EUROPEAN COMMISSION DIRECTORATE-GENERAL FOR AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT

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1 Ref. Ares(2011) /12/2011 fr ή- й- % *** it * EUROPEAN COMMISSION DIRECTORATE-GENERAL FOR AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT The Director-General Brussels, "' Uti., li'll GBDC/apj/D(2011) NOTE TO THE ATTENTION OF ALL DEPUTY-DIRECTORS GENERALS, DIRECTORS AND HEADS OF UNIT Subject: New structure of expert groups in DG AGRI At the occasion of preparing DG AGRI for the drafting of legal acts based on delegated powers as they will soon start to be conferred upon the Commission in basic acts of the EP and the Council, a new infrastructure of DG AGRI expert groups composed of the Member States and chaired by DG AGRI is hereby created. This note neither touches upon expert groups created by formal Commission Decisions nor upon Advisory Groups. This note shall take effect as from 1 January BACKGROUND The Lisbon Treaty revised the concepts of powers that may be given to the Commission by the legislator and now foresees Commission powers to adopt delegated acts (Article 290 TFEU) and implementing acts (Article 291 TFEU). Whilst the power to adopt "implementing acts" may (and will certainly normally) be conferred upon the Commission subject to the condition of asking an examination committee for its opinion, the adoption of delegated acts by the Commission cannot be submitted by the legislator to any kind of ex ante voting procedure. However, with regard to the adoption of delegated acts, the Commission has indeed stressed at several occasions that it intends to systematically consult experts from the national authorities of all Member States during the preparation of delegated acts except in cases where this preparatory work does not require any new expertise. Moreover, upon being requested by the European Parliament, the Commission may decide to invite the EP to send Parliament experts to attend Commission meetings with national experts which concern the preparation and implementation of Union legislation, including soft law and delegated acts. 1 cf. SEC(2011) 855 to which are annexed: (1) the SG/SJ Guidelines for the services of the Commission on delegated acts, (2) the Communication from the Commission to the EP and the Council Commission europėenne/europese Commissie, 1049 Bruxelles/Brussel, BELGIQUE/BELGIË -Tel

2 For the CAP, DG AGRI prepared a Commission Services Non-Paper of 3 March 2011, which was submitted to, and discussed in, the SCA. In that paper it is stated that the organisational set-up of expert groups should mirror the CAP's legislative structure. This possibility is also confirmed in the Guidelines on delegated acts (point 93) provided that the creation of new expert groups should not lead to an "inflation" of new groups exclusively devoted to the preparation of delegated acts. There are three types of expert groups in the CAP area: Advisory groups set up by a legal act; such groups pursue a different aim and their existence/structure is not affected by this note. β Formal expert groups, i.e. expert groups set up by a formal Commission Decision (= Rule 2(1) of the Commission Framework for Expert Groups 2 ); these groups are also set up for very particular purposes and are neither affected by this note.» Expert groups set up by a decision taken at the level of the Director General (= informal expert groups within the meaning of Rule 2(2) of the Commission Framework for Expert Groups). For the purpose of carrying out consultations on intended delegated acts, there is no need to create formal expert groups. Therefore, changes are only made as regards the informal expert groups mentioned in the last point above. 2. THE NEW STRUCTURE OF EXPERT GROUPS a) The following five new expert groups are created, reflecting the legislative structure of the CAP: > Expert Group for Agricultural Markets, in particular concerning aspects falling under the single CMO Regulation; > Expert Group for Direct Payments; > Expert Group for Rural Development; > Expert Group for sustainability and quality of agriculture and rural development; > Expert Group for Horizontal Questions concerning the CAP. b) In the light of these newly created expert groups, and also taking into account the need to avoid an "inflation" of expert groups, the existing expert groups have been reviewed, too. "Implementation of Article 290 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union", (also available as COM(2009) 673 final), and (3) the "Common Understanding" (between the EP, the Council and the Commission). See also the Framework Agreement on relations between the European Parliament and the European Commission (OJ L 304, , p. 47). C(2010) 7649 final.

