Article 3 Composition — Appointment

The Commission charges the Secretary General to appoint the members of the group on the basis of the candidates proposed by the Member States.

The group shall comprise one or, in some exceptional cases^f1, two members per Member State. Alternate members can be appointed by the Secretary General of the Commission on Member State proposal and automatically replace members who are absent or indisposed.

The following provisions shall apply:

• the members shall be high-level officials with experience in the field concerned and representatives of a public authority,

• the members are appointed for a one year renewable mandate. They shall remain in office until such time as they are replaced or their mandate ends,

• the members who are no longer able to contribute effectively to the group’s deliberations, who resign or who do not respect the conditions set out in the first or second point of this Article or Article 287 of the Treaty establishing the European Community may be replaced for the remaining period of their mandate,

• the names of the appointed members shall be published on the Internet site of the Commission.