List of Council preparatory bodies - Main contents

Document date	19-06-2017
Publication date	20-06-2017
Reference	10075/17
From	General Secretariat of the Council
External link	original article
Original document in PDF

Council of the European Union

Brussels, 19 June 2017 (OR. en)

10075/17

POLGEN 87

NOTE

From: General Secretariat of the Council

To: Delegations

Subject: List of Council preparatory bodies

• 1. 

  The list of Council preparatory bodies is attached in Annex I 1 .

• 2. 

  For preparatory bodies marked with a single asterisk, all delegates should have a valid EU

  personnel security clearance at least to the level SECRET UE/EU SECRET. For preparatory

bodies marked with a double asterisk, all delegates should have a valid EU personnel security

clearance at least to the level CONFIDENTIEL UE/EU CONFIDENTIAL 2 .

• 3. 

  Annex II sets out certain security requirements governing access to meetings, in particular

  where classified information is discussed.

1 This list does not include Joint Committees and other bodies with third countries. Nor does it

include certain bodies (e.g. the Schengen Joint Supervisory Authority and the Standing Committee on Employment) which, although they meet in the Council building, are not Council preparatory bodies.

2 These references in Annex I cancel and replace 8683/05 + COR 1.

• 4. 

  Annex III lists all the preparatory bodies with a fixed chair (i.e. committees or Working

Parties with an elected/appointed chair, chaired by a representative of the High Representative

or chaired by the General Secretariat of the Council).

• 5. 

  Committees or Working Parties may only be set up by, or with the approval of, the Council or

  Coreper. Only the committees and Working Parties on this list may meet as Council

preparatory bodies (Article 19(3) of the Council's Rules of Procedure). Ad hoc Working

Parties cease to exist once their terms of reference have been fulfilled. Their terms of

reference should expressly state this rule or be time-limited.

• 6. 

  Substantial and important new technical proposals requiring specific expertise should, as

  a rule, be included within the remit of the competent existing Working Party. If necessary for

practical reasons, a specific sub-area may be listed rather than creating a new permanent or

ad hoc Working Party. The listing of sub-areas does not imply that Working Party remits are

confined to the sub-areas in question; Working Parties cover any other matters falling within

their general scope. The Presidency may request the listing of such sub-areas on the basis of

practical need.

• 7. 

  Meetings should only be convened when a sufficiently substantive agenda exists or objective

  deadlines require it.

ANNEX I

LIST OF COUNCIL PREPARATORY BODIES

• A. 

  Committees established by the Treaties, by intergovernmental decision, by Council act and groups closely associated with Coreper 4

• B. 

  General Affairs 7

• C. 

  Foreign Affairs 8

• D. 

  Economic and Financial Affairs 10

• E. 

  Justice and Home Affairs 11

• F. 

  Agriculture and Fisheries 12

• G. 

  Competitiveness (Internal Market, Industry, Research and Space) 14

• H. 

  Transport/Telecommunications/Energy 15

• I. 

  Employment/Social Policy/Health/Consumer Affairs 15

• J. 

  Environment 15

• K. 

  Education/Youth/Culture/Sport 15 COMMITTEES ESTABLISHED BY THE TREATIES

A.1 Permanent Representatives Committee (Coreper) * - Part II

• - 

  Part I

• - 

  Article 50 3

A.2 Economic and Financial Committee 4 (°) ** A.3 Employment Committee 5 (°) A.4 Trade Policy Committee (TPC) 6 **

• - 

  Full Members - Deputies - Experts (STIS, Services and Investment)

A.5 Political and Security Committee (PSC)(°°) *

A.6 Standing Committee on Operational Cooperation on Internal Security (COSI) 7 * A.7 Social Protection Committee 8 (°)

• * 

  All delegates should be security cleared at least to the level SECRET UE/EU SECRET.

** All delegates should be security cleared at least to the level CONFIDENTIEL UE/EU

CONFIDENTIAL. (°) Committees and Working Parties with elected/appointed chairs. (°°) Committees and Working Parties chaired by a representative of the High Representative of

the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

3 Following the notification by the United Kingdom under Article 50 TEU, the members of

the European Council, the Council and its preparatory bodies representing the United Kingdom do not participate in the discussions or in decisions concerning it. In these instances, Coreper (Article 50) is convened.