3 Some ofthose groups are absorbed by the new expert groups mentioned in point (a) above, due to the fact that their subject-matter will already be covered by them. Those groups should be deleted and shall cease to exist on 31 December For yet a third group of existing expert groups it was found that, whilst their subject-matter is covered by one of the new expert groups set up in the previous point, it would nevertheless be useful to distinguish/identify such groups individually. They should therefore be maintained as sub-groups to the main five groups mentioned above. Their names need to be adapted accordingly. Finally, the expert group "EOI631 on agriculture in the Mediterranean Region" could not be submitted to any of the newly created ones and should therefore be maintained as such. 3. CONCLUSION» Part A of Annex I contains the new infrastructure of informal expert groups and their sub-groups set-up by this note. β Part Β of Annex I lists those expert groups that are being deleted by this note. * For purely informative purposes, Annex II gives an overview of all formal and informal expert groups (Part A), as well as of advisory groups (Part B), operated by DG AGRI. J. W SILVA RODRIGUEZ

4 ANNEX I PART A - INFRASTRUCTURE OF INFORMAL EXPERT GROUPS COMPOSED OF THE MEMBER STATES AND CHAIRED BY DG AGRI 1. Expert Group for Agricultural Markets, in particular concerning aspects falling under the single CMO Regulation; - Sub-group "arable crops" - Sub-group "olive oil" - Sub-group "Standardisation offrait & vegetables" - Sub-group "Wine" - Sub-group "Spiritual drinks" - Sub-group "Animal Products" - Sub-group "Beef carcase classification" - Sub-group "Pig carcase classification" 2. Expert Group for Direct Payments 4 3. Expert Group for Rural Development 4. Expert Group for sustainabiîity and quality of agriculture and rural development - Sub-group "Organic Farming" - Sub-group "Genetic Resources" Sub-group "Agriculture and Climate Change" 5. Expert Group for Horizontal Questions concerning the CAP - Sub-group "Information System for Agricultural Market Management and Monitoring (ISAMM)" - Sub-group "CAP communication" - Sub-group "Simplification" This sub-group also comprises other experts than Member states' experts. 4 The expert group for Direct Payments also covers aspects concerning POSEI and the Agean islands and questions on controls and sanctions falling within the IACS (other than cross compliance and FAS which are covered by a special sub-group underneath the Expert Group for Horizontal Questions concerning the CAP).

5 - Sub-group "Competition in agriculture" - Sub-group "Accountancy Network" - Sub-group "Certification of Accounts" - Sub-group "Cross-compliance and FAS" 6. Expert Group on agriculture in the Mediterranean Region

6 PART В - LIST OF DG AGRI INFORMAL EXPERT GROUPS THAT CEASE TO EXIST ON 31 DECEMBER Expert Groups related to the Expert Group for Agricultural Markets: a) Groups which are absorbed by the Single CMO Expert Group -E00135-Tabac -EOO 136- Houblon -EOO Semences -EOO 127- Beef and Veal -EOO Milk and Milk Products -EOO Sheepmeat and Goat meat -E Poultry meat and eggs markets -E00133-Apiculture -E00130-Pigmeat -EOI676 - Gestion simplifiée des contingents d'importations agricoles b) Groups which will continue to exist as sub-groups of the Expert Group for Agricultural Markets -E Groupe d'experts pour les cultures arables -EOO Groupe d'experts pour l'huile d'olive -EOO Normalisation fruits et legumes -EO Suivi de l'application des normes commerciales fruit et légumes -E00138-Vins -E Boissons spiritueuses -EOO Classification of Beef carcasses -E Pig carcase classification -E Groupe d'experts pour les produits animaux c) Groups whose reason of existence has already ceased -E "Haut niveau" Lait et produits laitiers (work of the high level group has ended)

