CELEX: 32009D0908
Language: en
Date: 2009-12-01 00:00:00
Title: Council Decision of 1 December 2009 laying down measures for the implementation of the European Council Decision on the exercise of the Presidency of the Council, and on the chairmanship of preparatory bodies of the Council

9.12.2009   
            
            
               EN
            
            
               Official Journal of the European Union
            
            
               L 322/28
            
         
      COUNCIL DECISION
   
   of 1 December 2009
   laying down measures for the implementation of the European Council Decision on the exercise of the Presidency of the Council, and on the chairmanship of preparatory bodies of the Council
   (2009/908/EU)
   THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
   Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in particular Article 16(9) thereof,
   Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 236(b) thereof,
   Having regard to the European Council Decision of 1 December 2009 on the exercise of the Presidency of the Council (1), and in particular Article 2, third subparagraph, and Article 4 thereof,
   Whereas:
   
               (1)
            
            
               Measures should be laid down for the implementation of the European Council Decision on the exercise of the Presidency of the Council (hereinafter referred to as ‘the European Council Decision’).
            
         
               (2)
            
            
               Those implementing measures include the order in which the pre-established groups of three Member States are to hold the Presidency in turn for consecutive periods of 18 months taking into account the fact that there exist since 1 January 2007, in accordance with the Council's Rules of Procedure, a system of Council 18-month programmes agreed between the three Presidencies which hold office during the period concerned.
            
         
               (3)
            
            
               In accordance with Article 1 of the European Council Decision, the composition of the groups must take account of the diversity of the Member States and geographical balance within the Union.
            
         
               (4)
            
            
               The division of responsibilities among the Member States within each group is determined by Article 1(2) of the European Council Decision. In either of the situations provided for in Article 2(1) of this Decision, the Member States within each group will by common accord determine the practical arrangements for their collaboration.
            
         
               (5)
            
            
               In addition, those implementing measures should include specific rules with regard to the chairing of preparatory bodies of the Foreign Affairs Council as provided for in Article 2, third subparagraph, of the European Council Decision.
            
         
               (6)
            
            
               Most of those preparatory bodies should be chaired by a representative of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (hereinafter ‘the High Representative’) while the rest of them should continue to be chaired by the six-monthly Presidency. Where the chair of such bodies is a representative of the High Representative, a transitional period may apply.
            
         
               (7)
            
            
               Preparatory bodies which are not chaired by the six-monthly Presidency should also be listed in this Decision, as provided for in Article 2, third subparagraph, of the European Council Decision.
            
         
               (8)
            
            
               The chairmanship of preparatory bodies not listed in this Decision will be chaired in accordance with Article 2 of the European Council Decision,
            
         HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
   Article 1
   The order in which the Member States shall hold the Presidency of the Council as from 1 January 2007 is set out in Council Decision of 1 January 2007 determining the order in which the office of President of the Council shall be held (2).
   The division of this order of Presidencies into groups of three Member States, in accordance with Article 1(1) of the European Council Decision, is set out in Annex I to this Decision.
   Article 2
   1.   Each member of a group as referred to in Article 1, second subparagraph, shall in turn chair for a six-month period all configurations of the Council, with the exception of the Foreign Affairs configuration. The other members of the group shall assist the Chair in all its responsibilities on the basis of the Council's 18-month programme.
   2.   The members of a group as referred to in Article 1 may decide upon alternative arrangements among themselves.
   3.   In either of the situations provided for in paragraphs 1 and 2, the Member States within each group shall by common accord determine the practical arrangements for their collaboration.
   Article 3
   The order in which the Member States will hold the Presidency as from 1 July 2020 shall be decided by the Council before 1 July 2017.
   Article 4
   The preparatory bodies of the Foreign Affairs Council shall be chaired in accordance with the rules set out in Annex II.
   Article 5
   The Council preparatory bodies listed in Annex III shall be chaired by fixed chairs as set out in that Annex.
   Article 6
   This Decision shall enter into force on the day of its adoption.
   
      It shall be published in the Official Journal of the European Union.
      Done at Brussels, 1 December 2009.
      
         
            For the Council
         
         
            The President
         
         B. ASK
         
      
   
   
      (1)  OJ L 315, 2.12.2009, p. 50.
   
      (2)  OJ L 1, 4.1.2007, p. 11.
   