4 This advisory body, established under Article 134 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the

European Union (TFEU), formulates opinions at the request of either the Council or the Commission and contributes to the preparation of Council proceedings. It has an elected chair and its secretariat is provided by the Commission (OJ L 158, 27.6.2003, p. 58).

5 This advisory body, established under Article 150 of the TFEU, formulates opinions at the

request of either the Council or the Commission or on its own initiative and contributes to the preparation of Council proceedings. It has an elected chair and its secretariat is provided by the Commission (OJ L 121, 14.5.2015, p. 12).

6 The Trade Policy Committee assists the Commission in the negotiation of trade agreements

and advises the Commission on the common commercial policy. Its consultative role is without prejudice to the functions of the relevant geographical Working Parties responsible for bilateral relations with third countries (16864/09 and 5662/10).

7 This Committee, provided for by Article 71 of the TFEU, was set up by Council Decision

2010/131/EU of 25 February 2010 (OJ L 52, 3.3.2010, p. 50).

8 This advisory body, established under Article 160 of the TFEU, prepares reports, formulates

opinions or undertakes other work within its fields of competence at the request of either the Council or the Commission or on its own initiative. It has an elected chair and its secretariat is provided by the Commission (OJ L 121, 14.5.2015, p. 16).

COMMITTEE ESTABLISHED BY INTERGOVERNMENTAL DECISION

A.8 Special Committee on Agriculture (SCA) 9

COMMITTEES AND GROUPS ESTABLISHED BY COUNCIL ACT

A.9 European Union Military Committee (EUMC) 10 (°) *

A.10 Committee for Civilian Aspects of Crisis Management (CivCom) 11 (°°) *

A.11 Economic Policy Committee 12 (°)

A.12 Financial Services Committee 13 (°)

A.13 Security Committee 14 (°°°) *

• - 

  Information Assurance (AQUAs, Tempest Experts: Implementation Tempest

Taskforce/ITTF) 15

• - 

  Security Accreditation Board (SAB)

A.19 Ad hoc Working Party on Article 50 TEU 16 (°°°)

• * 

  All delegates should be security cleared at least to the level SECRET UE/EU SECRET.

(°) Committees and Working Parties with elected/appointed chairs.

(°°) Committees and Working Parties chaired by a representative of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

(°°°) Committees and Working Parties chaired by the General Secretariat of the Council.

9 The Special Committee on Agriculture (SCA) was established by a decision of the

Representatives of the Governments of the Member States on 12 May 1960 to prepare decisions of the Agriculture Council.

10 Council Decision 2001/79/CFSP of 22 January 2001, OJ L 27, 30.1.2001, p. 4. This

Committee has an elected chair, as is confirmed by note 2 to Annex II to Council Decision 2009/908/EU of 1 December 2009, OJ L 322, 9.12.2009, p. 28.

11 Council Decision 2000/354/CFSP of 22 May 2000, OJ L 127, p. 1.

12 Council Decision 2000/604/EC of 29 September 2000, OJ L 257, 11.10.2000, p. 28. This

Committee has an elected chair and its secretariat is provided by the Commission.

13 Council Decision of 18 February 2003, OJ L 67, 12.3.2003, p. 17.

14 Council Decision 2013/488/EU of 23 September 2013, OJ L 274, 15.10.2013, p. 1

(Article 17).

15 Council Decision 2013/488/EU of 23 September 2013, OJ L 274, 15.10.2013, p. 1

(Article 17 (3)).

16 Council Decision 2017/900 of 22 May 2017, OJ L 138, 25.05.2017, p. 138.

GROUPS CLOSELY ASSOCIATED WITH COREPER

A.14 Antici Group *

Antici Article 50 Group* 17

A.15 Mertens Group *

A.16 Friends of the Presidency Group

• - 

  Regulatory procedure with scrutiny (RPS) adaptation 18

• - 

  Integrated Political Crisis Response arrangements and Solidarity Clause Implementation (IPCR/SCI) - Integrated Maritime Policy (IMP) - EU Maritime Security Strategy (EUMSS) - Macro-regional Strategies - Valletta Summit on Migration - Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) Review/Revision/Omnibus financial regulation

• - 

  External Investment Plan/European Fund for Sustainable Development (EIP/EFSD) 19

• - 

  EU approach to international cultural relations

• - 

  Implementation of Action 1 of the Joint Framework on countering hybrid threats 20

COUNSELLORS/ATTACHES

A.18 Counsellors/Attachés 21

• * 

  All delegates should be security cleared at least to the level SECRET UE/EU SECRET.

