++++

RULES OF THE COMMITTEE OF THE EUROPEAN SOCIAL FUND

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY ,

HAVING REGARD TO THE PROVISIONS OF THE TREATY ESTABLISHING THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY , AND IN PARTICULAR ARTICLES 124 AND 153 THEREOF ;

HAVING RECEIVED THE OPINION OF THE COMMISSION ;

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS :

ARTICLE 1

THE COMMITTEE OF THE EUROPEAN SOCIAL FUND SHALL ASSIST THE COMMISSION IN ADMINISTERING THE FUND IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS LAID DOWN BY THE PRESENT RULES AND BY THE RULES PROVIDED FOR IN ARTICLE 127 OF THE TREATY .

ARTICLE 2

THE COMMITTEE SHALL CONSIST OF THIRTY-SIX MEMBERS COMPRISING , FROM EACH OF THE SIX MEMBER STATES , TWO REPRESENTATIVES OF THE GOVERNMENT , TWO REPRESENTATIVES OF TRADE UNIONS AND TWO REPRESENTATIVES OF EMPLOYERS' ORGANISATIONS .

ARTICLE 3

THE COMMITTEE SHALL BE CHAIRED BY A MEMBER OF THE COMMISSION , WHO SHALL NOT VOTE .

ARTICLE 4

AN ALTERNATE MEMBER SHALL BE APPOINTED FOR EACH OF THE SIX MEMBER STATES AND FOR EACH OF THE CATEGORIES REFERRED TO IN ARTICLE 2 .

IN THE ABSENCE OF ONE OR BOTH MEMBERS , THEIR ALTERNATE SHALL BE AUTOMATICALLY ENTITLED TO TAKE PART IN THE DELIBERATIONS OF THE COMMITTEE .

WHEN BOTH MEMBERS ARE PRESENT , THEIR ALTERNATE MAY ATTEND THE MEETINGS OF THE COMMITTEE . HE MAY TAKE PART IN THE DISCUSSIONS WHEN HE IS INVITED TO DO SO BY THE CHAIRMAN , WITH THE AGREEMENT OF BOTH MEMBERS .

ARTICLE 5

THE TERM OF OFFICE FOR MEMBERS AND ALTERNATES SHALL BE TWO YEARS . THEIR APPOINTMENTS MAY BE RENEWED .

ARTICLE 6

ONLY NATIONALS OF MEMBER STATES MAY BE APPOINTED COMMITTEE MEMBERS OR ALTERNATES .

THE DUTIES OF A MEMBER OR ALTERNATE SHALL BE INCOMPATIBLE WITH THOSE OF A MEMBER OF AN INSTITUTION OF THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY AND WITH THOSE OF AN OFFICIAL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES .

ARTICLE 7

MEMBERS AND ALTERNATES SHALL BE APPOINTED BY THE COUNCIL . IN APPOINTING THE COMMITTEE , THE COUNCIL SHALL MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO ACHIEVE FAIR REPRESENTATION WITHIN THE VARIOUS SECTORS CONCERNED .

THE LIST OF MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE AND THEIR ALTERNATES SHALL BE PUBLISHED BY THE COUNCIL , FOR INFORMATION , IN THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES .

ARTICLE 8

AS A GENERAL RULE , THE COMMITTEE SHALL MEET AT LEAST FOUR TIMES A YEAR .

IT SHALL BE CONVENED BY ITS CHAIRMAN , EITHER ON HIS OWN INITIATIVE OR AT THE REQUEST OF AT LEAST ONE-THIRD OF THE MEMBERS .

THE MEETINGS OF THE COMMITTEE SHALL NOT BE PUBLIC .

ARTICLE 9

NOTICES OF MEETINGS SHALL CONTAIN THE AGENDA DECIDED ON BY THE CHAIRMAN FOR DISCUSSION BY THE COMMITTEE .

THE COMMITTEE SHALL ALSO DISCUSS OTHER MATTERS FALLING WITHIN ITS COMPETENCE , IF THE MAJORITY OF MEMBERS ARE IN AGREEMENT .

ARTICLE 10

AT THE END OF EACH MEETING THE COMMITTEE SHALL SUBMIT TO THE COMMISSION , IN RESPECT OF ALL MATTERS WHICH IT HAS DISCUSSED , A SUMMARY OF THE OPINIONS IT HAS GIVEN OR OF THE CONCLUSIONS IT HAS REACHED .

WHERE THE COMMITTEE HAS GIVEN AN OPINION , THE SUMMARY REFERRED TO IN THE PRECEDING PARAGRAPH SHALL ALSO CONTAIN THE VARIOUS OPINIONS WHICH MAY HAVE BEEN EXPRESSED WHEN CONCLUDING THE DISCUSSIONS .

ARTICLE 11

SAVE WHERE THESE RULES PROVIDE OTHERWISE , THE COMMITTEE SHALL TAKE ALL DECISIONS BY AN ABSOLUTE MAJORITY OF THE VOTES VALIDLY CAST .

ARTICLE 12

IN THE EVENT OF THE DEATH OR RESIGNATION OF A MEMBER OR ALTERNATE OR IF HE IS NO LONGER QUALIFIED TO SERVE ON THE COMMITTEE , THE COUNCIL SHALL , IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROCEDURE PROVIDED FOR IN ARTICLE 7 OF THESE RULES , APPOINT A REPLACEMENT FOR THE MEMBER OR ALTERNATE FOR THE REMAINDER OF HIS TERM OF OFFICE .

ARTICLE 13

ON A PROPOSAL FROM THE CHAIRMAN THE COMMITTEE MAY HEAR EXPERTS .

ARTICLE 14

THE COMMITTEE SHALL , BY A MAJORITY VOTE OF ITS MEMBERS , DRAW UP ITS RULES OF PROCEDURE INCLUDING DETAILS OF ITS WORKING METHODS .

THE RULES OF PROCEDURE SHALL BE APPROVED BY THE COUNCIL , AFTER CONSULTING THE COMMISSION .

ARTICLE 15

SECRETARIAL SERVICES SHALL BE PROVIDED FOR THE COMMITTEE BY THE COMMISSION . THE COMMISSION SHALL MAKE AVAILABLE TO THE COMMITTEE THE PREMISES AND FACILITIES NEEDED FOR ITS OPERATION .

ARTICLE 16

THE COMMITTEE'S OPERATIONAL EXPENSES SHALL BE CHARGED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FINANCIAL REGULATIONS PROVIDED FOR IN ARTICLE 209 OF THE TREATY ESTABLISHING THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY .

DONE AT BRUSSELS , 25 AUGUST 1960 .

FOR THE COUNCIL

THE PRESIDENT

J.M.A.H . LUNS