1.   The groups shall be composed of stakeholders’ organisations, other than public entities, operating at Union level in the fields referred to in Article 1.

2.   Member organisations shall designate their representative to attend the meetings of the groups according to the items on the agenda. If indicated by the Chair, organisations might be represented by more than one representative. Each organisation shall have one voting right, irrespective of the number of representatives.

3.   Member organisations shall be responsible for ensuring that their representatives provide a high level of expertise.

4.   Member organisations which are no longer capable of contributing effectively to the expert group’s deliberations, who, in the opinion of DG AGRI , do not comply with the conditions set out in Article 339 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union or who resign, shall no longer be invited to participate in any meetings of the group and may be replaced for the remainder of their term of office.

1.   The selection of the member organisations shall be carried out by means of a public call for applications, to be published on the Register of Commission expert groups and other similar entities (‘the Register of expert groups’). In addition, the call for applications may be published through other means, including on dedicated websites. The call for applications shall clearly outline the selection criteria, including the required expertise and the interests to be represented in relation to the work to be performed. The minimum deadline for applications shall be 4 weeks.

2.   Registration in the Transparency Register is required in order for stakeholders’ organisations to be appointed as members.

3.   Stakeholders’ organisations shall be appointed by the Director-General of DG AGRI from applicants with competence and a high level of expertise in the areas referred to in Article 1, with capacity to advise in accordance with Article 2, and who have responded to the public call for applications.

4.   Stakeholders’ organisations shall be appointed for a 5-year term of office. Their term of office may be renewed.

1.   The groups shall act at the request of DG AGRI in compliance with the horizontal rules.

2.   Meetings of the groups shall, in principle, be held virtually or on Commission premises, depending on the circumstances.

3.   DG AGRI shall provide secretarial services. Commission officials from other departments with an interest in the proceedings may attend meetings of the groups and their sub-groups.

4.   In agreement with DG AGRI, each group may, by simple majority of its members, decide that deliberations shall be public.

5.   Minutes of the discussion on each point on the agenda and on the opinions, recommendations or reports delivered by each group shall be meaningful and complete. Minutes shall be drafted by the secretariat under the responsibility of the Chair.

6.   As far as possible, the groups shall adopt their opinions, recommendations or reports by consensus. In the event of a vote, the outcome of the vote shall be decided by simple majority of the members. Members who have voted against or abstained shall have the right to document the reasons for their position, annexed to the opinions, recommendations or reports.

1.   DG AGRI may set up sub-groups for the purpose of examining specific questions on the basis of the terms of reference defined by DG AGRI. Sub-groups shall operate in compliance with the horizontal rules and shall report to the group. They shall be dissolved as soon as their mandate is fulfilled.

2.   The members of sub-groups that are not members of the group shall be selected via a public call for applications, in compliance with Article 4 and the horizontal rules.

1.   Individuals, organisations, including stakeholders’ organisations, as well as public entities other than Member States’ authorities may be granted an observer status, in compliance with the horizontal rules, by direct invitation.

2.   Organisations and public entities appointed as observers shall nominate their representatives.

3.   Observers and their representatives may be permitted by the Chair to take part in the discussions of the group and its sub-groups and provide expertise. However, they shall have no voting rights and shall not participate in the formulation of recommendations or advice of the groups and their sub-groups.

1.   The groups and their sub-groups shall be registered in ‘the Register of expert groups’.

2.   As concerns the groups and sub-groups composition, the following data shall be published on the Register of expert groups:

3.   All relevant documents, including the agendas, the minutes and the participants’ submissions, shall be made available either on the Register of expert groups or through a link from the Register to a dedicated website, where this information can be found. Access to dedicated websites shall not be submitted to user registration or any other restriction. In particular, the agenda and other relevant background documents shall be published in due time ahead of the meeting, followed by timely publication of the minutes. Exceptions to publication shall only be possible where it is deemed that 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 Council (8).

1.   Participants in the activities of the groups and sub-groups shall not be remunerated for the services they offer.

2.   Travel and subsistence expenses incurred by participants in the activities of the groups and sub-groups, except when attended virtually, shall be reimbursed by the Commission. Reimbursement shall be made in accordance with the provisions in force within the Commission and within the limits of the available appropriations allocated to the Commission departments under the annual procedure for the allocation of resources.