http://www.legislation.gov.uk/eudn/2014/825/chapter/IICommission Implementing Decision of 20 November 2014 setting up the organisational structure and operation for the European network for rural development and for the European Innovation Partnership network and repealing Decision 2008/168/EC (2014/825/EU)Commission Implementing Decision of 20 November 2014 setting up the organisational structure and operation for the European network for rural development and for the European Innovation Partnership network and repealing Decision 2008/168/EC (2014/825/EU)2020-12-12King's Printer of Acts of Parliamenthttps://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/eu-exit/https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32014D0825texttext/xmlen2014-11-20CHAPTER IIRURAL NETWORKS' ASSEMBLY
Article 2Rural Networks' Assembly

The Assembly of the ENRD and of the EIP network, hereinafter referred to as ‘the Assembly’, is hereby set up.

Article 3Assembly's tasks

The tasks of the Assembly shall be in particular:

(a)

to promote exchange and networking among public and private entities active in rural development and innovation for agricultural productivity and sustainability;

(b)

to ensure coordination between the ENRD and the EIP network;

(c)

to provide the strategic framework for the activities of the ENRD and of the EIP network, including the thematic work;

(d)

to ensure appropriate monitoring and assessment of the activities of the ENRD and of the EIP network with regard to the objectives set up in Articles 52(2) and 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1305/2013 and the tasks listed in Articles 52(3) and 53(3) of that Regulation;

(e)

to propose to the Director-General for Agriculture and Rural Development (‘the Director-General’) the members of the Steering Group.

Article 4Assembly membership1.

The Assembly shall be composed of the following members:

(a)

national rural networks referred to in Article 54 of Regulation (EU) No 1305/2013 (one member from each Member State);

(b)

managing authorities referred to in Article 66 of Regulation (EU) No 1305/2013 (one member from each Member State);

(c)

paying agencies referred to in Article 7 of Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council

Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 on the financing, management and monitoring of the common agricultural policy and repealing Council Regulations (EEC) No 352/78, (EC) No 165/94, (EC) No 2799/98, (EC) No 814/2000, (EC) No 1290/2005 and (EC) No 485/2008 (OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 549).

(one member from each Member State);

(d)

EU-wide non-governmental organisations, registered in the joint European Transparency Register, who have been appointed members of the civil dialogue group on rural development pursuant to Decision 2013/767/EU (hereinafter ‘civil dialogue group on rural development’) and who have expressed their interest in participating in the Assembly (maximum 29 members);

(e)

EU-wide organisations representing regional and/or local authorities active in rural development, including the connections between rural and urban areas (maximum three members);

(f)

LEADER local action groups referred to in Article 42 of Regulation (EU) No 1305/2013 (one member from each Member State);

(g)

agricultural advisory service providers active in innovation support services linked to operational groups (one member from each Member State);

(h)

agricultural research institutes active in innovation activities linked to operational groups (one member from each Member State).

2.

Members referred to in paragraph 1(a), (b), (c), (f), (g) and (h) shall be designated by the respective Member State.

Members referred to in paragraph 1(e) shall be appointed by the Director-General on the basis of a call for applications.

3.

Members States' authorities shall nominate the permanent representatives for each of the categories referred to in paragraph 1(a), (b), (c), (f), (g) and (h).

The organisations referred to in paragraph 1(d) and (e) shall nominate their permanent representatives.

4.

The members of the Assembly shall be published in the Register of Commission expert groups and other similar entities ( ‘the Register’) and on the websites of the ENRD and of the EIP network.

5.

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

Article 5Assembly's operation1.

The Assembly shall be chaired by a representative of the Commission. The chair shall convene a meeting at least once a year.

2.

In agreement with the Commission, the Assembly may set up sub-groups on specific topics related to the objectives and the tasks of the ENRD and of the EIP network, including permanent sub-groups on:

(a)

innovation for agricultural productivity and sustainability;

(b)

LEADER and community led local development; and

(c)

the evaluation of rural development programmes.

Sub-groups shall carry out thematic work on the basis of a mandate defined by the Assembly.

Non-permanent sub-groups shall be disbanded as soon as their mandate is fulfilled.

3.

The Commission's representative may invite experts and observers from outside the Assembly with specific competence in a subject on the agenda to participate in the work of the Assembly or sub-groups on an ad hoc basis.

4.

Members of the Assembly, 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

Commission Decision 2001/844/EC, ECSC, Euratom of 29 November 2001 amending its internal Rules of Procedure (OJ L 317, 3.12.2001, p. 1).

. Should they fail to respect these obligations, the Commission shall take all appropriate measures.

5.

The meetings of the Assembly and its sub-groups shall be held on Commission premises, unless the chair decides otherwise. The Commission shall provide secretarial services. Commission officials with an interest in the proceedings may attend meetings of the Assembly and its sub-groups.

6.

The Assembly shall adopt its rules of procedure on the basis of the standard rules of procedure for expert groups adopted by the Commission.

7.

The Commission publishes all relevant documents on the activities carried out by the Assembly (such as agendas, minutes and participants' submissions) either by including it in the Register or via a link from the Register to a dedicated website.

8.

The work of the Assembly shall be coordinated with that of other expert groups and committees established in the context of the civil dialogue on rural development as well as in the context of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council

Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 laying down common provisions on the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund, the Cohesion Fund, the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund and laying down general provisions on the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund, the Cohesion Fund and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 1083/2006 (OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 320).

and the Fund-specific Regulations within the meaning of that Regulation.

Article 6Reimbursement of expenses1.

Members of the Assembly shall not be remunerated for the services they render.

2.

Travel and subsistence expenses incurred by the members of the Assembly for their participation in the Assembly's meetings, including the sub-groups, shall be reimbursed by the Commission in accordance with the provisions in force within the Commission.

3.

The expenses referred to in paragraph 2 shall be reimbursed within the limits of the available appropriations allocated under the annual procedure for the allocation of resources.