Decision of the European Central Bank of 12 October 1999 concerning the Rules of Procedure of the Executive Board of the European Central Bank (ECB/1999/7)
Date: 1999-10-12
Institutions: European Central Bank
Subjects: European Central Bank, decision-making body (EU), rules of procedure

L 314/34

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

8. 12. 1999

DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN CENTRAL BANK

of 12 October 1999

concerning the Rules of Procedure of the Executive Board of the European Central Bank

(ECB/1999/7)

(1999/811/EC)

THE EXECUTIVE BOARD OF THE EUROPEAN CENTRAL BANK,

Having regard to the Rules of Procedure of the European
Central Bank and in particular to Articles 8 and 24 thereof;

Whereas, with a view to ensuring that ECB Decisions can be
adopted by the Executive Board at any time, it is necessary to
establish a regime for the adoption of Decisions by means of
teleconferencing and a regime for the delegation of powers,
both of which preserve the principle of the collective responsi-
bility of the Executive Board,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

Supplementary nature

This Decision shall supplement the Rules of Procedure of the
European Central Bank. The terms in this Decision shall have
the meaning which they have in the Rules of Procedure of the
European Central Bank.

Article 2

Attendance at Executive Board meetings

The President shall appoint a member of the staff of the
1.
European Central Bank (ECB) as Secretary. The Secretary shall
be responsible for organising and drafting the summary
proceedings of all Executive Board mettings.

2.
In the absence of both the President and the Vice-Pres-
ident, the Executive Board will be chaired by the most senior
member of the Executive Board in terms of office in the first
instance, and by age in the event of two or more members
having equal standing in terms of office.

The Executive Board may invite members of the staff of

3.
the ECB to attend its meetings.

Article 3

Agenda and proceedings

1.
The agenda for each meeting shall be adopted by the
Executive Board. A provisional agenda shall be drawn up by
the President and shall, in principle, be sent, together with the
related documents, to the members of the Executive Board at
least two working days before the relevant meeting, except in

emergencies, in which case the President shall act appropriately
in view of the circumstances.

The summary proceedings of Executive Board meetings
2.
shall be submitted to the member of the Executive Board for
approval at their next meeting (or earlier,
if necessary, by
written procedure) and shall be signed by the chairman.

Article 4

Teleconference

two members of

1.
At the request of the President, decisions may be taken by
the Executive Board by means of teleconferencing, unless at
least
the Executive Board object. Special
circumstances shall be required for a decision to be taken by
means of teleconferencing. The President shall determine the
nature of these circumstances and the members of the Execu-
tive Board may require prior notice both of the teleconference
and of the issue on which a decision is to be taken.

2.
The decision reached by the President on the special
circumstances and the decisions taken by the Executive Board
by means of teleconferencing shall be recorded in the summary
proceedings of the Executive Board meetings.

Article 5

Delegation of power

1.
The Executive Board may authorise one or more of its
members to take, on its behalf and under its responsibility,
clearly defined management or
administrative measures,
including the use of instruments in preparation for a decision
to be taken collectively by the members of the Executive Board
at a later point in time and instruments implementing final
decisions taken by the Executive Board.

2.
The Executive Board may also ask one or more of its
members, with the agreement of the President, to adopt (i) the
definitive text of any instrument as defined in Article 5(1) on
condition that the substance of such instrument has already
been determined in discussion, and/or (ii) final decisions, where
such delegation involves limited and clearly defined executive
powers, the exercise of which is subject to strict review in the
light of objective criteria established by the Executive Board.

3.
The delegations and decisions adopted in accordance with
Article 5(1) and (2), shall be recorded in the summary proceed-
ings of the Executive Board meetings.

8. 12. 1999

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 314/35

Powers conferred in this manner may be sub-delegated only as and when there is a specific provision

4.
to this end in the enabling decision.

Article 6

Publication

This Decision shall be published in the Official Journal of the European Communities.

Done at Frankfurt am Main, 12 October 1999.

The President of the ECB

Willem F. DUISENBERG