Article 1 
1. The only persons authorised to have accesss to classified information held by the Council shall be officials and other servants of the General Secretariat of the Council or any person working within the General Secretariat who, by reason of their duties and for the requirements of the service, need to have knowledge of, or to use, such information. 2. In order to have access to information classified as 'secret` and 'confidential`, the persons referred to in paragraph 1 must have been authorised in accordance with Article 2. 3. Authorisation shall be granted only to persons who have undergone security screening by the competent national authorities of the Member States, in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 3. Article 2 1. The appointing authority shall be responsible for granting the authorisations referred to in Article 1. The appointing authority shall grant authorisation after obtaining the opinion of the competent national authorities of the Member States on the basis of security clearance carried out in accordance with Articles 3 and 4. 2. Authorisation, which shall be valid for a period of five years, may not exceed the duration of the tasks on the basis of which it was granted. It may be renewed by the appointing authority in accordance with the procedure referred to in paragraph 1. Authorisation shall be withdrawn by the appointing authority where it considers there are justifiable grounds for doing so. Any decision to withdraw authorisation shall be notified to the person concerned, who may ask to be heard by the appointing authority, and to the competent national authority. Article 3 1. The aim of security screening shall be to establish that there are no objections to allowing the person to have access to classified information held by the Council. 2. Security screening shall be carried out with the assistance of the person concerned and at the request of the appointing authority by the competent national authorities of the Member State of which the person subject to authorisation is a national. Should the person concerned reside in the territory of another Member State, the national authorities concerned may secure the cooperation of the authorities of the State of residence. 3. As part of the screening procedure, the person concerned shall be required to complete a personal information form. 4. The appointing authority shall specify in its request the type and level of classified information to be made available to the person concerned, so that the competent national authorities can carry out the screening process and give their opinion as to the appropriate level of authorisation to be granted. 5. The whole security-screening process together with the results obtained shall be subject to the relevant rules and regulations in force in the Member State concerned, including those concerning appeals. Article 4 1. Where the competent national authorities of the Member States give a positive opinion, the appointing authority may grant the person concerned authorisation. 2. A negative opinion by the competent national authorities shall be notified to the person concerned, who may ask to be heard by the appointing authority. Should it consider it necessary, the appointing authority may ask the competent national authorities for any further clarification they can provide. If the negative opinion is confirmed, authorisation shall not be granted. Article 5 All persons granted authorisation within the meaning of Article 2 shall, at the time the authorisation is granted and at regular intervals thereafter, receive any necessary instructions concerning the protection of classified information and the means of ensuring such protection. Such persons shall sign a declaration acknowledging receipt of the instructions and give an undertaking to obey them. Article 6 1. The appointing authority shall take any measure necessary in order to implement this Decision, in particular as regards the rules governing access to the list of authorised persons. 2. Exceptionally, if required by the service, the appointing authority may, after giving the national competent authorities notification and provided there is no reaction from them within a month, grant temporary authorisation for a period not exceeding three months, pending the outcome of the screening referred to in Article 3. Article 7 This Decision shall be reviewed two years after the date on which it becomes applicable, on the basis of a report from the Secretary-General. Article 8 This Decision shall take effect on the date of its publication. It shall apply nine months after it takes effect, except for Articles 2, 3 and 4, which shall apply on the date on which it is adopted. Done at Luxembourg, 27 April 1998. For the Council The President R. COOK (1) OJ L 304, 10. 12. 1993, p. 1.
