State of Play: INFORMAL DIALOGUE ON EXPERT GROUPS INITIATIVES TAKEN BY COMMISSION SERVICES
Three specific issues are addressed:
(1) Composition of groups
The composition of thirteen groups was modified.
Membership is being reviewed for three groups.
Despite calls for application and direct invitations from Commission departments, it was
not possible to appoint enough new members in certain groups, for various reasons. For
eighteen groups Commission services are prepared to examine possible applications from
interested NGOs or civil society groups on the basis of a list of stakeholders to be
provided by MEPs to the Commission.
DG AGRI has been pursuing a bottom-up process leading to the revision and balancing of
thirty advisory groups operating in the agricultural sector, which should be completed in
the second half of 2013.
DG EAC, DG MARE and DG RTD will review the composition of a number of groups
placed under their responsibility in connection with the reform of corresponding policies
or the modification of EU legislation.
(2) Groups where membership may need to be corrected on the Register
In 2012, following a screening of the groups including members appointed in a personal
capacity, Commission services recognised that experts of 31 groups were incorrectly
displayed on the Register as experts appointed in a personal capacity acting in the public
interest, while in reality they were representatives of stakeholders or of the Member States.
This was corrected between the spring and the summer of 2012.
This is the outcome of a new screening carried out on the basis of concerns raised by
stakeholders which concerned a limited number of groups:
The membership of three groups is being corrected;
In two cases, there are no members appointed in a personal capacity; members are
correctly displayed as individuals representing a common interest or as organisations;
Two groups were closed (one group was already closed at the time of the complaint).
(3) Transparency
It is alleged that there are still groups that operate but are not included in the Register and that agendas
and/or minutes are still missing for many groups.
This is the outcome of the screening carried out by Commission Services concerning the
groups indicated by the complainants:
DG ENER will publish the 'Smart Grid Task Force' on the Register;
For two groups under the responsibility of DG ENTR, minutes were published in
February 2013 or are currently being published;
The "Advisory Committee of the Euratom Supply Agency" and the 'SEPA Council' are
not Commission expert groups;
Three groups were closed (two groups were already closed at the time of the complaint).