2003/476/EC: Council Decision of 18 June 2003 on a revision of the Statutes of the Economic and Financial Committee
Date: 2003-06-18
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: appointment of staff, central bank, comitology, committee (EU), legal status

L 158/58

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

27.6.2003

COUNCIL DECISION

of 18 June 2003

on a revision of the Statutes of the Economic and Financial Committee

(2003/476/EC)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

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:

(8)

(9)

This adjustment will have a bearing on the participation
of central bankers; it will be important to retain their
expertise and analytical
insight and to keep them
involved in issues on which they carry responsibility.

The Statutes of the Economic and Financial Committee
should therefore be revised,

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

(7)

In accordance with Article 114(2) of
the Treaty an
Economic and Financial Committee was set up on 1
January 1999.

The Council adopted on 21 December 1998 Decision
98/743/EC on the composition of the Economic and
Financial Committee (2).

The Council adopted on 31 December 1998 Decision
1999/8/EC on the Statutes of the Economic and Finan-
cial Committee (3); these Statutes 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 and Financial Committee should continue
to work effectively after the enlargement.

It is important to preserve the elements which have
contributed to the Committee's efficiency.

This will require an adjustment of
working methods.

the Committee's

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

The Statutes of the Economic and Financial Committee, as set
out in the Annex to Decision 1999/8/EC, shall be replaced by
the text set out in the Annex hereto.

Article 2

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

It shall take effect as from 1 July 2003.

Done at Luxembourg, 18 June 2003.

For the Council

The President

G. DRYS

(1) Opinion delivered on 21 May 2003 (not yet published in the Offi-

cial Journal).

(2) OJ L 358, 31.12.1998, p. 109.
(3) OJ L 5, 9.1.1999, p. 71.

27.6.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 158/59

ANNEX

‘ANNEX

STATUTES OF THE ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL COMMITTEE

Article 1

The Economic and Financial Committee (Committee) shall carry
out the tasks described in paragraphs 2 and 4 of Article 114 of
the Treaty establishing the European Community.

Article 2

The Committee may, inter alia:

— be consulted in the procedure leading to decisions relating
the third stage of

to the exchange-rate mechanism of
economic and monetary union,

— without prejudice to Article 207 of the Treaty, prepare the
Council's reviews of the development of the exchange-rate
of the euro,

— provide the framework within which the dialogue between
the Council and the European Central Bank (ECB) can be
prepared and continued at the level of senior officials from
ministries, national central banks, the Commission and the
ECB.

Article 3

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

Article 4

The Committee shall meet in two configurations: either with
the members selected from the administrations, the national
central banks,
the Commission and the ECB, or with the
members from administrations, the Commission and the ECB.
The Committee in its full composition shall regularly review
the list of
the issues on which the national central bank
members are expected to attend the meetings.

Article 5

Opinions, reports or communications shall be adopted by a
majority of the members if a vote is requested. Each member
of the Committee 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,
when they are present, and the Commission may participate
fully in the discussions but shall not participate in a vote. The
Committee shall also report on minority or dissenting views
expressed in the course of the discussion.

from among members who are senior officials in the national
administrations. The President shall delegate his/her voting
right to his/her alternate.

Article 7

In the event of being prevented from fulfilling his/her duties,
the President shall be replaced by the Vice-President of the
Committee who shall be elected according to the same rules.

Article 8

Unless the Committee decides otherwise, alternates may attend
meetings of
the Committee. The alternates shall not vote.
Unless the Committee decides otherwise, they shall not take
part in the discussions.

A member who is unable to attend a meeting of the Committee
may delegate his/her functions to one of the alternates. He/she
may also delegate them to another member. The Chairman and
the Secretary should be informed in writing before a meeting.
In exceptional circumstances the President may agree to alter-
native arrangements.

Article 9

The Committee may entrust the study of specific questions to
its alternate members, to subcommittees or to working parties.
In these cases, the Presidency shall be assumed by a member or
an alternate member of
the Committee, appointed by the
Committee. The members of the Committee, its alternates, and
its subcommittees or working parties may call upon experts to
assist them.

Article 10

The Committee shall be convened by the President on his/her
own initiative, or at the request of the Council, of the Commis-
sion or of at least four members of the Committee.

Article 11

As a rule, the President represents the Committee; in particular,
the President may be authorised by the Committee to report on
discussions and deliver oral comments on opinions and
communications prepared by the Committee. The President
shall have the responsibility of maintaining the Committee's
relations with the European Parliament.

Article 6

Article 12

The Committee shall elect from among its members, by a
majority of its members, a President for a two-year term. The
two-year term shall be renewable. The President shall be elected

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

L 158/60

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

27.6.2003

Article 13

The Committee shall be assisted by a Secretariat under the direction of a Secretary. The Secretary and the
staff needed for 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 responsibilities to the Committee.

The expenses of the Committee shall be included in the estimates of the Commission.

The Committee shall adopt its own procedural arrangements.’

Article 14