17 Following the notification by the United Kingdom under Article 50 TEU, the members of

the European Council, the Council and its preparatory bodies representing the United Kingdom do not participate in the discussions or in decisions concerning it. In these instances, Coreper (Article 50) is convened.

18 5707/17

19 12293/16

20 9502/17

21 Formal Counsellor or Attaché meetings are convened and organised based on established

practices.

GENERAL AFFAIRS

B.1 Working Party on General Affairs

B.3 High-Level Working Group on Asylum and Migration 22

B.4 Horizontal Working Party on Drugs (HDG) 23

B.5 Working Party on Structural Measures

B.6 Working Party on Outermost Regions

B.7 Working Party on Atomic Questions **

B.8 Working Party on Statistics 24

B.9 Working Party on Information (°°°)

B.11 Coordination Committee for Communication and Information Systems (CCCIS) 25 (°°°) * - CCCIS (TECH) 26

B.12 Working Party on Codification of Legislation (°°°)

B.13 Working Party of Legal/Linguistic Experts (°°°)

B.14 Working Party on the Court of Justice

B.15 Working Party on the Staff Regulations

B.17 Ad hoc Working Party on the follow-up to the Council conclusions on Cyprus of

26 April 2004 27

B.18 Ad hoc Working Party on the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism for Bulgaria and

Romania 28

B.19 Working Party on Enlargement and Countries Negotiating Accession to the EU 29

B.21 Working Party on E-Law(°°°) 30

• * 

  All delegates should be security cleared at least to the level SECRET UE/EU SECRET.

** All delegates should be security cleared at least to the level CONFIDENTIEL UE/EU

CONFIDENTIAL. (°°°) Committees and Working Parties chaired by the General Secretariat of the Council.

22 Approved by the Council on 25 January 1999 and updated on 3 June 2002.

23 The Horizontal Working Party retains a general overview of all drug-related questions.

The Presidency and the General Secretariat will accordingly ensure that it receives information on all drug-related issues being handled in other Working Parties.

24 Deals in particular with Economic and Financial Affairs Council (ECOFIN), internal market,

agricultural and fisheries, social policy and health/consumer protection statistics. This Working Party retains a general overview of all statistical questions. The Presidency and the General Secretariat accordingly ensure that it receives information on all statistics-related issues being dealt with in other Working Parties (cf. 7003/03, p. 2).

25 14195/10

26 5189/11

27 11083/1/04 REV 1

28 5144/07

29 10249/06

30 16113/10

FOREIGN AFFAIRS

C.1 Working Party of Foreign Relations Counsellors (RELEX) *

• - 

  Sanctions 31

C.2 Working Party on Public International Law **

• - 

  International Criminal Court

C.3 Working Party on the Law of the Sea

C.4 United Nations Working Party (CONUN) (°°) **

C.5 Working Party on Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe(OSCE) and the Council of Europe (COSCE) (°°) **

C.6 Working Party on Human Rights (COHOM) (°°) **

C.7 Working Party on Transatlantic Relations (COTRA) (°°) *

C.9 Working Party on Eastern Europe and Central Asia (COEST) (°°) *

C.10 Working Party on European Free Trade Association (EFTA) 32 **

C.11 Working Party on the Western Balkans Region (COWEB) (°°) *

C.12 Ad hoc Working Party on the Middle East Peace Process (COMEPP) (°°) *

C.13 Middle East/Gulf Working Party (MOG)(°°) *

C.14 Mashreq/Maghreb Working Party (MAMA)(°°) *

C.15 Africa Working Party (COAFR) 33 (°°) *

C.16 African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Working Party 34 **

C.17 Asia-Oceania Working Party (COASI) (°°) *

C.18 Working Party on Latin America and the Caribbean (COLAC) (°°) *

C.19 Working Party on Terrorism (International Aspects) (COTER) *

C.20 Working Party on Non-Proliferation (CONOP) (°°) *

C.21 Working Party on Conventional Arms Exports (COARM) (°°) *

C.22 Working Party on Global Disarmament and Arms Control (CODUN) (°°) **

• - 

  Space

• * 

  All delegates should be security cleared at least to the level SECRET UE/EU SECRET.

