Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/919 of 19 May 2025 establishing the Taking of Evidence steering committee

• CELEX: Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/919
• Articles: 12

Article 1 Establishment of the steering committee

The steering committee within the meaning of Article 25(1)(e) of Regulation (EU) 2020/1783, hereinafter referred to as ‘the committee’, is hereby established.

Article 2 Tasks

In accordance with Article 25(1)(e) of Regulation (EU) 2020/1783 the committee’s task is to ensure the operation and maintenance of the decentralised IT system in order to meet the objectives of this Regulation. In particular, it shall:

(a)

collaborate with / advise the Commission in relation to the operation and maintenance of the taking of evidence decentralised IT system according to Regulation (EU) 2020/1783;

(b)

bring about an exchange of experience and good practice between Member States’ authorities in the field of taking of evidence in civil and commercial matters in relation to the operation and maintenance of the taking of evidence decentralised IT system;

(c)

discuss technical matters, risks, and challenges, including implementation priorities, in light of the continued development and maintenance of the taking of evidence decentralised IT system and its components.

Article 3 Membership

1.   Members of the committee shall be Member States’ authorities competent at national, regional or local level in the field of taking of evidence in civil and commercial matters for the use of the decentralised IT system.

2.   Member States’ authorities shall nominate their representatives and shall ensure that they provide a high level of expertise.

Article 4 Chair

The committee shall be chaired by a representative of the Commission.

Article 5 Operation

1.   Meetings of the committee shall, in principle, be held on Commission premises or virtually, depending on the circumstances.

2.   The Commission shall provide secretarial services to the committee. Commission officials from other departments with an interest in the proceedings may attend meetings of the committee and its sub-committees.

3.   The committee may, by a simple majority of its members, decide that deliberations shall be public.

4.   Minutes on the discussion on each point on the agenda and on the opinions delivered by the committee shall be meaningful and complete.

Article 6 Sub-committees

The committee may set up sub-committees for the purpose of examining specific questions on the basis of terms of reference defined by the committee. Sub-committees shall report to the committee. They shall be dissolved as soon as their mandate is fulfilled.

Article 7 Observers

1.   Organisations and public entities other than Member States’ authorities may be granted an observer status by direct invitation.

2.   Organisations and public entities appointed as observers shall nominate their representatives.

3.   Observers and their representatives may be permitted by the Chair to take part in the discussions of the committee and its sub-committees and provide expertise. However, they shall not have voting rights and shall not participate in the formulation of recommendations or advice of the committee and its sub-committees.

Article 8 Rules of procedure

The committee shall adopt its rules of procedure by a simple majority of its members. Sub-committees shall operate in compliance with the committee’s rules of procedure.

Article 9 Professional secrecy and handling of classified information

The members of the committee and their representatives, as well as observers, are subject to the obligation of professional secrecy, laid down in the Treaties and their implementing rules, as well as with the Commission’s rules on security regarding the protection of Union classified information, laid down in Commission Decisions (EU, Euratom) 2015/443  ( 5 ) and 2015/444  ( 6 ) . Should they fail to respect these obligations, the Commission may take all appropriate measures.

Article 10 Transparency

All relevant documents, including the agendas, the minutes and the participants’ submissions, shall be made available on a dedicated website. In particular, the agenda and other relevant background documents shall be published in due time ahead of the meeting, followed by timely publication of minutes. Exceptions to publication shall only be possible where it is deemed that disclosure of a document would undermine the protection of a public or private interest as defined in Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council  ( 7 ) .

Article 11 Meeting expenses

1.   Participants in the activities of the committee and sub-committees shall not be remunerated for those activities.

2.   Travel and subsistence expenses incurred by participants in the activities of the committee and sub-committees shall be reimbursed by the Commission. Reimbursement shall be made in accordance with the provisions in force within the Commission and within the limits of the available appropriations allocated to the Commission departments under the annual procedure for the allocation of resources.

Article 12 Entry into force

This Decision shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union .