Council Decision of 1 December 2009 laying down measures for the implementation of the European Council Decision on the exercise of the Presidency of the Council, and on the chairmanship of preparatory bodies of the Council

Article 1

The order in which the Member States shall hold the Presidency of the Council as from 1 July 2017 and until 31 December 2030, as well as the division of this order of Presidencies into groups of three Member States is set out in Annex I to this Decision.

Article 2

Article 3

The Council shall, before 31 December 2029, decide the order in which the Member States will hold the Presidency of the Council as from 1 January 2031.

Article 4

The preparatory bodies of the Foreign Affairs Council shall be chaired in accordance with the rules set out in Annex II.

Article 5

The Council preparatory bodies listed in Annex III shall be chaired by fixed chairs as set out in that Annex.

Article 6

This Decision shall enter into force on the day of its adoption.

It shall be published in the Official Journal of the European Union.

ANNEX I

Draft Table of Presidencies of the Council [^E0001]

Without prejudice to the United Kingdom's rights and obligations as a Member State.

The current trio is inserted in this Annex for information purposes.

ANNEX II

CHAIRMANSHIP OF THE PREPARATORY BODIES OF THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS COUNCIL ([^E0003])

The chairmanship of the preparatory bodies of the Foreign Affairs Council referred to in categories 1 to 4 in the table below shall be organised as follows:

• 1. Category 1 (preparatory bodies in the area of trade and development): The preparatory bodies shall be chaired by the six-monthly Presidency.

• 1. Category 2 (geographic preparatory bodies) The preparatory bodies shall be chaired by a representative of the High Representative.

• 1. Category 3 (horizontal preparatory bodies, mainly CFSP) The preparatory bodies shall be chaired by a representative of the High Representative, except the following preparatory bodies, which shall be chaired by the six-monthly Presidency:
• — Working Party of Foreign Relations Counsellors (RELEX),
• — Working Party on Terrorism (International Aspects) (COTER),
• — Working Party on the application of specific measures to combat terrorism (COCOP),
• — Working Party on Consular Affairs (COCON),
• — Working Party on Public International Law (COJUR), and
• — Working Party on the Law of the Sea (COMAR), and
• — Working Party on Defence Industry (DIWP).

• 1. Category 4 (CSDP-related preparatory bodies) The CSDP-related preparatory bodies shall be chaired by a representative of the High Representative ([^E0004]).

The High Representative and the six-monthly Presidency shall closely cooperate in order to ensure coherence among all the preparatory bodies for the Foreign Affairs Council.

For categories 3 and 4, the six-monthly Presidency shall continue to chair the preparatory bodies during a transitional period of up to six months after the adoption of the Council Decision on the organisation and functioning of the European External Action Service (EEAS). For category 2 this transitional period shall last up to 12 months.

Modalities for appointment of chairs

Where the European Council Decision or this Decision stipulates that a preparatory body (PSC and relevant working parties) shall be chaired by a representative of the High Representative, the responsibility for appointing the chair shall belong to the High Representative. These appointments shall be made on the basis of competence, while ensuring adequate geographical balance and transparency. The High Representative shall ensure that the person he or she intends to appoint as chairperson will enjoy the confidence of Member States. If that person is not yet a member of the EEAS, he or she shall become one in accordance with the EEAS recruitment procedures, at least for the time of the appointment. An evaluation of the functioning of this arrangement shall be made in the framework of the status report on the EEAS foreseen for 2012.

The question of the Working Party on Terrorism (International Aspects) (COTER) and of the Working Party on the application of specific measures to combat terrorism (COCOP) will also be dealt with in the framework of the discussion on the JHA working structures.

ANNEX III

CHAIRPERSONS OF COUNCIL PREPARATORY BODIES WITH A FIXED CHAIR

Elected chairs

Economic and Financial Committee

Employment Committee

Social Protection Committee

Military Committee ([^E0006])

Economic Policy Committee

Financial Services Committee

Military Committee Working Group (3)

Code of Conduct Group (Business Taxation)

European Research Area and Innovation Committee

Chaired by the General Secretariat of the Council

Security Committee

Working Party on Information

Working Party on Electronic Communications

Working Party on Codification of Legislation

Working Party of Legal-Linguistic Experts

Working Party on New Buildings

[^E0003]: A review of the scope and organisation of the working structures in the area of foreign affairs should be conducted swiftly after 1 December 2009, in particular as concerns the area of development. The arrangements on the chairmanship of the working parties reviewed should, if needed, be adapted according to the general principles set out in this Annex.

[^E0004]: The Military Committee (EUMC) and the Military Committee Working Group (EUMCWG) shall continue to be chaired by an elected chair, as shown in Annex III, as was the case before the entry into force of this Decision.

[^E0006]: See also Annex II.