** All delegates should be security cleared at least to the level CONFIDENTIEL UE/EU

CONFIDENTIAL. (°°) Committees and Working Parties chaired by a representative of the High Representative of

the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

31 5603/04

32 In addition to the EFTA countries and the Faroe Islands, this Working Party covers matters

relating to Monaco, Andorra, San Marino and the Holy See.

33 8745/08

34 Includes ACP/FIN.

C.23 Working Party on Dual-Use Goods **

C.25 Politico-Military Group (PMG)(°°) *

C.26 Military Committee Working Group (EUMCWG) 35 (°) *

• - 

  Headline Goal Task Force (HTF)

C.27 Working Party on Trade Questions **

C.28 Working Party on the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP)

C.30 Working Party on Development Cooperation (CODEV) **

C.31 Working Party on Preparation for International Development Conferences **

C.32 Working Party on Humanitarian Aid and Food Aid (COHAFA)

C.33 Working Party on Commodities (PROBA)

C.34 Working Party on Consular Affairs (COCON) **

C.36 Nicolaidis Group 36 (°°) *

C.38 Working Party on restrictive measures to combat terrorism (COMET) 37 *

• * 

  All delegates should be security cleared at least to the level SECRET UE/EU SECRET.

** All delegates should be security cleared at least to the level CONFIDENTIEL UE/EU

CONFIDENTIAL. (°) Committees and Working Parties with elected/appointed chairs. (°°) Committees and Working Parties chaired by a representative of the High Representative of

the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

35 This Working Group has an elected chair (see note 2 to Annex II to Council Decision

2009/908/EU of 1 December 2009, OJ L 322, 9.12.2009, p. 28). Experts may be convened to

meet concurrently with the Working Group meeting (400/1/00 ADD 1 REV 2, pp. 37-95).

36 8441/03

37 14612/1/16 REV 1

ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL AFFAIRS D.1 Working Party on Own Resources

D.2 Working Party of Financial Counsellors

D.3 Working Party on Financial Services

D.4 Working Party on Tax Questions

• - 

  Indirect Taxation - Direct Taxation

D.5 Code of Conduct Group (Business Taxation) 38 (°)

• - 

  Subgroup A 39 - Subgroup B 40

• - 

  Subgroup (Anti-abuse issues related to inbound and outbound profit transfers and

  mismatches between tax systems) 41 - Subgroup third countries 42

• - 

  Subgroup (third and fourth criteria of the Code) 43

D.6 High Level Working Party 44

D.7 Budget Committee

D.8 Working Party on Combating Fraud

D.9 Working Party on Insurance 45

D.11 Export Credits Group 46

D.14 Ad hoc Working Party on the Strengthening of the Banking Union

(°) Committees and Working Parties with elected/appointed chairs.

38 High-level representatives of the Finance Ministers.

39 12530/98, point 13

40 12530/98, point 13

41 11967/09, point 4

42 Report endorsed by ECOFIN on 17 June 2016 (9912/16, items 46 and 48).

43 Council conclusions adopted at ECOFIN on 8 March 2016 (6900/16, item 10).

44 Established to ensure the coordination of work including to achieve parallel progress on

the tax package (9915/01).

45 5441/07 - Listed here since 'insurance' is dealt with by ECOFIN.

46 Tasks defined in S/477e/74, Council Decision of 27.9.1960.

JUSTICE AND HOME AFFAIRS

E.1 Strategic Committee on Immigration, Frontiers and Asylum (SCIFA) 47

E.2 Working Party on Integration, Migration and Expulsion

E.3 Visa Working Party

E.4 Asylum Working Party

E.6 Working Party on Frontiers 48

E.7 Working Party on Civil Law Matters

E.12 Working Party on Terrorism

E.13 Customs Cooperation Working Party

E.14 Working Party on Cooperation in Criminal Matters 49

E.15 Working Party on Substantive Criminal Law

E.21 Working Party on Civil Protection (PROCIV) **

E.22 Working Party on Fundamental Rights, Citizens' Rights and Free Movement of Persons

