The Commission hereby creates a Joint Committee on Social Problems of Agricultural Workers (hereinafter called the 'Committee'). The Committee shall assist the Commission in the formulation and implementation of the Community social policy aimed at improving and harmonizing the living and working conditions of agricultural workers. 1. In order to attain the objectives laid down in Article 2, the Committee shall:    (a) issue opinions and submit reports to the Commission, either at the latter s request or on its own initiative,and(b) in respect of matters falling within the competence of the employers  and employees  associations listed in Article 4:      - promote dialogue and conciliation and facilitate negotiation between these associations;- arrange for studies to be carried out;- participate in discussions and seminars.2. The Committee shall ensure that all interested parties are informed of its activities.  (1)OJ No C 70, 1.7.1972, p. 11.3. Upon requesting an opinion or report of the Committee, the Commission may fix a time limit within which the opinion or report shall be given. 1. The Committee shall consist of 50 members.2. The members of the Committee shall be appointed by the Commission on a proposal from the following association of agricultural employers and associations of agricultural employees:Employers  Association:the Committee of Agricultural Trade Organizations of the European Economic Community (COPA);Employees  Associations:the European Federation of Agricultural Workers (CESL) in the Community (EFA);the European Federation of Agriculture of the World Confederation of Labour (EUROFEDAG);the CGT-CGIL European Committee for the coordination of Agricultural Workers  Trade Unions.3. Seats shall be attributed as follows:    (a) to representatives of the employers  association, 25;(b) to representatives of the employees  associations, 25. 1. An alternate shall be appointed for each member of the Committee under the same conditions as laid down in Article 4.2. Without prejudice to the provisions of Article 10 an alternate shall not attend meetings of the Committee or a working group provided for in Article 10, nor participate in its work, unless the member for whom he is the alternate is prevented from doing so. A list of members and their alternates shall be published for information by the Commission in the Official Journal of the European Communities. 1. Committee members and their alternates shall hold office for a term of four years ; appointments shall be renewable.2. Members and their alternates whose term of office has expired shall remain in office until they have been replaced or their term of office has been renewed.3. A member s or alternate s term of office shall cease before the expiration of the period of four years upon his resignation or death or if the association which nominated him requests his replacement. The vacancy thereby caused shall be filled in the manner prescribed in Article 4 by a person appointed for the remainder of the term of office.4. There shall be no payment for duties performed. 1. The Committee shall, by a two-thirds  majority of members present, elect from among its members a Chairman and Vice-Chairman who shall hold office for a term of two years. The Chairman and the Vice-Chairman, shall be chosen alternately, and in reverse order, from amongst the two groups of associations listed in Article 4. The Chairman or Vice-Chairman whose term of office has expired shall remain in office until he has been replaced.2. Should the Chairman or Vice-Chairman cease to hold office before expiry of its term, he shall be replaced for the remainder of the term by a person appointed in the manner prescribed in paragraph 1 of this Article upon a proposal from the group to which his association belongs. The Committee may create a bureau consisting of the Chairman, Vice-Chairman and Rapporteurs of the working groups provided for in the following Article 10 to plan and coordinate its work. 0The Committee may:    (a) set up ad hoc or permanent working groups to facilitate its work. It may authorize a member to delegate another representative of his association, who shall be named, to take his place in a working group ; such delegate shall enjoy the same rights at meetings of the working group as the member he replaces;(b) asks the Commission to appoint experts to assist it in specific tasks. It shall be its duty to do so if one of the associations listed in Article 4 requests this.(c) ask for the attendance at Committee meetings, as an expert, of any person who is specially  qualified in any particular subject on the agenda. The expert shall be present only for the discussion of the particular subject for which his attendance is required. 1The Committee shall be convened by the secretary at the request of the Commission, the bureau or of one third of the Committee s members. In the latter case, the Committee shall meet within 30 days. 21. No opinion of the Committee shall be valid unless two-thirds of the members, or their alternates, are present.2. The Committee shall submit its opinions or reports to the Commission. If an opinion or report is not unanimous, the Committee shall submit to the Commission the dissenting opinions delivered. 31. The Commission shall provide a secretariat for the Committee, the bureau and the working groups.2. Representatives of the services of the Commission shall attend the meetings of the Committee, the bureau and the working groups.3. A representative of the secretariat of each of the associations listed in Article 4 shall attend the meetings of the Committee as observer. 4If the Commission has informed the Committee that an opinion requested relates to a matter of a confidential nature, members of the Committee shall be bound, without prejudice to the provisions of Article 214 of the Treaty, not to disclose any information acquired at the meetings of the Committee or the working groups. In this event, only the members of the Committee and the representatives of the services of the Commission shall be present at the meetings. 5This Decision shall enter into force on 25 July 1974.
Output: Commission Decision relating to the setting-up of a Joint Committee on Social Problems of Agricultural Workers