Article 27
Advisory Forum 1. The Advisory Forum shall be composed of representatives from competent bodies in the Member States which undertake tasks similar to those of the Authority, on the basis of one representative designated by each Member State. Representatives may be replaced by alternates, appointed at the same time. 2. Members of the Advisory Forum may not be members of the Management Board. 3. The Advisory Forum shall advise the Executive Director in the performance of his duties under this Regulation, in particular in drawing up a proposal for the Authority's work programme. The Executive Director may also ask the Advisory Forum for advice on the prioritisation of requests for scientific opinions. 4. The Advisory Forum shall constitute a mechanism for an exchange of information on potential risks and the pooling of knowledge. It shall ensure close cooperation between the Authority and the competent bodies in the Member States in particular on the following items: (a) avoidance of duplication of the Authority's scientific studies with Member States, in accordance with Article 32; (b) in those circumstances identified in Article 30(4), where the Authority and a national body are obliged to cooperate; (c) in the promoting of the European networking of organisations operating within the fields of the Authority's mission, in accordance with Article 36(1); (d) where the Authority or a Member State identifies an emerging risk. 5. The Advisory Forum shall be chaired by the Executive Director. It shall meet regularly at the invitation of the Chair or at the request of at least a third of its members, and not less than four times per year. Its operational procedures shall be specified in the Authority's internal rules and shall be made public. 6. The Authority shall provide the technical and logistic support necessary for the Advisory Forum and provide the Secretariat for its meetings. 7. Representatives of the Commission's departments may participate in the work of the Advisory Forum. The Executive Director may invite representatives of the European Parliament and from other relevant bodies to take part. Where the Advisory Forum discusses the matters referred to in Article 22(5)(b), representatives from competent bodies in the Member States which undertake tasks similar to those referred to in Article 22(5)(b) may participate in the work of the Advisory Forum, on the basis of one representative designated by each Member State.