Proposal for a Council Regulation (ECSC, EC, Euratom) amending the Staff Regulations of Officials of the European Communities (97/C 160/11) COM(97) 163 final - 97/0123(CNS)

(Submitted by the Commission on 22 April 1997)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing a single Council and a single Commission of the European Communities, and in particular Article 24 thereof,

Having regard to the proposal presented by the Commission after consulting the Staff Regulations Committee,

Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament,

Having regard to the opinion of the Court of Justice,

Having regard to the opinion of the Court of Auditors,

Whereas Article 1 of Annex II to Regulation (EEC, Euratom, ECSC) No 259/68, as last amended by Regulation (ECSC, EC, Euratom) No . . ., lays down the term of office of the members and alternates if any, of the Staff Committee;

Whereas that term of office, which is currently fixed at a maximum of two years, should be replaced by a term of three years to permit fuller implementation of the staff representatives' mandate;

Whereas it is unnecessary to amend the minimum term of office of members of the Staff Committee and their alternates,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

The first subparagraph of Article 1 (Section I) of Annex II to the Staff Regulations is replaced by the following:

'The Staff Committee shall comprise the members thereof, together with their alternates if any, whose term of office shall be three years. The institution may, however, decide to fix a shorter term of office, which may not be less than one year. Every official of the institution shall be entitled to vote and stand for election.`

Article 2

This Regulation shall enter into force on the day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.