
Article 1 
The group of experts ‘High Level Expert Group on Digital Libraries’, hereinafter referred to as ‘the group’, is hereby set up.
Article 2 
The group’s tasks shall be:

((a)) to advise the Commission on how to best address the organisational, legal and technical challenges at European level;
((b)) to contribute to a shared strategic vision for European digital libraries.
Article 3 
The Commission may consult the group on any matter relating to the implementation of the digital libraries initiative.
Article 4 

1. The group shall be composed of up to 20 members.
2. The Director-General of DG ‘Information Society and Media’ shall appoint the members of the group from specialists with competence in the areas referred to in Articles 2 and 3.
3. The members shall be appointed in a personal capacity as high level experts on digital libraries and shall advise the Commission independently of any outside influence.
4. Members shall be appointed to ensure, as far as possible, an adequate balance in terms of range of competencies, geographical origin and gender.
5. The Group shall include experts from the following categories:
— memory organisations (libraries, archives, museums),
— authors, publishers and content providers,
— ICT industry (e.g. search engines, technology providers),
— scientific and research organisations, academia.
6. Members may not designate an alternate to replace them.
7. Members are appointed for a mandate which ends on 31 December 2009.
8. Members who are no longer capable of contributing effectively to the group’s deliberations, who resign or who do not comply with the conditions set out in paragraph 3 of this Article or in Article 287 of the Treaty may be replaced for the remainder of their term of office.
9. Members shall sign an undertaking to act in the public interest and a declaration indicating the absence or existence of any interest which may undermine their objectivity.
10. The names of members shall be collected, processed and published in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 45/2001. The names of members shall be published on the i2010 Digital libraries website.
Article 5 

1. The group shall be chaired by the Commission.
2. In agreement with the Commission, sub-groups may be set up to examine specific questions under the terms of reference established by the group. Such sub-groups shall be dissolved as soon as their mandates are fulfilled.
3. The Commission’s representative may ask observers or experts, in particular with specific competence on a subject on the agenda, to participate in the group’s or sub-group’s deliberations if this is useful and/or necessary.
4. Information obtained by participating in the deliberations of a group or sub-group shall not be divulged if, in the opinion of the Commission, that information relates to confidential matters.
5. The group and its sub-groups shall normally meet on Commission premises in accordance with the procedures and schedule established by it. The Commission shall provide secretarial services. Other Commission officials with an interest in the proceedings may attend meetings of the group and its sub-groups.
6. The group shall adopt its rules of procedure on the basis of the standard rules of procedure adopted by the Commission.
7. The Commission may publish, in the original language of the document concerned, any summary, conclusion, or partial conclusion or working document of the group.
Article 6 
The Commission shall reimburse travel and, where appropriate, subsistence expenses for members, experts and observers in connection with the group’s activities in accordance with the Commission’s rules on the compensation of external experts.
The members, experts and observers shall not be remunerated for the services they render.
Meeting expenses are reimbursed within the limits of the annual budget allocated to the group by the responsible Commission services.
Article 7 
This Decision shall expire on 31 December 2009.
Done at Brussels, 25 March 2009.
For the Commission
Viviane REDING
Member of the Commission