Article 9(2) and (3) of Regulation (EC) No 723/2009 are replaced by the following:
‘2. The membership of an ERIC must include a Member State and two other countries that are either Member States or associated countries. Further Member States or associated countries may join as members at any time on fair and reasonable terms specified in the Statutes and as observers without voting rights on conditions specified in those Statutes. Third countries other than associated countries as well as intergovernmental organisations, may also become members of an ERIC, subject to approval by the assembly of members referred to in Article 12(a), in accordance with the conditions and procedure for changes in membership laid down in its Statutes.
3. Member States or associated countries shall hold jointly the majority of the voting rights in the assembly of members. For an ERIC hosted by a Member State, proposals for amending its Statutes shall require the agreement of the majority of the Member States that are members of that ERIC.’