Article 6U.K.The Special Committee
1.A Special Committee composed of one representative of each participating Member State is established (hereinafter the ‘Special Committee’). The Commission shall attend the meetings of the Special Committee without taking part in its votes.
2.ATHENA shall be managed under the authority of the Special Committee.
3.When the Special Committee is discussing the financing of the common costs of a given operation:
(a)the Special Committee shall be composed of one representative of each contributing Member State;
(b)the representatives of contributing third States shall participate in the proceedings of the Special Committee. They shall neither take part in nor be present at its votes;
(c)the operation commander or his/her representative shall participate in the proceedings of the Special Committee, without taking part in its votes.
4.The Presidency of the Council of the European Union shall convene and chair the meetings of the Special Committee. The administrator shall provide the secretariat for the Special Committee. He/she shall draw up the minutes of the result of the Committee's discussions. He/she shall not take part in its votes.
5.The accounting officer shall participate as necessary in the proceedings of the Special Committee, without taking part in its votes.
6.If a participating Member State, the administrator or the operation commander so requests, the Presidency shall convene the Special Committee within at most 15 days.
7.The administrator shall suitably inform the Special Committee of any claim or dispute addressed to ATHENA.
8.The Special Committee shall decide unanimously amongst its members, taking into account its composition as defined in paragraphs 1 and 3. Its decisions shall be binding.
9.The Special Committee approves all budgets, taking into account the relevant reference amounts, and generally exercises the competences foreseen by Articles 19, 20, 21, 22, 25, 26, 28, 30, 32, 33, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41 and 42.
10.The Special Committee shall be informed by the administrator, the operation commander and the accounting officer as provided for in thisDecision.
11.The text of the acts approved by the Special Committee pursuant to Articles 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25, 28, 30, 32, 33, 39, 40, 41 and 42 shall be signed by the chairman of the Special Committee at the time of their approval and by the administrator.