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COMMISSION DECISION

OF 8 JUNE 1979

RELATING TO THE INSTITUTION OF A SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL COMMITTEE FOR FISHERIES

( 79/572/EEC )

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN

COMMUNITIES ,

HAVING REGARD TO THE TREATY ESTABLISHING THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY ,

WHEREAS PROGRESS IN CONSTRUCTING A COMMUNITY SYSTEM FOR THE CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT OF FISHERY RESOURCES REQUIRES THE ADVICE OF HIGHLY QUALIFIED SCIENTIFIC PERSONNEL , PARTICULARLY AS TO THE APPLICATION OF MARINE AND FISHERIES BIOLOGY AND FISHING TECHNOLOGY OR SIMILAR DISCIPLINES ;

WHEREAS THIS ADVICE SHOULD BE CHANNELLED BY SETTING UP A PERMANENT COMMITTEE ESTABLISHED BY THE COMMISSION ,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS :

ARTICLE 1

A SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL COMMITTEE FOR FISHERIES , HEREINAFTER CALLED ' THE COMMITTEE ' , IS HEREBY ESTABLISHED BY THE COMMISSION .

ARTICLE 2

1 . THE COMMITTEE MAY BE CONSULTED PERIODICALLY BY THE COMMISSION ON THE MEASURES NECESSARY TO ENSURE THE PROTECTION OF FISHING GROUNDS , THE CONSERVATION OF THE BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES OF THE SEA AND THEIR BALANCED EXPLOITATION .

2 . THE COMMITTEE SHALL PREPARE AN ANNUAL REPORT ON THE SITUATION AS REGARDS FISHERY RESOURCES , ON WAYS AND MEANS OF CONSERVING FISHING GROUNDS AND STOCKS AND ON THE SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL FACILITIES AVAILABLE WITHIN THE COMMUNITY .

3 . THE COMMITTEE MAY DRAW THE ATTENTION OF THE COMMISSION TO ANY PROBLEM REFERRED TO IN PARAGRAPHS 1 AND 2 .

ARTICLE 3

THE COMMITTEE SHALL BE COMPOSED OF NOT MORE THAN 25 MEMBERS .

ARTICLE 4

MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE SHALL BE NOMINATED BY THE COMMISSION FROM HIGHLY QUALIFIED SCIENTIFIC PERSONS HAVING COMPETENCE IN THE FIELDS REFERRED TO IN ARTICLE 2 .

ARTICLE 5

THE COMMITTEE SHALL ELECT A CHAIRMAN AND TWO VICE-CHAIRMEN FROM AMONG ITS MEMBERS . THEY SHALL BE ELECTED ON THE BASIS OF A SIMPLE MAJORITY OF THE MEMBERS .

ARTICLE 6

1 . THE MANDATE OF A MEMBER , CHAIRMAN OR VICE-CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMITTEE SHALL HAVE A TERM OF TWO YEARS . IT SHALL BE RENEWABLE . HOWEVER , THE CHAIRMAN AND VICE-CHAIRMEN OF THE COMMITTEE MAY NOT BE IMMEDIATELY RE-ELECTED AFTER BEING IN OFFICE FOR TWO CONSECUTIVE PERIODS OF TWO YEARS . DUTIES SHALL NOT BE SUBJECT TO REMUNERATION .

AFTER THE EXPIRY OF THE PERIOD OF TWO YEARS , THE MEMBERS , CHAIRMAN , OR VICE-CHAIRMEN OF THE COMMITTEE SHALL REMAIN IN OFFICE UNTIL THEIR REPLACEMENT OR THE RENEWAL OF THEIR MANDATE .

2 . WHERE IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR A MEMBER , CHAIRMAN OR VICE-CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMITTEE TO FULFIL HIS MANDATE , OR WHERE HE RESIGNS VOLUNTARILY , HE SHALL BE REPLACED FOR THE REMAINING TERM OF THE MANDATE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROCEDURE PROVIDED IN ARTICLE 4 OR 5 .

ARTICLE 7

1 . THE COMMITTEE MAY FORM WORKING GROUPS FROM AMONG ITS MEMBERS .

2 . THE MANDATE OF THE WORKING GROUPS SHALL BE TO REPORT TO THE COMMITTEE ON THE SUBJECTS REFERRED TO THEM BY THE LATTER .

ARTICLE 8

1 . THE COMMITTEE AND THE WORKING GROUPS SHALL MEET AT THE INVITATION OF A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE COMMISSION .

2 . THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE COMMISSION AS WELL AS OTHER OFFICIALS AND INTERESTED AGENTS OF THE COMMISSION SHALL TAKE PART IN MEETINGS OF THE COMMITTEE AND THE WORKING GROUPS .

3 . THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE COMMISSION MAY INVITE INDIVIDUALS HAVING PARTICULAR EXPERTISE IN THE SUBJECT BEING STUDIED TO PARTICIPATE AT THE MEETINGS .

4 . COMMISSION DEPARTMENTS SHALL PROVIDE THE SECRETARIAT OF THE COMMITTEE AND OF THE WORKING GROUPS .

ARTICLE 9

1 . THE DELIBERATION OF THE COMMITTEE SHALL RELATE TO REQUESTS FOR OPINIONS MADE BY THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE COMMISSION .

THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE COMMISSION , IN REQUESTING THE OPINION OF THE COMMITTEE , MAY FIX A PERIOD WITHIN WHICH THE OPINION IS TO BE GIVEN .

2 . WHERE THE OPINION REQUESTED IS THE SUBJECT OF THE UNANIMOUS AGREEMENT OF THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE , THE LATTER SHALL DRAW UP COMMON CONCLUSIONS . IN THE ABSENCE OF UNANIMOUS AGREEMENT , THE VARIOUS POSITIONS TAKEN IN THE COURSE OF THE DELIBERATIONS SHALL BE ENTERED IN A REPORT DRAWN UP ON THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE COMMISSION .

ARTICLE 10

WITHOUT PREJUDICE TO THE PROVISIONS OF ARTICLE 214 OF THE TREATY , MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE SHALL NOT DIVULGE INFORMATION COMING TO THEIR KNOWLEDGE AS A RESULT OF THE WORK OF THE COMMITTEE WHEN THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE COMMISSION INFORMS THEM THAT THE OPINION REQUESTED RELATES TO MATTERS OF A CONFIDENTIAL NATURE .

IN THIS CASE ONLY MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE , THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE COMMISSION , AND OTHER OFFICIALS AND INTERESTED AGENTS OF THE COMMISSION SHALL BE PRESENT AT THE MEETINGS .

DONE AT BRUSSELS , 8 JUNE 1979 .

FOR THE COMMISSION

FINN GUNDELACH

VICE-PRESIDENT