Article 3
Composition, nomination 1. The Forum shall have 34 full members. 2. The distribution of members shall be as follows: - nine members representing operators (energy producers and land, sea and air freight carriers, manufacturing industry), - five members representing networks and infrastructures (gas, electricity, rail, road, ports, airports, air traffic control), - seven members representing users and consumers (transport users, energy consumers, demand management), - six members representing unions, - five members representing environmental organisations and organisations responsible for safety particularly in the field of transport, - two members from the academic world or from think tanks, 3. One alternate member shall be appointed for every full member. The alternate member shall attend meetings of the Forum or a working group only if the full member is absent or unable to attend. 4. The full and alternate members of the forum shall be appointed individually by the Commission on the basis of objective criteria of proven competence and experience. They shall be required to give the Commission and independent opinion, free from outside influence. They shall have a two-year renewable mandate. 5. When their mandate lapses, full members of the forum, and the corresponding alternate members, shall remain in office until such time as they are replaced or their mandate renewed. 6. A member's mandate shall lapse before expiry thereof in the event of resignation or death. In such case, the member shall be replaced for the remaining term of the mandate. 7. There shall be no remuneration for the duties performed. 8. A call for applications for the membership positions defined in Article 3(2) will be published in the Official Journal of the European Communities, except for members under the fourth indent, in whose case the Commission will call upon the European Trade Union Confederation to appoint its representatives in the fields of energy and transport. The Commission shall select members on the basis of the applications received following this call. The selection criteria will take account of the candidates' competence and experience, their representativeness and their ability to contribute to strategic discussions, and will promote a balance in terms of specialists from the various areas of activity, in terms of gender and in terms of geographical origin. 9. The Commission will publish the list of full and alternate members for information in the Official Journal of the European Communities.