Supervisory Committee
Article 15
1. The Supervisory Committee shall regularly monitor the implementation by the Office of its investigative function, in order to reinforce the Office’s independence in the proper exercise of the competences conferred upon it by this Regulation. The Supervisory Committee shall in particular monitor developments concerning the application of procedural guarantees and the duration of investigations in the light of the information supplied by the Director-General in accordance with Article 7(8). The Supervisory Committee shall address to the Director-General opinions, including where appropriate, recommendations on, inter alia, the resources needed to carry out the investigative function of the Office, on the investigative priorities of the Office and on the duration of investigations. Those opinions may be delivered on its own initiative, at the request of the Director-General or at the request of an institution, body, office or agency, without however interfering with the conduct of investigations in progress. The institutions, bodies, offices or agencies shall be provided with a copy of opinions delivered pursuant to the third subparagraph. In duly justified situations, the Supervisory Committee may ask the Office for additional information on investigations, including reports and recommendations on closed investigations, without however interfering with the conduct of investigations in progress. 2. The Supervisory Committee shall be composed of five independent members having experience in senior judicial or investigative functions or comparable functions relating to the areas of activity of the Office. They shall be appointed by common accord of the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission. The decision appointing the members of the Supervisory Committee shall also include a reserve list of potential members to replace members of the Supervisory Committee for the remainder of their term of office in the event of the resignation, death or permanent incapacity of one or more of those members. 3. The term of office of members of the Supervisory Committee shall be five years and shall not be renewable. Three and two members shall be replaced alternately in order to preserve the Supervisory Committee’s expertise. 4. On expiry of their term of office, members of the Supervisory Committee shall remain in office until they are replaced. 5. If a member of the Supervisory Committee ceases to fulfil the conditions governing the performance of his duties, or if he has been found guilty of serious misconduct, the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission may, by common accord, relieve him of his duties. 6. In accordance with the applicable Commission rules, members of the Supervisory Committee shall receive a daily allowance and shall be reimbursed for expenses incurred by them in the course of their duties. 7. In carrying out their duties, the members of the Supervisory Committee shall neither seek nor take instructions from any government or any institution, body, office or agency. 8. The Supervisory Committee shall appoint its chair. It shall adopt its own rules of procedure, which shall, before adoption, be submitted to the European Parliament, the Council, the Commission and the European Data Protection Supervisor for information. Meetings of the Supervisory Committee shall be convened on the initiative of its chair or the Director-General. It shall hold at least 10 meetings per year. The Supervisory Committee shall take its decisions by a majority of its component members. Its secretariat shall be provided by the Office, in close consultation with the Supervisory Committee. 9. The Supervisory Committee shall adopt at least one report on its activities per year, covering in particular the assessment of the Office’s independence, the application of procedural guarantees and the duration of investigations. Those reports shall be sent to the European Parliament, the Council, the Commission and the Court of Auditors. The Supervisory Committee may submit reports to the European Parliament, the Council, the Commission and the Court of Auditors on the results of the Office’s investigations and the action taken on the basis of those results.