Introductory text

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Whereas:

Article 149(2) of the Treaty establishing the European Community assigned the Community the task of developing the European dimension in education, particularly through the teaching and dissemination of the languages of the Member States.

With a view to developing a new strategy for multilingualism, in accordance with the Communication from the Commission entitled ‘A new framework strategy for multilingualism’^f1, the Commission may need to call upon the expertise of specialists in an advisory body.

It is therefore necessary to set up a group of experts in the field of multilingualism and to define its tasks and its structure.

The group should help to provide support and advice in developing initiatives, as well as fresh impetus and ideas for a comprehensive approach to multilingualism in the European Union.

The group should be composed of eight to twelve members.

Rules on disclosure of information by members of the group should be provided for, without prejudice to the Commission’s rules on security as set out in the Annex to Commission Decision 2001/844/EC, ECSC, Euratom^f2.

Personal data relating to members of the group should be processed in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 45/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 December 2000 on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data by the Community institutions and bodies and on the free movement of such data^f3,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS: