INHALT

Rules of Procedure and Code of Conduct for members of the European Economic and Social Committee (MAY 2022)

RULES OF PROCEDURE AND CODE OF CONDUCT FOR MEMBERS OF THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE
(MAY 2022)
PREAMBLE
PART ONE
ORGANISATION OF THE COMMITTEE
TITLE I
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE
Rule 1 – Members of the Committee
Rule 2 – Members’ Statute
Rule 3 – Code of Conduct
Rule 4 – Termination of members’ tenure of office
TITLE II
BODIES OF THE COMMITTEE
Chapter I
General points
Rule 5 – Executive bodies, compositions and structure
Chapter II
The groups
Rule 6 – Composition and role of the groups
Rule 7 – Group presidents
Rule 8 – Members not belonging to a group
Chapter III
The assembly
Rule 9 – Composition of the assembly
Rule 10 – Powers of the assembly
Chapter IV
The bureau of the Committee
Rule 11 – Composition of the bureau
Rule 12 – Powers of the bureau
Rule 13 – Authorisation of activities
Rule 14 – Evaluation of policies
Rule 15 – Working procedures of the Committee bureau
Rule 16 – Instructions for the purposes of external or interinstitutional cooperation
Rule 17 – Commission for financial and budgetary affairs (CAF)
Rule 18 – Communication commission (COCOM)
Chapter V
The presidency
Rule 19 – The president of the Committee
Rule 20 – The presidency
Rule 21 – The enlarged presidency
Chapter VI
The sections
Rule 22 – Formation of the sections
Rule 23 – Members of the sections
Rule 24 – Section presidencies and bureaux
Rule 25 – Tasks of the sections
Chapter VII
Subcommittees and observatories
Rule 26 – Subcommittees
Rule 27 – Observatories
Chapter VIII
Consultative commissions
Rule 28 – Consultative Commission on Industrial Change (CCMI)
Rule 29 – The establishment of other consultative commissions
Chapter IX
Dialogue with economic and social organisations in EU and non-EU states
Rule 30 – Relations with external organisations
Rule 31 – Delegations and joint consultative committees
Chapter X
Other bodies
Rule 32 – The quaestors’ group
Rule 33 – Ethical committee
Rule 34 – Audit committee
Rule 35 – Permanent groups
Chapter XI
Categories
Rule 36 – Categories
PART TWO
PROCEDURES
TITLE I
PROCEDURE FOR INSTALLING THE COMMITTEE IN OFFICE AND ELECTION AND APPOINTMENT PROCEDURES
Chapter I
Procedure for installing the Committee in office
Rule 37 – First assembly session and installation of the Committee in office
Rule 38 – Mid-term renewal session
Chapter II
Election and appointment procedures
Section 1 – Procedure for the election of bureau members
Rule 39 – Election panel and lists of candidates for the election of bureau members
Rule 40 – Election of bureau members
Rule 41 – Conditions for the election of bureau members
Rule 42 – Replacement of a bureau member
Section 2 – Procedure for the election of other positions of responsibility
Rule 43 – Procedure for the election of other positions of responsibility by the assembly
Rule 44 – Procedure for the appointment of rapporteurs and study group members
Section 3 – Participation of the groups in election and appointment procedures
Rule 45 – Groups’ proposals
TITLE II
THE CONSULTATIVE PROCEDURE
Chapter I
General points
Rule 46 – Performance of consultative duties
Rule 47 – Committee opinions
Rule 48 – Evaluation reports
Rule 49 – Information reports
Rule 50 – Resolutions on current topics
Chapter II
Initiation of the consultative procedure
Rule 51 – Initiation of the procedure by referral from the institutions
Rule 52 – Initiation of the procedure on the Committee’s own initiative
Chapter III
Work of the sections
Section 1 – Preparation of the work of the sections
Rule 53 – Designation of sections and allocation of opinions
Rule 54 – Preparatory work of the sections
Rule 55 – Study groups
Rule 56 – Supplementary opinions
Section 2 – Holding section meetings
Rule 57 – Section meetings
Rule 58 – Joint meetings
Rule 59 – Section quorum
Rule 60 – Section opinions
Section 3 – Procedures following section meetings
Rule 61 – Sending section opinions to the assembly
Rule 62 – Re-examination of section opinions
Chapter IV
Work of the assembly
Section 1 – Preparation of the work of the assembly
Rule 63 – Preparatiry session of plenaons
Rule 64 – Setting the agenda
Rule 65 – Tabling of amendments
Section 2 – Holding plenary sessions
Rule 66 – Opening the session and establishing the quorum
Rule 67 – Adoption of the agenda
Rule 68 – Deliberation and votes
Rule 69 – Speaking time
Rule 70 – Dealing with amendments
Rule 71 – Counter-opinions
Rule 72 – Minutes of the plenary session
Rule 73 – Closing of the plenary session
Section 3 – Procedures following plenary sessions
Rule 74 – Content of Committee opinions sent to the institutions
Rule 75 – Sending opinions
Chapter V
Common provisions
Section 1 – Voting
Rule 76 – Voting
Section 2 – Rapporteurs
Rule 77 – Duties of rapporteurs
Rule 78 – Rapporteur working alone
Rule 79 – Rapporteur-general
Section 3 – Hearings
Rule 80 – Hearings
Section 4 – Advisors
Rule 81 – Advisors
Rule 82 – Advisors to rapporteurs
Rule 83 – Advisors to groups
Section 5 – Absence and representation
Rule 84 – Delegation of voting rights
Rule 85 – Representation
Rule 86 – Substitution in a study group
Rule 87 – Alternates
Section 6 – Working procedures of the CCMI
Rule 88 – Specific features of the CCMI
TITLE III
OTHER PROCEDURES
Chapter I
Urgency procedures
Rule 89 – Urgency at assembly level
Rule 90 – Urgency at bureau level
Rule 91 – Urgency at section level
Chapter II
Procedures related to members
Rule 92 – Motion of no confidence
Rule 93 – Removal from office
Rule 94 – Disciplinary procedure
Rule 95 – Waiver of immunity
Rule 96 – Assistance
Chapter III
Publication and distribution of texts
Rule 97 – Publication
Rule 98 – Transparency, openness and right of access to Committee documents
Rule 99 – Public nature of Committee meetings
PART THREE
ADMINISTRATION OF THE COMMITTEE
Chapter I
General secretariat
Rule 100 – General secretariat
Rule 101 – Secretary-general
Chapter II
Officials and other staff
Rule 102 – Powers of the appointing authority
Rule 103 – Powers of the authority empowered to conclude contracts (AECC)
Rule 104 – Other provisions of the Staff Regulations
Rule 105 – Selection of the secretary-general
Rule 106 – Selection of other positions in the hierarchy
Chapter III
Secretariats
Rule 107 – Secretariat of the Committee president
Rule 108 – Section secretariats
Rule 109 – Group secretariats
Chapter IV
Budget
Rule 110 – Drawing up the Committee’s budget
Chapter V
Miscellaneous
Rule 111 – Correspondence
Rule 112 – Principles for the holding of meetings
PART FOUR
FINAL PROVISIONS
Rule 113 – Gender and terminology
Rule 114 – Symbols of the Committee
Rule 115 – Revision of the Rules of Procedure
Rule 116 – Adoption of the Implementing Provisions of the Rules of Procedure
Rule 117 – Entry into force of the Rules of Procedure
ANNEX
CODE OF CONDUCT FOR MEMBERS OF THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE
PART I – STANDARDS AND PRINCIPLES
Article 1
General principles
Article 2
Principles of conduct
Article 3
Disclosure of information
Article 4
Appropriate behaviour
Article 5
Prevention of harassment
Article 6
Integrity and financial transparency
Article 7
Declaration of financial interests
Article 8
Conflicts of interests
PART II – ETHICAL COMMITTEE
Article 9
Ethical committee
Article 10
Members of the ethical committee
PART III – PROCEDURE IN THE EVENT OF POSSIBLE BREACHES OF ETHICAL STANDARDS
Article 11
Opening of the procedure
Article 12
Investigation
Article 13
Reasoned decision
Article 14
Penalties
Article 15
Internal appeal procedure
Article 16
Early termination of an office
PART IV – FINAL PROVISIONS
Article 17
Investigations conducted by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF)
Article 18
Application of the Code