1.The Secretary-General of the Council, after informing the Special Committee, shall appoint the administrator and at least one deputy administrator for a period of three years.
2.The administrator shall carry out his or her duties on behalf of Athena.
3.The administrator:
(a)shall draw up and submit to the Special Committee any draft budget. The ‘expenditure’ section for an operation in any draft budget shall be drawn up on the basis of a proposal from the operation commander;
(b)shall adopt the budgets after their approval by the Special Committee;
(c)shall be the authorising officer for the sections ‘revenue’, ‘common costs incurred in preparation for, or further to, operations’ and ‘operational common costs’ incurred outside the active phase of the operation;
(d)as regards revenue, shall implement the financial arrangements made with third parties in relation to the financing of the common costs of the Union military operations;
(e)shall open one or more bank accounts on behalf of Athena.
4.The administrator shall ensure that the rules established by this Decision are complied with, and that the decisions of the Special Committee are implemented.
5.The administrator shall be authorised to adopt any measures which he or she deems necessary to implement the expenditure financed through Athena. He or she shall inform the Special Committee thereof.
6.The administrator shall coordinate work on financial questions relating to the Union military operations. He or she shall be the contact point with national administrations and, as appropriate, international organisations on these matters.
7.The administrator shall be accountable to the Special Committee.