2000/690/EC: Commission Decision of 8 November 2000 setting up an Enterprise Policy Group (notified under document number C(2000) 3089)
Date: 2000-11-08
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: advisory committee (EU), business policy, operation of the Institutions

L 285/24

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

10.11.2000

COMMISSION DECISION

of 8 November 2000

setting up an Enterprise Policy Group

(notified under document number C(2000) 3089)

(2000/690/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community,

Whereas:

(6)

(7)

In order to guarantee an adequate representation of
SMEs, a fixed allowance should be provided for those
participating in the work of the EPG who are employed
by an SME.

The Committee on Commerce and Distribution and the
Consultative Committee for Cooperatives, Mutual Socie-
ties, Associations and Foundations should be dissolved,

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

Article 157 of
the Treaty establishing the European
Community has assigned to the Community and the
Member States the task of ensuring that the conditions
required for the competitiveness of the Community's
industry exist.

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

On the grounds of rationalisation and in order to facili-
tate the integration of the Commission's work on good
practice and coordination with the Member States, as
stated in the Commission communication ‘challenges for
enterprise policy in the knowledge-driven economy’ (1),
the Commission requires a body for reflection, debate
and advice, consisting of high-level experts from the
enterprise
the
Member States, entitled the ‘Enterprise policy group’
(EPG),
in order to examine general enterprise policy
issues and to assist the Commission in the identification
and dissemination of good practice.

and representatives of

community

In order to achieve greater transparency and efficiency in
enterprise policy and to enable it to play a more stra-
tegic role in meeting challenges in the knowledge-driven
economy, the EPG should comprise two sections, the
first comprising representatives from the Member States,
and the second comprising eminent persons, chosen by
the Commission from a wide range of highly and appro-
priately qualified applicants, active in industry, services,
the business community or in fields of activity linked to
the development of
innovation and the knowledge-
driven economy.

In order to allow adequate representation of the Direc-
tors-General of industry and of the national authorities
responsible for
small and medium-sized enterprises
(SMEs), it is appropriate that the Members States may
appoint up to two representatives for the first section.

(5)

The EPG should therefore be set up and its terms of
reference and internal organisation should be defined.

(1) COM (2000) 256 final, including Annex describing the best proce-

dure

An Enterprise policy group, hereinafter referred to as ‘the
group’, whose members are appointed by the Commission, is
hereby established by the Commission. Its task is to advise the
Commission on enterprise policy issues.

Article 2

1.

The Group shall consist of two Sections:

— A first Section (Directors-General), comprising up to two
representatives from each Member State, nominated by
each Member State,

— A second professional chamber, comprising up to 40
members appointed by the Commission, representing a
wide range of expertise in domains of importance to enter-
prises.

2. Working groups may be set up to study specific subjects
on the basis of a mandate.

The Commission may invite experts to participate in the

3.
work of the group, sections or working groups.

4.
The group, its sections and working groups shall meet in
the form and according to the timetable determined by the
Commission. The Commission shall chair the meetings and
Commission officials may take part in them.

5.
The group and its sections shall adopt their rules of
procedure on the basis of a draft presented by the Commission.
The Commission departments shall provide the secretariat.

6.
in the
The Commission may publish on the Internet,
original language of the document concerned, any conclusion,
summary, part conclusion or working paper relating to the
group or its sections.

10.11.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 285/25

Article 3

The following provisions shall apply for the second section:
— appointment shall be in a personal capacity and advice
should be given to the Commission independently of any
outside instruction,

— information obtained through the work of the group, its
sections or working groups, shall not be divulged, where it
is stated by the Commission to relate to a confidential
matter,

— the term of office of members shall be two years, renew-
able. They shall remain in office until they are replaced, or
until the expiry of their term of office,

— members who are no longer able to make an effective
contribution to the work of the group, who resign or who
breach the requirements set out in the first or second
indent of the present Article or in Article 287 of the Treaty
establishing the European Community, may be replaced for
the remainder of their term,

— The names of the members shall be published in the Official

Journal of the European Communities.

Article 4

Travel and subsistence expenses incurred by members, obser-
vers and experts, in connection with the activities of the group,
shall be reimbursed by the Commission in accordance with the

provisions in force within the Commission. Their functions
shall not be remunerated. Nevertheless,
the Commissioner
responsible for enterprise policy may decide that members,
observers or experts who are employed by a small or medium-
sized enterprise (1), may also be compensated for the costs
resulting from preparatory work and of being away from their
enterprise, by a fixed allowance of EUR 500 a day,
to a
maximum of 10 days a year.

Article 5

Commission Decisions 81/428/EEC (2) and 98/215/EC (3) are
hereby repealed.

Article 6

This Decision shall take effect on the day of its publication in
the Official Journal of the European Communities. It shall apply
until 31 December 2005. The Commission will decide whether
to extend it or not before that date.

Done at Brussels, 8 November 2000.

For the Commission

Erkki LIIKANEN

Member of the Commission

(1) According to the definition given in the Commission Recommenda-
including the

tion of 3 April 1996 (OJ L 107, 30.4.1996 P. 4),
self-employed.

(2) OJ L 165, 23.6.1981, p. 24.
(3) OJ L 80, 18.3.1998, p. 51.