# Council and Commission Decision of 22 July 2013 establishing the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community within the EU-Serbia Stabilisation and Association Council concerning a Decision of the EU-Serbia Stabilisation and Association Council adopting its rules of procedure (2013/489/EU, Euratom), Article 15: Joint Consultative Committee composed of representatives of the Committee of the Regions of the European Union and of Serbian local and regional authorities


1. A Joint Consultative Committee composed of representatives of the Committee of the Regions of the European Union and of Serbian local and regional authorities is hereby established with the task of assisting the Stabilisation and Association Council with a view to promoting dialogue and cooperation between the local and regional authorities in the European Union and those in Serbia. Such dialogue and cooperation shall be aimed in particular at:
(a) preparing Serbian local and regional authorities for activity in the framework of future membership of the European Union;
(b) preparing Serbian local and regional authorities for their participation in the work of the Committee of the Regions after the accession of Serbia;
(c) exchanging information on current issues of mutual interest, in particular on up-to-date state of play concerning the accession process and those policy areas where the Treaties provide that the Committee of the Regions shall be consulted as well as preparation of Serbian local and regional authorities for these policies;
(d) encouraging multilateral structured dialogue between a) Serbian local and regional authorities and b) local and regional authorities from the Member States, including through networking in specific areas where direct contacts and cooperation between Serbian local and regional authorities and the local and regional authorities from Member States might prove the most effective way of addressing specific topics of mutual interest;
(e) providing regular exchange of information on inter-regional cooperation between Serbian local and regional authorities and local and regional authorities from Member States;
(f) encouraging exchange of experience and knowledge in the policy areas where the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union provides that the Committee of the Regions shall be consulted, between i) Serbian local and regional authorities and ii) local and regional authorities from Member States, in particular know-how and techniques concerning preparation of local and regional development plans or strategies and most efficient use of the pre-accession and Structural Funds;
(g) assisting Serbian local and regional authorities by means of information exchange on the practical implementation of the principle of subsidiarity in all aspects of life on local and regional level;
(h) discussing any other relevant matters proposed by any side, as they can arise in the context of implementation of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement and in the framework of the Pre-accession strategy.
2. The Joint Consultative Committee referred to in paragraph 1 shall comprise seven representatives of the Committee of the Regions, on the one hand, and seven elected representatives of the local and regional authorities of Serbia, on the other hand. An equal number of alternate members shall be appointed.
3. The Joint Consultative Committee referred to in paragraph 1 shall carry out its activities on the basis of consultation by the Stabilisation and Association Council or, as concerns the promotion of the dialogue between the local and regional authorities, on its own initiative.
4. The Joint Consultative Committee referred to in paragraph 1 may make recommendations to the Stabilisation and Association Council.
5. Members shall be chosen to ensure that the Joint Consultative Committee referred to in paragraph 1 is a faithful reflection of the various levels of local and regional authorities in both the European Union and Serbia. Official nominations of Serbian members shall be made by the government of Serbia based on proposals from organisations representing local and regional authorities in Serbia. Those proposals shall be based on inclusive and transparent selection procedures among representatives holding local or regional electoral mandates.
6. The Joint Consultative Committee referred to in paragraph 1 shall adopt its Rules of Procedure.
7. The Joint Consultative Committee referred to in paragraph 1 shall be co-chaired by a member of the Committee of the Regions and a representative of the local and regional authorities of Serbia.
8. The Committee of the Regions, on the one hand, and the Government of Serbia, on the other hand, shall each defray the expenses incurred by reason of the participation of their delegates and supporting staff in the meetings of the Joint Consultative Committee referred to in paragraph 1, in particular with regard to travel and subsistence expenditure.
9. Detailed arrangements on interpretation and translation costs shall be set out in the rules of procedure of the Joint Consultative Committee referred to in paragraph 1. Other expenditure relating to the material organisation of meetings shall be borne by the Party which hosts the meetings.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eudn/2013/489/attachment/1/article/15 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/eu-decision-2013-489/attachment-1/article-15
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.