Commission Decision of 14 February 2006 Setting up a High Level Expert Group on Digital Libraries (2006/98/EC)

Article 3 Composition — Appointment

1. The Director General of DG ‘Information Society and Media’ or by his/her representative, is in charge of appointing the members of the group. They shall be appointed as high level experts with competence on digital libraries.

2. The group shall be composed of up to 20 members.

3. The following provisions shall apply:

• Members are appointed in a personal capacity as high level experts on digital libraries and are required to advise the Commission independently of any outside influence.

• Members will be appointed to ensure, as far as possible, an adequate balance in terms of:

  • range of competencies;

  • geographical origin;

  • gender.

• The Group will include experts from the following categories:

  • memory organisations (libraries, archives, museums);

  • authors, publishers and content providers;

  • ICT industry (e.g. search engines, technology providers);

  • scientific and research organisations, academia.

• Members may not designate an alternate to replace them.

• Members are appointed for a two year renewable mandate. They shall remain in office until such time as they are replaced or their mandate ends.

• Members who are no longer able to contribute effectively to the group’s deliberations, who resign or who do not respect the conditions set out in the first or fifth indent of this paragraph or Article 287 of the Treaty establishing the European Community may be replaced for the remaining period of their mandate.

• Members shall each year sign an undertaking to act in the public interest and a declaration indicating the absence or existence of any interest which may undermine their objectivity.

• The names of members are published on the Internet site of the DG ‘Information Society and Media’. The names of members are collected, processed and published in accordance with the provisions of Regulation (EC) No 45/2001.