2007/418/EC: Commission Decision of 14 June 2007 setting up the High Level Group on the Competitiveness of the Chemicals Industry in the European Union
Date: 2007-06-14
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: advisory committee (EU), chemical industry, competitiveness, economic analysis, operation of the Institutions

L 156/34

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

16.6.2007

COMMISSION DECISION

of 14 June 2007

setting up the High Level Group on the Competitiveness of the Chemicals Industry in the European
Union

(2007/418/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

(5)

Having regard to the Treaty
Community,

establishing the European

Whereas:

the task of ensuring that
the competitiveness of

Article 157(1) of the Treaty assigned the Community and
the
the Member States
the
conditions necessary for
Community’s industry exist. Article 157(2) in particular
calls upon the Member States to consult each other in
liaison with the Commission and, where necessary, to
coordinate their actions. The Commission may take any
useful initiative to promote such coordination.

(6)

(7)

In its Communication ‘Implementing the Community
Lisbon Programme: a policy framework to strengthen
EU manufacturing — Towards
integrated
approach for
the Commission
announced the intention to set up a High Level Group
the European
concerned with the competitiveness of
chemicals industry.

industrial policy’ (1),

a more

States,

the Member

The group should be composed of representatives of the
Commission,
European
Parliament and relevant stakeholders notably from the
chemicals industry and downstream users, as well as
civil society, to be drawn, inter alia, from representatives
of consumers, trade unions, non-governmental organi-
sations and research/academia.

the

Rules on disclosure of information by members of the
group should be provided for, without prejudice to the
Commission’s rules on security as set out in the Annex
to
ECSC,
Euratom (3).

2001/844/EC,

Commission

Decision

Personal data relating to members of the group should
be processed in accordance with Regulation (EC)
the
No 45/2001 of
Council of 18 December 2000 on the protection of
individuals with regard to the processing of personal
data by the Community institutions and bodies and on
the free movement of such data (4).

the European Parliament and of

(8)

It is appropriate to fix a period for the application of this
Decision. The Commission will in due time consider the
advisability of an extension,

It is therefore necessary to set up a group of experts in
the field of competitiveness of the EU chemicals industry
and to define its tasks and structure.

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

The primary task of the group should be to conduct
economic and statistical analysis of
the factors deter-
mining the rapid structural changes in the chemicals
sector, as well as other factors that influence the compe-
titive position of the European chemicals industry. Based
on this analysis the group should formulate a set of
sector-specific policy recommendations with a view to
enhancing
chemicals
industry in accordance with the objective of sustainable
development. Given that Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006
the Council (2)
of
concerning REACH enters into force only on 1 June
2007 and its main operational provisions will apply
only 12 months later, it would not be appropriate that
matters directly related to REACH should be examined.

the European Parliament and of

competitiveness

the

the

of

Article 1

High Level Group on the Competitiveness of the Chemicals
Industry in the European Union

A High Level Group on the Competitiveness of the Chemicals
Industry in the European Union, hereinafter referred to as ‘the
group’, is hereby set up with effect from the day of the adoption
of this Decision.

Article 2

Task

1.
The group shall address issues that determine the compe-
titiveness of the Community chemicals industry. In particular its
tasks are:

(1) COM(2005) 474 of October 2005.
(2) OJ L 396, 30.12.2006, p. 1, as corrected by OJ L 136, 29.5.2007,

(3) OJ L 317, 3.12.2001, p. 1. Decision as last amended by Decision

2006/548/EC, Euratom (OJ L 215, 5.8.2006, p. 38).

p. 3.

(4) OJ L 8, 12.1.2001, p. 1.

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

16.6.2007

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 156/35

(a)

to conduct economic and statistical analysis of the factors
determining the structural changes in the chemicals industry
as well as other factors that
influence the competitive
position of the European chemicals industry;

(b) to assist the Commission in questions related to the compe-

titiveness of the chemicals industry;

(c)

to formulate a set of sector-specific policy recommendations
addressed to policy makers at the Community and national
level, industry and civil society organisations.

2.
The group will not discuss matters directly linked to Regu-
lation (EC) No 1907/2006 concerning REACH or assess its
functioning.

Article 3

Consultation

(a) where the member resigns;

(b) where the member is no longer capable of contributing

effectively to the group’s deliberations;

(c) where the member does not comply with Article 287 of the

Treaty.

6.
The names of members shall be published on the Internet
site of DG Enterprise and Industry. The names of members shall
be collected, processed and published in accordance with the
provision of Regulation (EC) No 45/2001.

Article 5

Operation

1.

The group shall be chaired by the Commission.

The Commission may consult the group on any matter

1.
relating to the competitiveness of the EU chemical industry.

2.
The Chairperson of the group may advise the Commission
that it is desirable to consult the group on a specific question.

The ‘sherpa’

2.
sub-group shall prepare the discussions,
position papers and advice for actions and/or policy measures
to be recommended by the group; it will work in close contact
with the Commission services in order to prepare the work for
the group meetings.

Article 4

Membership — appointment

3.
The group may, with the agreement of the Commission,
set up sub-groups to examine specific questions under terms of
reference established by the group. Such subgroups shall be
dissolved as soon as their mandates are fulfilled.

1.
The members of the group shall be appointed by the
Commission from high level specialists with competence and
responsibility in areas which are related to the competitiveness
of the European chemicals industry.

2.
The group shall be composed of up to 31 members
composed of representatives of the Commission, the European
Parliament, the Member States, the industry, and of civil society.

3. Members of the group are appointed for their expertise in
a personal capacity. Each member of the group shall nominate a
personal representative to a preparatory sub-group hereinafter
referred to as the ‘sherpa’ sub-group.

4. Members are appointed for a 2-year renewable term of
office and shall remain in office until such time as they are
replaced in accordance with paragraph 5 or their term of
office ends.

The Commission’s

4.
representative may ask experts or
observers with specific competence on a subject on the
agenda to participate in the work of
the group, or in the
deliberations or work of sub-groups and ad hoc groups, if in
the opinion of the Commission this is necessary or useful.

5.
Information obtained by participating in deliberations or
work of the group or ad hoc groups or sub-groups shall not be
divulged if, in the opinion of the Commission, that information
relates to confidential matters.

The group, the ‘sherpa’ sub-group, and other sub-groups
6.
shall normally meet on the Commission’s premises
in
accordance with the procedures and schedule established by
it. The Commission shall provide secretarial services. Other
Commission officials with an interest in the proceedings may
attend meetings of the group and its sub-groups.

5. Members may be replaced for the remaining period of
their term of office in any of the following cases:

7.
The group shall adopt its rules of procedure on the basis
of the standard rules of procedure adopted by the Commission.

L 156/36

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

16.6.2007

language of

The Commission may publish, or place on the Internet, in
8.
the original
any
summary, conclusion, partial conclusion or working document
of the group. Proceedings and interim reports will be available
on a dedicated website. The final report will be published early
after the final meeting of the group.

the document

concerned,

Article 6

Reimbursement of expenses

The Commission shall reimburse travel expenses and, where
‘sherpa’ group
appropriate, subsistence expenses for members,
members, experts and observers in connection with the group’s
activities in accordance with the Commission’s rules on the
compensation of external experts.

The members of
experts and observers
services they render.

the group,

shall not be remunerated for

sub-group members,
the

‘sherpa’

Meeting expenses shall be reimbursed within the limits of the
annual budget allocated to the group by the competent
Commission department.

Article 7

Applicability

The Decision shall apply until two years from the day of its
adoption.

Done at Brussels, 14 June 2007.

For the Commission

Günter VERHEUGEN
Vice-President