Article 1
In Rule VI.1 in the Annex to Implementing Decision (EU) 2018/1696, the first paragraph is replaced by the following: ‘The Commission shall be responsible for the drafting, the adoption and the publication in the Official Journal of the European Union of the open call for candidates in accordance with Article 14(3) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1939. The Commission shall consult the European Parliament and the Council on the draft open call for candidates, before its adoption, at the appropriate level. Upon receipt of the candidates’ applications, the selection panel shall review the applications with regard to the requirements set out in Article 14(2) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1939, as further specified by the Commission in the open call for candidates. Candidates who do not meet the eligibility requirements shall be excluded from the next steps of the procedure. The selection panel shall rank candidates who fulfil the requirements according to their qualifications and experience, on the basis of the documentation and information provided in the application or produced following a request pursuant to Rule V. A sufficient number of the highest-ranked candidates shall be heard by the selection panel to enable it to establish the shortlist referred to in Rule VII.1. The hearing shall take place in person or, upon a reasoned decision of the selection panel, either on its own initiative or at the request of the candidate, via videoconference. Before the selection panel decides on its own initiative to conduct a hearing via videoconference, it shall allow the candidate to state his or her views.’.