      ANNEX I
      
                  Germany
               
               
                  January-June
               
               
                  2007
               
            
                  Portugal
               
               
                  July-December
               
               
                  2007
               
            
                  Slovenia
               
               
                  January-June
               
               
                  2008
               
            
                  France
               
               
                  July-December
               
               
                  2008
               
            
                  Czech Republic
               
               
                  January-June
               
               
                  2009
               
            
                  Sweden
               
               
                  July-December
               
               
                  2009
               
            
                  Spain
               
               
                  January-June
               
               
                  2010
               
            
                  Belgium
               
               
                  July-December
               
               
                  2010
               
            
                  Hungary
               
               
                  January-June
               
               
                  2011
               
            
                  Poland
               
               
                  July-December
               
               
                  2011
               
            
                  Denmark
               
               
                  January-June
               
               
                  2012
               
            
                  Cyprus
               
               
                  July-December
               
               
                  2012
               
            
                  Ireland
               
               
                  January-June
               
               
                  2013
               
            
                  Lithuania
               
               
                  July-December
               
               
                  2013
               
            
                  Greece
               
               
                  January-June
               
               
                  2014
               
            
                  Italy
               
               
                  July-December
               
               
                  2014
               
            
                  Latvia
               
               
                  January-June
               
               
                  2015
               
            
                  Luxembourg
               
               
                  July-December
               
               
                  2015
               
            
                  Netherlands
               
               
                  January-June
               
               
                  2016
               
            
                  Slovakia
               
               
                  July-December
               
               
                  2016
               
            
                  Malta
               
               
                  January-June
               
               
                  2017
               
            
                  United Kingdom
               
               
                  July-December
               
               
                  2017
               
            
                  Estonia
               
               
                  January-June
               
               
                  2018
               
            
                  Bulgaria
               
               
                  July-December
               
               
                  2018
               
            
                  Austria
               
               
                  January-June
               
               
                  2019
               
            
                  Romania
               
               
                  July-December
               
               
                  2019
               
            
                  Finland
               
               
                  January-June
               
               
                  2020
               
            
   
      ANNEX II
      
         CHAIRMANSHIP OF THE PREPARATORY BODIES OF THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS COUNCIL (1)
         
      
      The chairmanship of the preparatory bodies of the Foreign Affairs Council referred to in categories 1 to 4 in the table below shall be organised as follows:
      
                  1.
               
               
                  Category 1 (preparatory bodies in the area of trade and development):
                  The preparatory bodies shall be chaired by the six-monthly Presidency.
               
            
                  2.
               
               
                  Category 2 (geographic preparatory bodies)
                  The preparatory bodies shall be chaired by a representative of the High Representative.
               
            
                  3.
               
               
                  Category 3 (horizontal preparatory bodies, mainly CFSP)
                  The preparatory bodies shall be chaired by a representative of the High Representative, except the following preparatory bodies, which shall be chaired by the six-monthly Presidency:
                  
                              —
                           
                           
                              Working Party of Foreign Relations Counsellors (RELEX),
                           
                        
                              —
                           
                           
                              Working Party on Terrorism (International Aspects) (COTER),
                           
                        
                              —
                           
                           
                              Working Party on the application of specific measures to combat terrorism (COCOP),
                           
                        
                              —
                           
                           
                              Working Party on Consular Affairs (COCON),
                           
                        
                              —
                           
                           
                              Working Party on Public International Law (COJUR), and
                           
                        
                              —
                           
                           
                              Working Party on the Law of the Sea (COMAR).
                           
                        
            
                  4.
               
               
                  Category 4 (CSDP-related preparatory bodies)
                  The CSDP-related preparatory bodies shall be chaired by a representative of the High Representative (2).
               
            The High Representative and the six-monthly Presidency shall closely cooperate in order to ensure coherence among all the preparatory bodies for the Foreign Affairs Council.
      For categories 3 and 4, the six-monthly Presidency shall continue to chair the preparatory bodies during a transitional period of up to six months after the adoption of the Council Decision on the organisation and functioning of the European External Action Service (EEAS). For category 2 this transitional period shall last up to 12 months.
      Modalities for appointment of chairs
      Where the European Council Decision or this Decision stipulates that a preparatory body (PSC and relevant working parties) shall be chaired by a representative of the High Representative, the responsibility for appointing the chair shall belong to the High Representative. These appointments shall be made on the basis of competence, while ensuring adequate geographical balance and transparency. The High Representative shall ensure that the person he or she intends to appoint as chairperson will enjoy the confidence of Member States. If that person is not yet a member of the EEAS, he or she shall become one in accordance with the EEAS recruitment procedures, at least for the time of the appointment. An evaluation of the functioning of this arrangement shall be made in the framework of the status report on the EEAS foreseen for 2012.
      
                  
                              1.
                           