7 Expert Groups related to the new Expert Group sustainability and quality of agriculture and rural development and maintained as sub-groups thereto -E Genetic Resources in Agriculture -EOO Legislation on Organic Farming -E Agriculture and Climate Change Expert Groups related to the new Expert Group for Horizontal Questions concerning the CAP and maintained as sub-groups thereto -E Réseau d'information comptable agricole -E Certification des comptes FEOGA, section "garantie" -E Pour un système d'échange d'information sur les marchés agricoles et la gestion du suivi (maintained as the new sub-group "Information System for Agricultural Market Management and Monitoring (ISAMM)") -EOI858 - Information et communication dans le domaine agricole -EOO Simplification de la legislation agricole -EOO Conditions de concurrence en agriculture

8 ANNEX II OVERVIEW ON ALL EXISTING EXPERT GROUPS (FORMAL, INFORMAL AND ADVISORY GROUPS) OPERATED BY DG AGRI Part A - Informal and formal expert groups INFORMAL EXPERT GROUPS (same list as ia Part A of Annex I but without sub-groups) FORMAL EXPERT GROUPS (created by legal act) EOI631 - Expert group on agriculture in the Mediterranean Region Expert Group for Agricultural Markets, in particular concerning aspects falling under the single CMO Regulation Expert Group for Direct Payments E Expert group EU School Fruit Scheme E Groupe d'experts pour la fourniture de denrées alimentaires au bénéfice des personnes les plus démunies de la Communauté Board of experts in monitoring water content in poultrymeat Commission européenne/europese Commissie, 1049 Bruxelles/Brussel, BELGIQUE/BELGIË - Tel

9 Expert Group for Rural Development E LEADER subcommittee of the European Network for Rural Development E Coordination committee of the European Network for Rural development E Expert committee on evaluation of Rural Development Programmes Expert Group for sustainability and quality agriculture and rural development of E Expert group for technical advice on organic production E00117 / EOI Scientific committee for designations of origin, geographical indications and certificates of specific character // Groupe scientifique d'experts pour les appellations d'origine, indications géographiques et spécialités traditionnelles garanties X Contrôle des opérations faisant partie du système de financement par le FEOGA-garantie Expert Group for Horizontal Questions concerning the CAP

10 Part В - Advisory Groups ADVISORY GROUPS E Groupe consultatif "Qualité de la production agricole" E Groupe consultatif "Agriculture biologique" E Groupe consultatif "Promotion des produits agricoles" E0009Q - Groupe consultatif "Politique agricole commune" E Groupe consultatif "Céréales, oléagineux et protéagineux" E Groupe consultatif "Fourrages séchés" E Groupe consultatif "Amidon" E Groupe consultatif "Semences" E Groupe consultatif "Sucre" E Groupe consultatif "Riz" E Groupe consultatif "Cultures énergétiques et non alimentaires" 10

11 Е Groupe consultatif "Coton" E Groupe consultatif "Lin et chanvre" EOO Groupe consultatif "Lait" E Groupe consultatif "Viande bovine" EOO Groupe consultatif "Viande ovine et caprine" EOO Groupe consultatif "Viande porcine" E Groupe consultatif "Viande de volailles et œufs" E Groupe consultatif "Apiculture" E Groupe consultatif "Fruits et légumes" E Groupe consultatif "Floriculture et plantes ornementales" E Groupe consultatif "Vitivinicole" EOO Groupe consultatif "Boissons spiritueuses" E Groupe consultatif "Olives et produits dérivés" E Groupe consultatif "Tabac" E Groupe consultatif "Houblon" E Groupe consultatif "Forêts, y inclus liège" 11

12 EOOl 14 - Groupe consultatif "Développement rural" EOOl 15 - Groupe consultatif "Femmes en milieu rural" EOOl 16 - Groupe consultatif "Agriculture et environnement" 12