Article 5Operation

1.

The Group shall be chaired by a representative of the Commission.

2.

In agreement with the Commission, the Group may set up working parties to examine specific questions on the basis of terms of reference defined by the Group. Such working parties shall be disbanded as soon as their mandate is fulfilled.

3.

The Commission may invite any person who is specially qualified in a particular subject on the agenda to take part in its work on an ad hoc basis. Invited experts shall only take part in the work on the particular subject for which their attendance is requested.

4.

For the preparation of its opinions, the Group may appoint one of the Member States’ representatives as a rapporteur with the task of drawing up reports.

5.

The Group shall be convened by the Commission and shall normally meet on its premises. It shall meet at least twice a year. The Commission shall provide secretarial services. Other Commission officials with interest in the proceedings may attend meetings of the group and its working parties.

6.

The Group’s deliberations shall deal with the requests for opinion presented by the Commission or with the opinions which the Group delivers on its own initiative. They are not followed by a vote.

7.

The Commission shall publish all relevant documents either in the Register or via a link from the Register to a dedicated website. Exceptions to publication are possible where 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 Council4.

8.

Members of the Group and their representatives, 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 of 29 November 2001 amending its internal Rules of Procedure5. Should they fail to respect these obligations, the Commission may take all appropriate measures.