Article 2 
1. The appointing authority shall be responsible for granting the authorisations referred to in Article 1. The appointing authority shall grant authorisation after obtaining the opinion of the competent national authorities of the Member States on the basis of security clearance carried out in accordance with Articles 3 and 4. 2. Authorisation, which shall be valid for a period of five years, may not exceed the duration of the tasks on the basis of which it was granted. It may be renewed by the appointing authority in accordance with the procedure referred to in paragraph 1. Authorisation shall be withdrawn by the appointing authority where it considers there are justifiable grounds for doing so. Any decision to withdraw authorisation shall be notified to the person concerned, who may ask to be heard by the appointing authority, and to the competent national authority. Article 3 1. The aim of security screening shall be to establish that there are no objections to allowing the person to have access to classified information held by the Council. 2. Security screening shall be carried out with the assistance of the person concerned and at the request of the appointing authority by the competent national authorities of the Member State of which the person subject to authorisation is a national. Should the person concerned reside in the territory of another Member State, the national authorities concerned may secure the cooperation of the authorities of the State of residence. 3. As part of the screening procedure, the person concerned shall be required to complete a personal information form. 4. The appointing authority shall specify in its request the type and level of classified information to be made available to the person concerned, so that the competent national authorities can carry out the screening process and give their opinion as to the appropriate level of authorisation to be granted. 5. The whole security-screening process together with the results obtained shall be subject to the relevant rules and regulations in force in the Member State concerned, including those concerning appeals. Article 4 1. Where the competent national authorities of the Member States give a positive opinion, the appointing authority may grant the person concerned authorisation. 2. A negative opinion by the competent national authorities shall be notified to the person concerned, who may ask to be heard by the appointing authority. Should it consider it necessary, the appointing authority may ask the competent national authorities for any further clarification they can provide. If the negative opinion is confirmed, authorisation shall not be granted. Article 5 All persons granted authorisation within the meaning of Article 2 shall, at the time the authorisation is granted and at regular intervals thereafter, receive any necessary instructions concerning the protection of classified information and the means of ensuring such protection. Such persons shall sign a declaration acknowledging receipt of the instructions and give an undertaking to obey them. Article 6 1. The appointing authority shall take any measure necessary in order to implement this Decision, in particular as regards the rules governing access to the list of authorised persons. 2. Exceptionally, if required by the service, the appointing authority may, after giving the national competent authorities notification and provided there is no reaction from them within a month, grant temporary authorisation for a period not exceeding three months, pending the outcome of the screening referred to in Article 3. Article 7 This Decision shall be reviewed two years after the date on which it becomes applicable, on the basis of a report from the Secretary-General. Article 8 This Decision shall take effect on the date of its publication. It shall apply nine months after it takes effect, except for Articles 2, 3 and 4, which shall apply on the date on which it is adopted. Done at Luxembourg, 27 April 1998. For the Council The President R. COOK (1) OJ L 304, 10. 12. 1993, p. 1.
Article 3 
1. The aim of security screening shall be to establish that there are no objections to allowing the person to have access to classified information held by the Council. 2. Security screening shall be carried out with the assistance of the person concerned and at the request of the appointing authority by the competent national authorities of the Member State of which the person subject to authorisation is a national. Should the person concerned reside in the territory of another Member State, the national authorities concerned may secure the cooperation of the authorities of the State of residence. 3. As part of the screening procedure, the person concerned shall be required to complete a personal information form. 4. The appointing authority shall specify in its request the type and level of classified information to be made available to the person concerned, so that the competent national authorities can carry out the screening process and give their opinion as to the appropriate level of authorisation to be granted. 5. The whole security-screening process together with the results obtained shall be subject to the relevant rules and regulations in force in the Member State concerned, including those concerning appeals. Article 4 1. Where the competent national authorities of the Member States give a positive opinion, the appointing authority may grant the person concerned authorisation. 2. A negative opinion by the competent national authorities shall be notified to the person concerned, who may ask to be heard by the appointing authority. Should it consider it necessary, the appointing authority may ask the competent national authorities for any further clarification they can provide. If the negative opinion is confirmed, authorisation shall not be granted. Article 5 All persons granted authorisation within the meaning of Article 2 shall, at the time the authorisation is granted and at regular intervals thereafter, receive any necessary instructions concerning the protection of classified information and the means of ensuring such protection. Such persons shall sign a declaration acknowledging receipt of the instructions and give an undertaking to obey them. Article 6 1. The appointing authority shall take any measure necessary in order to implement this Decision, in particular as regards the rules governing access to the list of authorised persons. 2. Exceptionally, if required by the service, the appointing authority may, after giving the national competent authorities notification and provided there is no reaction from them within a month, grant temporary authorisation for a period not exceeding three months, pending the outcome of the screening referred to in Article 3. Article 7 This Decision shall be reviewed two years after the date on which it becomes applicable, on the basis of a report from the Secretary-General. Article 8 This Decision shall take effect on the date of its publication. It shall apply nine months after it takes effect, except for Articles 2, 3 and 4, which shall apply on the date on which it is adopted. Done at Luxembourg, 27 April 1998. For the Council The President R. COOK (1) OJ L 304, 10. 12. 1993, p. 1.
