CHAPTER IIORGANISATION

Article 13ESDC Staff

1.

The ESDC staff shall consist of:

(a)

staff seconded to the ESDC by Union institutions, the EEAS and Union agencies;

(b)

national experts seconded to the ESDC by Member States;

(c)

contracted staff when no national expert has been identified for the position of administrative and financial assistant and following approval by the Steering Committee.

2.

The ESDC may receive interns and visiting fellows.

3.

The number of ESDC staff shall be decided by the Steering Committee together with the budget for the next year and have a clear link to the number of ESDC training and education activities and other tasks as defined in Article 4.

4.

The Decision of the HR6 establishing the rules applicable to national experts seconded to the EEAS shall be applicable mutatis mutandis to national experts seconded to the ESDC by Member States. The Union Staff Regulations remain applicable for personnel seconded to the ESDC by European Union Institutions, including for contracted staff paid from the ESDC budget.

5.

The Steering Committee, acting on a proposal from the HR, shall define in so far as necessary the conditions applicable to interns and visiting fellows.

6.

ESDC staff cannot conclude contracts or engage in any kind of financial obligations on behalf of the ESDC without prior written authorisation by the Head.