Document/Miscellaneous F CES5297-2002 D EN

European Economic and Social Committee

BUREAU

482nd MEETING – 23 OCTOBER 2002

Subject:Agenda item 9b)

Setting up of the Consultative Commission on Industrial Change (CCIC)

(Rule 24.3 of the RP)

FOR DECISION

• to set up the Consultative Commission on Industrial Change and to forward this decision to the Assembly for approval,
• to propose to the Assembly the list of the EESC members and the delegates for the CCIC,
• to approve the CCIC's strategy and operational methods,
• to take account of the Consultative Committee's new structure when making referrals.

1.Introduction

On the basis of:

the Commission communication The future of structured dialogue after the expiry of the ECSC Treaty[1], concerning the incorporation of the ECSC Consultative Committee's structured sectoral dialogue into the European Economic and Social Committee's remit;

the agreement reached between the ECSC Consultative Committee and the European Economic and Social Committee[2];

the European Economic and Social Committee's supplementary and amending budget referred to below as SAB 2002, which detail the arrangements and structures necessary for the purpose of incorporating ECSC activities into the EESC's remit on expiry of the ECSC Treaty[3];

the EESC's Rules of Procedure (Rule 24.3), and the implementing measures,

the European Economic and Social Committee sets up the Consultative Commission on Industrial Change – referred to below as the CCIC.

2.The CCIC's aim

2.1Remit

In line with the SAB 2002, approved by the budgetary authorities, the CCIC's remit:

• "will cover the areas of the coal and steel industries, and their production and consumption chains, in which the Community is active;

• will be progressively extended to the handling of industrial change in all the sectors of activity and the repercussions of this (e.g. with regard to employment, social and structural policy measures, aid and competition policy, industrial change, research and technological development, environmental and sustainable development policy, energy policy, trade policy);

• will focus particularly on EU enlargement and the handling of industrial change in the new Member States"[4].

2.2Types of activities

The CCIC may be authorised by the Bureau to draw up mandatory opinions as well as optional and exploratory opinions at the request of the institutions (Commission, European Parliament, Council).

In addition, the CCIC may be authorised by the Bureau and the Assembly to draw up own-initiative opinions and information reports and to organise conferences and hearings.[5]

CCIC opinions are adopted by the Committee in plenary.

2.3Work programme

The CCIC shall submit to the Bureau a work programme taking account of the objectives submitted to the budgetary authorities[6] and of its specified internal working arrangements. The CCIC president shall send the Bureau regular progress reports on the CCIC's work.

2.4After two years of activity the Bureau shall undertake an appraisal of the CCIC's operation and impact.

3.Form and composition

3.1Composition

The CCIC is made up of 24 members of the EESC and 30 external delegates "from ECSC socio-occupational organisations, progressively extended to the other sectors concerned by the modernisation of the economy, embracing all the interests involved (industry – commerce – SMEs – labour – consumers – environment)."[7]

3.2Appointment of delegates

3.2.1The Assembly appoints delegates for a period of two years, on the basis of a decision by the Committee Bureau. The Bureau may terminate a delegate's term of office at any time. Delegates may be represented by an alternate, whose name and qualifications must be communicated to the Committee Bureau.

3.2.2Under the agreement concluded with the ECSC CC, external delegates are initially appointed on the basis of proposals by the outgoing ECSC Consultative Committee[8] (the list of delegates nominated for the first term is appended). Delegates' terms of office may be renewed.

3.2.3In the event of a delegate being replaced, the Assembly appoints his/her successor on proposal by the Committee Bureau, taking heed to choose a delegate from the same sector and the same group, after consultation of the relevant European socio-occupational organisation.

3.2.4The Bureau reserves the right to review, after two years, the list of socio-occupational organisations which has been submitted toit by the ESCS CC, in the light of the development of the CCIC's responsibilities.

4.Presidency and internal structures

4.1The CCIC shall be presided by an EESC member, assisted by a co-president to be chosen from among its delegates.

4.2For the purpose of preparing the CCIC's work, the president is assisted by a bureau consisting of 3 members and 3 delegates, to include the president and co-president.

4.3The president shall be elected by the Committee for a period of two years. The co-president and the bureau are elected for two years by the CCIC, by a simple majority. The president, co-president and other bureau members may be re-elected.

5.Operational procedures

5.1Only EESC members have voting rights in the CCIC. Delegates take part in the discussions but have no voting rights.

5.2In drawing up opinions, the rules governing the EESC's sections are applicable mutatis mutandis. The rapporteur, who shall be a member of the EESC, may be assisted by a co-rapporteur to be chosen from among the delegates on the CCIC.

5.3The CCIC shall adopt its own operational procedures in accordance with the EESC Rules of Procedure. These shall be submitted to the Committee Bureau for approval.

Excerpt from the EESC Rules of Procedure

(CES 859/2002)

Chapter VII

CONSULTATIVE COMMISSIONS

Rule 24

1.The Committee shall have the option of setting up consultative commissions. These shall be made up of members of the Committee and of delegates from areas of civil society that the Committee wishes to involve in its work.

2.Such commissions shall be set up by a decision of the plenary assembly which shall confirm a decision taken by the bureau. The decision setting up such commissions shall define their object, their structure, their composition, their duration and their rules.

3.In accordance with Rule 24(1) and (2), a "consultative commission on industrial change" (CCIC) may be set up, made up of members of the European Economic and Social Committee and delegates from professional organisations representing the coal and steel sector and related sectors.

List of members proposed by the representative European coal and steel sector organisations for the new Consultative Commission on Industrial Change to be affiliated to the European Economic and Social Committee in accordance with the agreement concluded with the outgoing ECSC Consultative Committee

[1]COM(2000) 588 final; see Treaty establishing the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC)

[2]SAB 2002 (R/CES 230/2002 rev. Item 7e); R/CES 998/2001 rev. 1

[3]SAB 2002, point 2 (R/CES 230/2002 rev. Item 7e)

[4]Idem

[5]see appended ECSC Consultative Committ