Commission Decision of 4 August 2021 setting up the expert group for technical advice on organic production (EGTOP) 2021/C 343/03

The expert group for technical advice on organic production (‘the group’) is set up.

The group’s tasks shall be: (a) to assist the Commission in evaluating technical matters of organic production, including products, substances, methods and techniques that may be used in organic production, taking into account the objectives and principles laid down in Regulation (EU) 2018/848 and additional policy objectives with regard to organic production; (b) to assist the Commission in improving existing rules and developing new rules related to Regulation (EU) No 2018/848; (c) to stimulate an exchange of experience and good practices in the field of technical issues related to organic production.

1 The Commission may consult the group on any matter relating to organic production.

2 The chairperson of the group may advise the Commission to consult the group on a specific question.

1 The group shall be composed of up to 13 members.

2 The members shall be individuals appointed in a personal capacity who shall act independently and in the public interest.

3 Members who are no longer capable of contributing effectively to the group’s deliberations, who, in the opinion of the Commission’s Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development (‘DG AGRI’), do not comply with the conditions set out in Article 339 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union or who resign, shall no longer be part of the group and may be replaced for the remainder of their term of office.

1 The selection of the group’s members shall be carried out via a public call for applications, to be published in the Register of Commission expert groups and other similar entities (‘the Register of expert groups’). In addition, the call for applications may be published through other means, including on dedicated websites. The call for applications shall clearly outline the selection criteria, including the required expertise in relation to the work to be performed. The minimum deadline for applications shall be four weeks.

2 Individuals applying to be appointed as members of the group shall disclose any circumstances that could give rise to a conflict of interest. In particular, the Commission shall require those individuals to submit a declaration of interests (‘DOI’) form on the basis of the standard DOI form for expert groups , together with an updated curriculum vitae (CV), as part of their application. Submission of a duly completed DOI form shall be necessary in order to be eligible to be appointed as a member in a personal capacity. The conflict of interest assessment shall be performed by the Commission in compliance with the Commission’s horizontal rules on expert groups (‘the horizontal rules’).

3 The members of the group shall be appointed by the Director General of DG AGRI from specialists with competence in the areas referred to in Articles 2 and 3(1) and who have responded to the public call for applications.

4 The other suitable candidates who have responded to the public call for applications and who are not appointed as members of the group shall be listed in a reserve list. The Commission shall ask applicants for their consent before including their names on the reserve list.

5 Members of the group shall be appointed for a 4-year term of office, renewable, and may not serve for more than three consecutive mandates. They shall remain in office until the end of their term of office or until such time as they are replaced in accordance with Article 4(3).

DG AGRI shall appoint the chairperson and two vice-chairpersons of the group.

1 The group shall act at the request of DG AGRI.

2 Meetings of the group shall, in principle, be held on Commission premises or remotely if circumstances require so. In agreement with DG AGRI, the group may, by simple majority of its members, decide that proceedings of individual meetings shall be recorded, in compliance with relevant data protection rules.

3 DG AGRI shall provide secretarial services. Commission officials from other departments with an interest in the proceedings may attend meetings of the group and its sub-groups.

4 In agreement with the DG AGRI, the group may, by simple majority of its members, decide that deliberations shall be public.

5 Minutes on the discussion on each point on the agenda and on the opinions delivered by the group shall be meaningful and complete. Minutes shall be drafted by the secretariat under the responsibility of the chair.

6 In principle, the group shall adopt its opinions, recommendations or reports by consensus. In the event of a vote, the outcome of the vote shall be decided by simple majority of the members. Members who have voted against shall have the right to have a document summarising the reasons for their position annexed to the opinions, recommendations or reports.

1 DG AGRI may set up sub-groups for the purpose of examining specific questions on the basis of the terms of reference it defines. Sub-groups shall operate in compliance with the horizontal rules and shall report to the group. They shall be dissolved as soon as their mandates are fulfilled.

2 DG AGRI shall select members of sub-groups from the members of the group or from the reserve list referred to in Article 5(4).

DG AGRI may invite experts with specific expertise with respect to a subject matter on the agenda to take part in the work of the group or sub-groups on an ad hoc basis.

1 Organisations may be granted an observer status, in compliance with the horizontal rules, by direct invitation.

2 Organisations appointed as observers shall nominate their representatives.

3 Observers’representatives may be permitted by the chair to take part in the discussions of the group and provide expertise. However, they shall not have voting rights and shall not participate in the formulation of recommendations or advice of the group.

On a proposal by, and in agreement with, the DG AGRI, the group shall adopt its rules of procedure by simple majority of its members, on the basis of the standard rules of procedure for expert groups, in compliance with the horizontal rules .

The members of the group and their representatives, as well as invited experts and observers, are subject to the obligation of professional secrecy, which by virtue of the Treaties and the rules implementing them applies to all members of the institutions and their staff, as well as to the Commission’s rules on security regarding the protection of Union classified information, laid down in Commission Decisions (EU, Euratom) 2015/443 and 2015/444 . Should they fail to respect these obligations, the Commission may take all appropriate measures.

1 The group and its sub-groups shall be registered in the Register of expert groups.

2 As concerns the group and sub-groups composition, the following data shall be published on the Register of expert groups: (a) the name of individuals appointed in a personal capacity; (b) the name of observers.

3 All relevant documents, including the agendas, the minutes, the opinions and the participants’ submissions, shall be made available either on the Register of expert groups or via a link from the Register to a dedicated website, where this information can be found. Access to dedicated websites shall not be submitted to user registration or any other restriction. In particular, the agenda and other relevant background documents shall be published in due time ahead of the meeting, followed by timely publication of minutes and the opinions. Exceptions to publication shall only be foreseen where it is deemed that disclosure of a document would undermine the protection of a public or private interest as defined in Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council .

Travel and subsistence expenses incurred by members of the group and invited experts as a result of their participation in the meetings of the group or sub-groups shall be reimbursed by the Commission in accordance with the provisions in force within the Commission, within the limits of the available appropriations allocated under the annual procedure for the allocation of resources.

Members of the group and the invited experts shall be entitled to special allowances for their preparatory work and/or participation in the activities of the group and related meetings, as set out in the Annex.

Decision 2009/427/EC is repealed. References to the repealed Decision shall be construed as references to this Decision.