Commission Decision of 14 February 2012 setting up the Commission expert group on policy needs for data on crime and repealing Decision 2006/581/EC

The Commission expert group on policy needs for data on crime, hereafter referred to as ‘the group’, is hereby set up.

The group's tasks shall be to: (a) assist the Commission in establishing cooperation between Member States and other related organisations and bodies in implementing the EU Action Plan 2011-2015 on measuring crime and criminal justice; (b) assist the Commission in identifying the policy needs for indicators and data on crime at EU level; (c) assist the Commission in developing common indicators; (d) advise the Commission on relevant research and development needs or results to be taken into account in the work to implement the EU Action Plan 2011-2015; (e) advise the Commission on collaboration with representatives from the private and academic sectors or other relevant sectors in order to include relevant knowledge and experience in the work to implement the EU Action Plan 2011-2015; (f) bring about an exchange of experience and good practice in the field of crime statistics and in particular in the development of common indicators and the collection of comparable data.

The Commission may consult the group on any matter relating to measuring crime.

1 The group shall be composed of a maximum of 55 members. The members shall be: (a) the national public authorities in the field of home affairs, or another relevant public authority, of the Member States, the candidate countries and the European Free Trade Association countries; (b) the following EU bodies, networks and agencies: the European Crime Prevention Network (EUCPN), the European Monitoring Centre on Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA), Eurojust, the European Police Office (Europol), the European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders of the Member States of the European Union (Frontex) and the Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA); (c) the following international organisations and non-governmental organisations with relevant experience and expertise analysing or developing crime data for policy purposes: the Council of Europe, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Prevention (UNODC), the European Sourcebook Group, Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), World Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD); (d) minimum six individuals appointed in a personal capacity with expertise deriving preferably from academic research for public or private universities or research centers in Member States.

2 Members referred to in points (a), (b) and (c) of paragraph 1 shall nominate a permanent and an alternate expert as their representatives. Alternates shall automatically replace experts who are absent.

3 Individuals appointed in a personal capacity shall be appointed by the Director General of Home Affaires DG from amongst those who have responded to the call for applications (see Annex to the present Decision).

4 On the basis of the call for applications, applicants who were deemed suitable for group membership, but not appointed, shall be placed on a reserve list, with their consent. The Commission shall use this list to appoint replacements for members, if needed.

5 All members shall be appointed for five years. They shall remain in office until replaced or until the end of their term of office. Their term of office may be renewed.

6 Members who are no longer capable of contributing effectively to the group's deliberations, who resign or who do not comply with the conditions set out in this Article, or Article 339 of the Treaty, may be replaced for the remainder of their term of office.

7 Individuals appointed in a personal capacity shall act independently and in the public interest.

8 The names of individuals appointed in a personal capacity shall be published in the Register of Commission expert groups and other similar entities (‘the Register’) The names of members referred to in points (b) and (c) of paragraph 1 shall be published in the Register. The names of public authorities referred to in point (a) of paragraph 1 will be published in the Register.

9 Personal data shall be collected, processed and published in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 45/2001 of the European Parliament and of the 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 .

1 The group shall be chaired by a representative of the Commission.

2 The Commission shall coordinate the expert group's activities with those of Eurostat’s working group on crime and criminal justice statistics. The Commission shall have the responsibility for the coherence of the work of both groups and shall endeavour to organise, where possible, joint meetings.

3 In agreement with the Commission services, the group may set up sub-groups of up to a maximum of 15 members to examine specific questions on the basis of terms of reference defined by the group. Such sub-groups shall be disbanded as soon as their mandate is fulfilled.

4 The Commission's representative may invite experts from outside the group with specific competence in a subject on the agenda to participate in the work of the group or sub-group on an ad hoc basis. In addition, the Commission's representative may give observer status to individuals, organisations as defined in Rule 8(3) of the horizontal rules on expert groups and candidate countries.

5 Members of expert groups, as well as invited experts and observers, shall comply with the obligations of professional secrecy laid down by the Treaties and their implementing rules, as well as with the Commission's rules on security regarding the protection of EU classified information, laid down in the Annex to Commission Decision 2001/844/EC, ECSC, Euratom. Should they fail to respect those obligations, the Commission may take all appropriate measures.

6 The meetings of expert groups and sub-groups shall be held on Commission premises. 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.

7 The group shall adopt its rules of procedure on the basis of the standard rules of procedure for expert groups.

8 The Commission shall publish relevant information on the activities carried out by the group either by including it in the Register or via a link from the Register to the Internet site of Home Affairs DG.

1 Participants in the activities of the group shall not be remunerated for the services they render.

2 Travel and subsistence expenses incurred by participants in the activities of the group shall be reimbursed by the Commission in accordance with the provisions in force within the Commission.

3 Those expenses shall be reimbursed within the limits of the available appropriations allocated under the annual procedure for the allocation of resources.

Decision 2006/581/EC is repealed.

This Decision shall enter into force on the day of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union and shall apply for five years.