Article 4 
1. Where the competent national authorities of the Member States give a positive opinion, the appointing authority may grant the person concerned authorisation. 2. A negative opinion by the competent national authorities shall be notified to the person concerned, who may ask to be heard by the appointing authority. Should it consider it necessary, the appointing authority may ask the competent national authorities for any further clarification they can provide. If the negative opinion is confirmed, authorisation shall not be granted. Article 5 All persons granted authorisation within the meaning of Article 2 shall, at the time the authorisation is granted and at regular intervals thereafter, receive any necessary instructions concerning the protection of classified information and the means of ensuring such protection. Such persons shall sign a declaration acknowledging receipt of the instructions and give an undertaking to obey them. Article 6 1. The appointing authority shall take any measure necessary in order to implement this Decision, in particular as regards the rules governing access to the list of authorised persons. 2. Exceptionally, if required by the service, the appointing authority may, after giving the national competent authorities notification and provided there is no reaction from them within a month, grant temporary authorisation for a period not exceeding three months, pending the outcome of the screening referred to in Article 3. Article 7 This Decision shall be reviewed two years after the date on which it becomes applicable, on the basis of a report from the Secretary-General. Article 8 This Decision shall take effect on the date of its publication. It shall apply nine months after it takes effect, except for Articles 2, 3 and 4, which shall apply on the date on which it is adopted. Done at Luxembourg, 27 April 1998. For the Council The President R. COOK (1) OJ L 304, 10. 12. 1993, p. 1.
Article 5 
All persons granted authorisation within the meaning of Article 2 shall, at the time the authorisation is granted and at regular intervals thereafter, receive any necessary instructions concerning the protection of classified information and the means of ensuring such protection. Such persons shall sign a declaration acknowledging receipt of the instructions and give an undertaking to obey them. Article 6 1. The appointing authority shall take any measure necessary in order to implement this Decision, in particular as regards the rules governing access to the list of authorised persons. 2. Exceptionally, if required by the service, the appointing authority may, after giving the national competent authorities notification and provided there is no reaction from them within a month, grant temporary authorisation for a period not exceeding three months, pending the outcome of the screening referred to in Article 3. Article 7 This Decision shall be reviewed two years after the date on which it becomes applicable, on the basis of a report from the Secretary-General. Article 8 This Decision shall take effect on the date of its publication. It shall apply nine months after it takes effect, except for Articles 2, 3 and 4, which shall apply on the date on which it is adopted. Done at Luxembourg, 27 April 1998. For the Council The President R. COOK (1) OJ L 304, 10. 12. 1993, p. 1.
Article 6 
1. The appointing authority shall take any measure necessary in order to implement this Decision, in particular as regards the rules governing access to the list of authorised persons. 2. Exceptionally, if required by the service, the appointing authority may, after giving the national competent authorities notification and provided there is no reaction from them within a month, grant temporary authorisation for a period not exceeding three months, pending the outcome of the screening referred to in Article 3. Article 7 This Decision shall be reviewed two years after the date on which it becomes applicable, on the basis of a report from the Secretary-General. Article 8 This Decision shall take effect on the date of its publication. It shall apply nine months after it takes effect, except for Articles 2, 3 and 4, which shall apply on the date on which it is adopted. Done at Luxembourg, 27 April 1998. For the Council The President R. COOK (1) OJ L 304, 10. 12. 1993, p. 1.
Article 7 
This Decision shall be reviewed two years after the date on which it becomes applicable, on the basis of a report from the Secretary-General. Article 8 This Decision shall take effect on the date of its publication. It shall apply nine months after it takes effect, except for Articles 2, 3 and 4, which shall apply on the date on which it is adopted. Done at Luxembourg, 27 April 1998. For the Council The President R. COOK (1) OJ L 304, 10. 12. 1993, p. 1.
Article 8 
This Decision shall take effect on the date of its publication. It shall apply nine months after it takes effect, except for Articles 2, 3 and 4, which shall apply on the date on which it is adopted. Done at Luxembourg, 27 April 1998. For the Council The President R. COOK (1) OJ L 304, 10. 12. 1993, p. 1.