2004/223/EC: Council Decision of 26 February 2004 laying down the Rules of the Advisory Committee on Vocational Training
Date: 2004-02-26
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: advisory committee (EU), legal status, vocational training

6.3.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 68/25

COUNCIL DECISION

of 26 February 2004

laying down the Rules of the Advisory Committee on Vocational Training

(2004/223/EC)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community,

Having regard to Council Decision 63/266/EEC of 2 April
1963 laying down general principles for
implementing a
common vocational training policy (1), and in particular the last
subparagraph of the fourth principle thereof,

Having regard to the opinion of the Commission,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

On the basis of Decision 63/266/EEC, the Council on 18
the Advisory
December 1963 adopted the Rules of
Committee on Vocational Training (63/688/EEC) (2).

Over the forty years since its creation, the Advisory
Committee on Vocational Training provided
the
Commission with opinions on vocational training issues,
including opinions on communications and other stra-
tegic documents, on specific undertakings such as the
establishment of the European Centre for the Develop-
ment of Vocational Training, and on the preparation,
evaluation and optimisation of Community action
programmes in the field of vocational training.

the

since

The social, political and institutional changes which have
the Advisory
creation of
taken place
Committee on Vocational Training
and the new
prospects opened up by the forthcoming accessions
require a constructive re-examination of the composition
of the Advisory Committee on Vocational Training and
its organisational framework. The Rules of the Advisory
Committee on Vocational Training (63/688/EEC) and
Decision 68/189/EEC should therefore be repealed and
replaced.

The tripartite structure of the Advisory Committee on
Vocational Training and its tasks should be substantially
retained, but accompanied by the introduction of a
number of changes to streamline its operation,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

2.
Each Member State may nominate a second representative
of national governments. However, each interest group will be
entitled to only one vote per Member State.

An alternate member

3.
member.

shall be appointed for each

Without prejudice to Article 7(3), the alternate member shall
attend Committee meetings only when the member for whom
he or she deputises is unable to be present.

4. Members of
Member States and appointed by the Commission.

the Committee shall be nominated by

The Member States shall endeavour to ensure a balanced repre-
sentation of men and women in the composition of
the
Committee and shall ensure that the necessary range of skills is
available to enable the Committee to accomplish its tasks.

Article 2

1.
The Committee shall have the task of assisting the
Commission in implementing a Community vocational training
policy.

Specifically, the Committee shall provide the Commission

2.
with opinions on the following matters:

(a) questions of general importance or of principle concerning

vocational training;

(b) questions

related to the preparation,

implementation,
evaluation and optimisation of activities carried out or
planned by the Commission in the field of vocational
training.

It shall also conduct exchanges of views and experience in rela-
tion to vocational training.

The Commission shall provide the Committee with the

3.
necessary information.

1.
The Advisory Committee on Vocational Training (herein-
after called the Committee) shall consist of three members for
each Member State, there being one representative for each
interest group of national governments,
trade unions and
employers' organisations.

Article 3

The term of office of members shall be three years. Their

1.
appointments shall be renewable.

(1) OJ 63, 20.4.1963, p. 1338/63.
(2) OJ 190, 30.12.1963, p. 3090/63. Rules as amended by Decision

68/189/EEC (OJ L 91, 12.4.1968, p. 26).

2.
On expiry of their term of office, the members shall
remain in office until they are replaced or their appointments
are renewed.

L 68/26

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

6.3.2004

A member's term of office may end before the expiry of
3.
the three-year period through his or her
resignation or
following a communication from the Member State concerned
indicating that the term of office is terminated.

For the remainder of the term of office, the member shall
be replaced in accordance with the procedure laid down in
Article 1.

(b) the Director of the European Training Foundation, or a

representative delegated by him/her;

(c) a representative for each interest group of the Member

States of the European Economic Area.

The Chair may authorise other persons to attend meetings of
the Committee as observers.

Article 4

Article 7

1. Within the Committee,
there shall be three interest
groups, made up of representatives of national governments,
trade unions and employers respectively.

1.
An opinion delivered by the Committee shall not be valid
unless two-thirds of its voting members are present or repre-
sented.

Each interest group shall select one of its members to be

2.
its spokesperson.

3.
Each interest group shall designate a coordinator who
will take part in meetings of the Committee, the Bureau set up
in Article 5 and the interest group.

Article 5

A Bureau shall be formed to organise the Committee's

1.
activities.

2.
The Bureau shall be made up of two representatives of
the Commission and the spokespersons and coordinators nomi-
nated by the interest groups, or their delegates as laid down in
the rules of procedure referred to in Article 8.

Article 6

1.
The Committee shall be chaired by the Director-General
in charge of Vocational Training at the Commission or, where
he or she is prevented from so doing, by one of the Directo-
rate-General's directors
to be nominated by the Director
General. The Chair shall not vote.

2.

The Committee shall meet at least twice a year.

It shall be convened by the Chair, either at his or her

3.
initiative or at the request of at least one-third of its members.

The Chair may, on his or her own initiative,

4.
experts to participate in Committee meetings.

invite

5.
The Committee may set up working parties, in accord-
ance with the provisions set out in the rules of procedure
referred to in Article 8.

Representatives

department
any
6.
concerned shall participate in meetings of the Committee, the
Bureau and the working parties.

Commission

of

Opinions of the Committee shall state the reasons on
2.
which they are based. They shall be delivered by an absolute
majority of the votes validly cast. They shall be accompanied
by a written statement of the views expressed by the minority,
when the latter so requests.

The rules of procedure referred to in Article 8 shall define

3.
fast-track decision-making procedures.

Article 8

The Committee shall, having received an opinion from the
Commission, adopt
lay
down the practical arrangements for its activities.

its rules of procedure, which shall

Article 9

Pursuant to Article 287 of the Treaty, Committee members
shall be required not to disclose information to which they
have gained access through Committee, Bureau or working
party proceedings,
if the Commission informs them that the
opinion requested or the question raised is of a confidential
nature.

In such cases, only Committee members and representatives of
the Commission shall attend the meetings concerned.

Article 10

The Rules of the Advisory Committee on Vocational Training
(63/688/EEC) and Decision 68/189/EEC shall be repealed on
the date of the publication of this Decision.

Article 11

This Decision shall take effect on the day of its publication in
the Official Journal of the European Union.

The Commission shall provide secretarial services for the

7.
Committee, the Bureau and the working parties.

The following persons may attend meetings of

8.
Committee as observers:

the

(a) the Director of the European Centre for the Development
of Vocational Training (Cedefop), or a representative dele-
gated by him/her;

Done at Brussels, 26 February 2004.

For the Council

The President

N. DEMPSEY