(FREMP) 50

E.23 Working Party on Information Exchange and Data Protection 51

E.24 Justice and Home Affairs-Foreign Relations Counsellors (JAI-RELEX) Working Party 52

E.25 Coordinating Committee in the area of police and judicial cooperation in criminal

matters (CATS) 53

E.26 Law Enforcement Working Party

E.27 Working Party for Schengen Matters

E.28 Working Party on General Matters including Evaluation

E.30 Horizontal Working Party on Cyber Issues (Cyber) 54

** All delegates should be security cleared at least to the level CONFIDENTIEL UE/EU

CONFIDENTIAL.

47 17182/11 endorsed by Coreper on 23-24 November 2011 and 12516/15 endorsed by

the Council on 8 October 2015.

48 Including false documents.

49 OJ L 52, 3.3.2010, p. 50.

50 Coreper (Part 2) of 27 April 2005 (8457/05 CRS CRP 20). On 17 December 2009, Coreper

decided to task this Working Party with all matters relating to fundamental rights and citizens'

rights, including free movement of persons, negotiations on accession of the Union to

the ECHR and the follow-up of reports from the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights.

The Working Party should be able to meet in different formations whenever necessary

depending on the subject on the agenda. Made permanent by Coreper on 17 December 2009

(17653/09).

51 6259/5/06 REV 5, 9208/1/08 REV 1 (17653/09).

52 14431/1/08. Made permanent by Coreper on 17 December 2009 (17653/09).

53 16070/09 and 17187/11.

54 13114/16 + COR 1

AGRICULTURE/FISHERIES

F.1 High Level Group on Agriculture 55

F.2 Working Party on Agricultural Structures and Rural Development - Agriculture and Environment

• - 

  Rural Development - Outermost Regions and Aegean Islands

F.3 Working Party on Horizontal Agricultural Questions

• - 

  Simplification of the EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP)

• - 

  Strengthening of Controls 56

F.4 Working Party on the Promotion of Agricultural Products

F.5 Working Party on Genetic Resources in Agriculture

F.6 Working Party on Foodstuff Quality

• - 

  Organic Farming - Geographical Indications and Designations of Origin - Certificates of Specific Character

F.7 Working Party on Animal Products

F.8 Working Party on Arable Crops

F.9 Working Party on Sugar and Isoglucose

F.10 Working Party on Fruit and Vegetables

F.11 Working Party on Olive Oil 57

F.12 Working Party on Wines and Alcohol 58

F.13 Working Party on Special Plant Products

F.14 Working Party on Products not listed in Annex I

F.15 Working Party on Financial Agricultural Questions (AGRIFIN) F.16 Working Party on Forestry

F.17 Working Party on Agricultural Questions

• - 

  Labelling of Processed Agricultural Products - Feedingstuffs - Seeds and Propagating Material - Harmful Organisms - Pesticide Residues - Pesticides/Plant Protection Products - Plant Breeder Rights - Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO)

F.18 Working Party of Chief Plant Health Officers

55 13642/05. This Group meets at the level of Deputies of Ministers.

56 Including the integrated system.

57 Including table olives.

58 Including vinegar.

F.19 Working Party on Plant Health

• - 

  Protection and Inspection - Propagating and Planting Materials - Roosendaal Group - International Plant Protection Convention / Commission on Phytosanitary Measures

(IPPC/CPM) Affairs 59

F.20 Working Party of Chief Veterinary Officers

F.21 Working Party of Veterinary Experts

• - 

  Public Health - Animal Health - Animal Welfare - Animal Husbandry - Fishery Products - Potsdam Group

F.22 Coordination Working Party

• - 

  Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) - Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)

F.23 Codex Alimentarius Working Party 60

F.24 Working Party on External Fisheries Policy

F.25 Working Party on Internal Fisheries Policy

F.26 Working Party of Directors-General of Fisheries Departments

59 10953/13

60 This Working Party meets in different configurations depending on the item under

consideration.

