to bring about an exchange of experience and good practice related to the deployment and operation of ITS.

Article 3

Consultation

The Commission may consult the European ITS Advisory Group on any matter relating to the deployment and use of ITS in the Union while encouraging members to suggest further topics for discussion.

Article 4

Membership — Appointment

1. The European ITS Advisory Group shall be composed of 25 members.

2. Members shall be:

— individuals appointed to represent a common interest shared by stakeholders in a particular policy area; they shall not represent an individual stakeholder, or

— organisations, in the broad sense of the word including companies, associations, non-governmental organisations, trade unions, universities, research institutes, Union agencies, Union bodies and international organisations.

3. Members shall be appointed by the Director-General for Mobility and Transport DG from specialists or organisations representing stakeholders listed in Article 16 of Directive 2010/40/EU, with competence in the areas referred to in Article 2 and Article 3 and who have responded to a call for applications.

4. Members shall be appointed for three years. They shall remain in office until the end of their term of office. Their term of office may be renewed.

5. The Commission or its services shall establish a reserve list of suitable candidates that may be used to appoint suitable replacements. The Commission or its services shall ask applicants for their consent before including their names on the list.

6. Members who are no longer capable of contributing effectively to the European ITS Advisory Group’s deliberations, who resign or who do not comply with the conditions set out in paragraph 3 of this Article, or Article 339 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, may be replaced for the remainder of their term of office.

7. The names of members shall be published in the Register of Commission expert groups and other similar entities (‘the Register’) (3).

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

Article 5

Operation

1. The European ITS Advisory Group shall be chaired by a representative of the Commission.

2. In agreement with the Commission services, the European ITS Advisory Group may set up sub-groups to examine specific questions on the basis of terms of reference defined by the European ITS Advisory Group. Such sub-groups shall be disbanded as soon as their mandate is fulfilled.

3. The Commission’s representative may invite experts from outside the European ITS Advisory Group 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 or organisations.

4. Members of expert groups 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 the Annex to Commission Decision 2001/844/EC, ECSC, Euratom (4). Should they fail to respect these obligations, the Commission may take all appropriate measures.

5. The meetings of expert groups and sub-groups shall be held on Commission premises. The Commission shall provide secretarial services. Other Commission officials with an interest in the proceedings may attend meetings of the European ITS Advisory Group and its sub-groups.

6. The European ITS Advisory Group shall adopt its rules of procedure on the basis of the standard rules of procedure for expert groups.

7. The Commission publishes relevant information on the activities carried out by the European ITS Advisory Group either by including it in the Register or via a link from the Register to a dedicated website.

Article 6

Meeting expenses

1. Participants in the activities of the European ITS Advisory Group shall not be remunerated for the services they render.

2. Travel and subsistence expenses incurred by participants in the activities of the European ITS Advisory Group shall be reimbursed by the Commission in accordance with the provisions in force within the Commission.

3. Those expenses 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 until 27 August 2017.

Done at Brussels, 4 May 2011. For the Commission The President José Manuel BARROSO

(1) OJ L 207, 6.8.2010, p. 1.

(2) OJ L 8, 12.1.2001, p. 1.

(3) Members who do not wish to have their names disclosed may apply for derogation from this rule. The request not to disclose the name of a member of an expert group shall be considered justified whenever publication could endanger his or her security or integrity or unduly prejudice his or her privacy.

(4) Commission Decision 2001/844/EC, ECSC, Euratom of 29 November 2001 amending its internal Rules of Procedure (OJ L 317, 3.12.2001, p. 1).