                           
                              Preparatory bodies in the areas of trade and development
                           
                        
               
                  Article 207 Committee
               
            
                  ACP Working Party
               
            
                  Working Party on Development Cooperation (DEVGEN)
               
            
                  Working Party on EFTA
               
            
                  Working Party on Dual-Use Goods
               
            
                  Working Party on Trade Questions
               
            
                  Working Party on Commodities
               
            
                  Working Party on the Generalised System of Preferences
               
            
                  Working Party on Preparation for International Development Conferences/UNCCD Desertification/UNCTAD
               
            
                  Working Party on Humanitarian Aid and Food Aid
               
            
                  Export Credits Group
               
            
                  
                              2.
                           
                           
                              Geographic preparatory bodies
                           
                        
               
                  Mashreq/Maghreb Working Party (COMAG/MaMa )
               
            
                  Working Party on Eastern Europe and Central Asia (COEST)
               
            
                  Working Party on the Western Balkans Region (COWEB)
               
            
                  Middle East/Gulf Working Party (COMEM/MOG)
               
            
                  Asia-Oceania Working Party (COASI)
               
            
                  Working Party on Latin America (COLAT)
               
            
                  Working Party on Transatlantic Relations (COTRA)
               
            
                  Africa Working Party (COAFR)
               
            
                  
                              3.
                           
                           
                              Horizontal preparatory bodies (mostly CFSP)
                           
                        
               
                  Working Party of Foreign Relations Counsellors (RELEX)
               
            
                  Nicolaidis Group
               
            
                  Working Party on Global Disarmament and Arms Control (CODUN)
               
            
                  Working Party on Non-Proliferation (CONOP)
               
            
                  Working Party on Conventional Arms Export (COARM)
               
            
                  Working Party on Human Rights (COHOM)
               
            
                  Working Party on Terrorism (International Aspects) (COTER) (3)
                  
               
            
                  Working Party on the application of specific measures to combat terrorism (COCOP) (3)
                  
               
            
                  Working Party on OSCE and the Council of Europe (COSCE)
               
            
                  United Nations Working Party (CONUN)
               
            
                  Ad hoc Working Party on the Middle East Peace Process (COMEP)
               
            
                  Working Party on Public International Law (COJUR, COJUR-ICC)
               
            
                  Working Party on the Law of the Sea (COMAR)
               
            
                  Working Party on Consular Affairs (COCON)
               
            
                  Working Party on CFSP Administrative Affairs and Protocol (COADM)
               
            
                  
                              4.
                           
                           
                              CSDP-related preparatory bodies
                           
                        
               
                  Military Committee (EUMC)
               
            
                  Military Committee Working Group (EUMCWG)
               
            
                  Politico-Military Working Party (PMG)
               
            
                  Committee for Civilian Aspects of Crisis Management (CIVCOM)
               
            
                  Working Party on European Arms Policy
               
            
         (1)  A review of the scope and organisation of the working structures in the area of foreign affairs should be conducted swiftly after 1 December 2009, in particular as concerns the area of development. The arrangements on the chairmanship of the working parties reviewed should, if needed, be adapted according to the general principles set out in this Annex.
      
         (2)  The Military Committee (EUMC) and the Military Committee Working Group (EUMCWG) shall continue to be chaired by an elected chair, as shown in Annex III, as was the case before the entry into force of this Decision.
      
         (3)  The question of the Working Party on Terrorism (International Aspects) (COTER) and of the Working Party on the application of specific measures to combat terrorism (COCOP) will also be dealt with in the framework of the discussion on the JHA working structures.
   
   
      ANNEX III
      
         CHAIRPERSONS OF COUNCIL PREPARATORY BODIES WITH A FIXED CHAIR
      
      Elected chairs
      
                   
               
               
                  Economic and Financial Committee
               
            
                   
               
               
                  Employment Committee
               
            
                   
               
               
                  Social Protection Committee
               
            
                   
               
               
                  Military Committee (1)
                  
               
            
                   
               
               
                  Economic Policy Committee
               
            
                   
               
               
                  Financial Services Committee
               
            
                   
               
               
                  Military Committee Working Group (1)
                  
               
            
                   
               
               
                  Code of Conduct Group (Business Taxation)
               
            Chaired by the General Secretariat of the Council
      
                   
               
               
                  Security Committee
               
            
                   
               
               
                  Working Party on Information
               
            
                   
               
               
                  Working Party on Legal Data Processing
               
            
                   
               
               
                  Working Party on Electronic Communications
               
            
                   
               
               
                  Working Party on Codification of Legislation
               
            
                   
               
               
                  Working Party of Legal-Linguistic Experts
               
            
                   
               
               
                  Working Party on New Buildings
               
            
         (1)  See also Annex II.