2003/475/EC: Council Decision of 18 June 2003 amending Council Decision 2000/604/EC on the Composition and the Statutes of the Economic Policy Committee
Date: 2003-06-18
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: appointment of staff, comitology, committee (EU), economic policy, legal status

27.6.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 158/55

II

(Acts whose publication is not obligatory)

COUNCIL

COUNCIL DECISION

of 18 June 2003

amending Council Decision 2000/604/EC on the Composition and the Statutes of the Economic
Policy Committee

(2003/475/EC)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Commu-
nity, and in particular Article 209 thereof,

Having regard to the opinion of the Commission (1),

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

The Economic Policy Committee is provided for in
Article 272 of the Treaty.

The Council adopted on 29 September 2000 Decision
2000/604/EC on the Composition and the Statutes of
the Economic Policy Committee (2).

These Statutes have enabled the Committee to function
properly so far.

Following the decision by Heads of State or Government
taken at
the December 2002 Copenhagen European
Council, 10 new members signed on 16 April 2003 an
Accession Treaty to the European Union and are
expected to join on 1 May 2004.

The Economic Policy Committee should continue to
work effectively after enlargement.

The Composition and the Statutes of
Policy Committee should accordingly be revised,

the Economic

Article 1

Decision 2000/604/EC is hereby amended as follows:

(a) recital 14 shall be replaced by the following:

‘(14)

The Member States,
the Commission and the
European Central Bank should be adequately repre-
sented in the Committee. They should each nomi-
nate two members.’;

(b) the Annex shall be replaced by the Annex hereto.

Article 2

This Decision shall enter into force on 1 July 2003.

Done at Luxembourg, 18 June 2003.

For the Council

The President

G. DRYS

(1) OJ C 127, 29.5.2003, p. 33.
(2) OJ L 257, 11.10.2000, p. 28.

L 158/56

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

27.6.2003

ANNEX

‘ANNEX

STATUTES OF THE ECONOMIC POLICY COMMITTEE

PART I

TASKS OF THE COMMITTEE

Article 1

1. Without prejudice to Articles 114 and 207 of the Treaty,
the Economic Policy Committee (hereinafter referred to as the
Committee), shall contribute to the preparation of the work of
the
the Council of coordinating the economic policies of
Member States and of the Community and provide advice to
the Commission and the Council.

2.
The Committee shall contribute to the preparation of the
work of the Council by providing economic analyses, opinions
on methodologies and draft formulations for policy recommen-
dations, particularly on structural policies
improving
growth potential and employment in the Community. In this
context, it shall focus in particular on:

for

(a) the functioning of goods, capital, services and labour
including wage, productivity, employment and

markets,
competitiveness developments,

(b) the role and efficiency of the public sector and the long-

term sustainability of public finances,

(c) the economy-wide implications of specific policies, such as
those relating to the environment, to research and develop-
ment and to social cohesion.

In the areas mentioned above,

the Committee shall,
3.
without prejudice to Articles 114 and 207 of
the Treaty,
provide support for the work of the Council, in particular in
the formulation of the broad economic policy guidelines, and
shall contribute to the multilateral
surveillance procedure
referred to in Article 99(3) of the Treaty. In this context, the
Committee shall conduct regular country reviews focused in
particular on structural reforms in Member States.

4. Without prejudice to Articles 130 and 207 of the Treaty,
the Committee shall contribute to the work of the Council
under the Employment Title of the Treaty.

5.
The Committee shall support the Economic and Financial
Committee, in particular in keeping under review the short and
medium-term macroeconomic developments in the Member
States and the Community by providing analysis and opinions
mainly on methodological questions relating to the interaction
between structural and macroeconomic policies and on wage
developments in the Member States and the Community.

6.
The Committee shall provide the framework within
which the macroeconomic dialogue involving representatives
of the Committee (including the European Central Bank), the
Economic
Employment
Financial Committee,
Committee, the Commission and social partners shall take place
at technical level.

and

the

7.
The Committee shall be consulted by the Commission on
the maximum rate of increase for non-compulsory expenditure
of the general budget of the European Union as provided for in
Article 272 of the Treaty.

Article 2

The Committee shall deliver opinions at the request of the
Council,
the Economic and Financial
Committee or on its own initiative.

the Commission or

Article 3

In the fulfilment of its tasks the Committee shall work in close
relation with the Economic and Financial Committee when
reporting to the Council. In contributing to the preparation of
the broad economic policy guidelines,
the Committee will
report to the Economic and Financial Committee. It shall coor-
dinate its work with the Employment Committee and other
committees and working groups preparing the work of the
Council
in the areas where these committees and working
groups are competent.

PART II

COMPOSITION

Article 4

The Member States, the Commission and the European
the

two members of

each appoint

1.
Central Bank shall
Committee.

2.
The members of the Committee shall be selected from
among senior officials possessing outstanding competence in
the field of economic and structural policy formulation.

Article 5

Members of the Committee shall be guided, in the performance
of their duties, by the general interests of the Community.

PART III

PRESIDENT AND SECRETARIAT

Article 6

The Committee shall elect from among its members, by a
1.
majority of its members, a president and up to three vice-presi-
dents for a period of two years. As a rule, the two-year term
shall not be renewable.

The president

2.
another member of his/her delegation.

shall delegate his/her voting right

to

27.6.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 158/57

Article 7

Article 11

In the event of being unable to fulfil his/her duties, the presi-
dent shall be replaced by one of the vice-presidents of the
Committee.

The Committee may entrust the study of specific questions to
subcommittees or working parties. The presidency of such
groups shall be assumed by a member of
the Committee,
appointed by the Committee.

Article 8

Article 12

1.
The Committee shall be assisted by a secretariat under the
direction of a secretary. The secretary and the staff of the secre-
tariat needed for carrying out the tasks of the secretariat shall
be supplied by the Commission. The secretary shall be
appointed by the Commission after consultation of
the
Committee. The secretary and his/her staff shall act on the
instructions of the Committee when carrying out their respon-
sibilities to the Committee.

The expenses of the Committee shall be included in the

2.
estimates of the Commission.

PART IV

PROCEEDINGS

Article 9

Opinions or reports shall be adopted by a majority of members
if a vote is requested. Each member shall have one vote.
However, when advice or an opinion is given on questions on
which the Council may subsequently take a decision, members
from central banks and the Commission may participate fully
in the discussion but shall not participate in a vote. The
Committee shall also report on minority or dissenting views
expressed in the course of the discussion.

Article 10

The Committee, the subcommittees or working parties may
invite experts to assist them.

Article 13

The Committee shall be convened by the president on his/her
own initiative, or at the request of the Council, the Commission
or at least five members.

Article 14

As a rule the president shall represent the Committee; in
1.
particular the president may be authorised by the Committee
to report on discussions and deliver oral comments on
opinions and reports prepared by the Committee.

The president of the Committee shall have the responsi-
relations with the
informed of the

2.
bility of maintaining the Committee's
European Parliament, which shall be kept
Committee's work, as appropriate.

Article 15

Unless decided otherwise,

1.
the
Committee shall be confidential. The same rule shall apply to
the proceedings of its subcommittees or working parties.

the proceedings of

2.
Reports or opinions prepared by the Committee shall be
publicly available after they have been transmitted to the
addressee unless there are overriding reasons to keep them
confidential.

As a rule only members may speak during the meetings of the
Committee.
In exceptional circumstances the president may
agree to alternative arrangements.

The Committee shall adopt its own procedural arrangements.’

Article 16