COMPETITIVENESS

(Internal Market, Industry, Research and Space 61 )

G.1 Working Party on Competitiveness and Growth 62

G.2 Working Party on Public Procurement

G.3 Working Party on Intellectual Property

• - 

  Patents - Copyright - Design - Trademarks - Enforcement

G.4 Working Party on Company Law

G.6 Working Party on Establishment and Services

G.7 Working Party on Technical Harmonisation

• - 

  Motor Vehicles - Fertilisers

G.8 Working Party on Customs Union

G.12 Working Party on Competition

G.13 Working Party on Research

G.14 Joint Working Party on Research/Atomic Questions

G.21 European Research Area and Innovation Committee (ERAC) 63

G.22 Working Party on Space 64

G.23 Working Party on Consumer Protection and Information

G.24 High Level Working Group on Competitiveness and Growth 65

G.25 High Level Working Party of the Directors General of Customs 66

61 Following the entry into force of the TFEU, in particular Article 189, a decision to include

the denomination on Space was endorsed by the European Council of 16 September 2010 on a recommendation by the General Affairs Council (GAC).

62 Including internal market, industry, better regulation and tourism. In line with the Coreper

decision (14818/02), this Working Party meets in different configurations depending on the agenda.

63 This Committee is co-chaired by the Commission and an elected representative from

the Member States (9342/15). The secretariat is provided by the Council Secretariat. ERAC has two dedicated configurations, namely the High Level Group on Joint Programming (GPC) and the Strategic Forum for International S&T Cooperation (SFIC), both having elected chairs from among the Member States.

64 14274/10

65 15006/14

66 14649/16

TRANSPORT/TELECOMMUNICATIONS/ENERGY

H.1 Working Party on Land Transport 67

H.2 Working Party on Shipping 59

H.3 Working Party on Aviation 59

H.4 Working Party on Transport - Intermodal Questions and Networks 59

H.5 Working Party on Telecommunications and Information Society

H.6 Working Party on Postal Services

H.7 Working Party on Energy 68 **

EMPLOYMENT/SOCIAL POLICY HEALTH AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS I.1 Working Party on Social Questions

I.2 Working Party on Public Health

I.3 Working Party on Public Health at Senior Level 69

I.4 Working Party on Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices

I.5 Working Party on Foodstuffs

ENVIRONMENT J.1 Working Party on the Environment

J.2 Working Party on International Environment Issues 70

EDUCATION/YOUTH/CULTURE/SPORT K.1 Education Committee

K.2 Youth Working Party

K.3 Cultural Affairs Committee

K.4 Audiovisual Working Party

K.5 Working Party on Sport 71

** All delegates should be security cleared at least to the level CONFIDENTIEL UE/EU

CONFIDENTIAL.

67 These Working Parties also meet in special configurations according to operational needs,

including as special committees provided for in Council negotiating directives.

68 Includes the High-level Working Party on Energy.

69 16139/08

70 These Working Parties meet in several different configurations depending on the subject

under consideration.

71 5009/1/10 REV 1

ANNEX II

SECURITY PROCEDURES FOR MEETINGS OF COUNCIL PREPARATORY BODIES

Access to meeting rooms

• 1. 

  Rooms where meetings are in progress are considered protected areas and may be subject to access and presence control by the organising entity or by General Secretariat staff. Meetings of certain Council configurations or meetings where sensitive matters are discussed may be subject to access and presence controls by Security Office staff. For meetings where EU

  classified information is discussed, further details are provided below. Presence at other meetings is checked by peers under the responsibility of the chair.

• 2. 

  Delegates' identification badges must be worn visibly. Room attendants may ask to verify any delegate's identification badge and, where an individual cannot produce it, request

  the assistance of the Security Office. Security Office agents are authorised to deny access or to remove any unidentified or unauthorised individuals from a meeting. Holders of day badges will only be admitted if their badges specifically authorise attendance at the meeting.

Discussion of classified items

• 3. 

  All discussion of classified items must be organised in accordance with the Council's security

  rules for protecting EU classified information 72 .

Security clearance

• 4. 

  Delegates attending meetings of the Council preparatory bodies where classified items are discussed regularly must be cleared at least to the levels indicated in Annex I of this

  document.

• 5. 

  Delegations will be reminded in advance of the security clearance requirement for any item classified CONFIDENTIEL UE/EU CONFIDENTIAL or above in the notice convening

  the meeting.

• 6. 

