CHAPTER III U.K. RURAL NETWORKS' STEERING GROUP

Article 7 U.K. Rural Networks' Steering Group

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

Article 8 U.K. Steering Group's tasks

The tasks of the Steering Group shall be in particular:

(a)

preparing, implementing and following-up the activities of the ENRD and of the EIP network, in accordance with the strategic framework provided by the Assembly;

(b)

coordinating the thematic work in accordance with the framework provided by the Assembly and following-up its implementation;

(c)

assessing on an ongoing basis the effectiveness and efficiency of the activities of the ENRD and of the EIP network;

(d)

ensuring the coordination of the work of the Assembly 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 and the Fund-specific Regulations within the meaning of that Regulation;

(e)

reporting to the Assembly as regards its activities.

Article 9 U.K. Steering Group's membership

1. The Steering Group shall be composed of the following members of the Assembly:

(a) managing authorities and/or national rural networks (one member from each Member State);

(b) EU-wide organisations referred to in Article 4(1)(d) and (e) (maximum 12 members);

(c) national authorities in charge of the evaluation of rural development programmes (maximum four members);

(d) agricultural advisory service providers and/or agricultural research institutes referred to in Article 4(1)(g) and (h) (maximum four members).

2. The members of the Steering Group shall be appointed by the Director-General following a proposal of the Assembly reflecting the geographic and thematic diversity of the members of the ENRD and of the EIP network and based on the voluntary commitment of the proposed members.

For each of the categories referred to in paragraph 1, the Assembly may propose a rotation of the members of the Steering Group.

3. A member of the Steering Group may be replaced by the Director-General following a proposal of the Assembly where:

(a) it withdraws from the Steering Group;

(b) it does not regularly designate representatives for the meetings of the Steering Group;

(c) it is no longer able to contribute effectively to the tasks of the Steering Group;

(d) it does not comply with the non-disclosure requirement relating to information covered by the obligation of professional secrecy laid down in Article 339 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.

4. The chairperson and the vice-chairpersons of the civil dialogue group on rural development may take part in the Steering Group's meetings as observers.

Article 10 U.K. Steering Group's operation and meeting expenses

Articles 5 and 6 shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to the operation and the meeting expenses of the Steering Group.