  It is the responsibility of the meeting chair to announce the discussion of an item classified at level CONFIDENTIEL UE/EU CONFIDENTIAL or above and to ensure that all delegates

  attending are appropriately security cleared. It is the responsibility of Member States to send only appropriately cleared representatives to such meetings. The chair may request the assistance of the Security Office to deal with any issues that may arise.

72 Council Decision 2013/488/EU (OJ L 274, 15.10.2013, pp. 1-50).

• 7. 

  For delegates (and interpreters) attending items classified CONFIDENTIEL UE/EU

  CONFIDENTIAL or above, a personnel security clearance certificate (PSCC) must be forwarded by the appropriate national authorities, the Commission Security Directorate or the EEAS Security Office to the GSC Security Office ( security.clearances@consilium.europa.eu ). Exceptionally, the original PSCC certificate may be hand-carried by the delegate concerned.

CONFIDENTIEL UE/EU CONFIDENTIAL

• 8. 

  Discussion of items involving information classified CONFIDENTIEL UE/EU

  CONFIDENTIAL may take place in any meeting room. Access to meetings or items classified CONFIDENTIEL UE/EU CONFIDENTIAL is subject to spot checks conducted by the GSC Security Office with the assistance of the GSC official servicing the meeting. Electronic devices (portable computers, tablet devices, mobile phones, PDAs, etc.) are particularly vulnerable to being compromised for eavesdropping. Delegations must switch off such devices for the duration of items classified CONFIDENTIEL UE/EU CONFIDENTIAL. The Chair or the GSC official servicing the meeting should remind delegates of this before discussion of the item.

SECRET UE/EU SECRET

• 9. 

  Discussion of items involving information classified SECRET UE/EU SECRET must always take place in the room designated for this purpose. Access to meetings or items classified

  SECRET UE/EU SECRET is controlled by the GSC Security Office with the assistance of the GSC official servicing the meeting. The Security Office is instructed not to allow any exceptions to the possession of a SECRET UE/EU SECRET personal security clearance, nor to allow the presence of electronic devices.

ANNEX III

LIST OF PREPARATORY BODIES WITH A FIXED CHAIR

• I. 

  Committees and Working Parties with elected/appointed chairs

A.2 Economic and Financial Committee

A.3 Employment Committee

A.7 Social Protection Committee

A.9 European Union Military Committee (EUMC)

A.11 Economic Policy Committee

A.12 Financial Services Committee

C.26 Military Committee Working Group (EUMCWG)

• - 

  Headline Goal Task Force (HTF)

D.5 Code of Conduct Group (Business Taxation)

II. Committees and Working Parties chaired by a representative of the High

Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy A.5 Political and Security Committee (PSC)

A.10 Committee for Civilian Aspects of Crisis Management (CivCom)

C.4 United Nations Working Party (CONUN)

C.5 Working Party on OSCE and the Council of Europe (COSCE)

C.6 Working Party on Human Rights (COHOM)

C.7 Working Party on Transatlantic Relations (COTRA)

C.9 Working Party on Eastern Europe and Central Asia (COEST)

C.11 Working Party on the Western Balkans Region (COWEB)

C.12 Ad hoc Working Party on the Middle East Peace Process (COMEPP)

C.13 Middle East/Gulf Working Party (MOG)

C.14 Mashreq/Maghreb Working Party (MAMA)

C.15 Africa Working Party (COAFR)

C.17 Asia-Oceania Working Party (COASI)

C.18 Working Party on Latin America and the Caribbean (COLAC)

C.20 Working Party on Non-Proliferation (CONOP)

C.21 Working Party on Conventional Arms Exports (COARM)

C.22 Working Party on Global Disarmament and Arms Control (CODUN)

C.25 Politico-Military Group (PMG)

C.36 Nicolaidis Group

III. Committees and Working Parties chaired by the General Secretariat of the Council 73

A.13 Security Committee, and its sub-areas

A.19 Ad hoc Working Party on Article 50 TEU

B.9 Working Party on Information

B.11 Coordination Committee for Communication and Information Systems (CCCIS)

B.12 Working Party on Codification of Legislation

B.13 Working Party of Legal/Linguistic Experts

B.21 Working Party on E-Law

73 Decision N° 20/2017 of the Secretary-General (DE 20/17).