Composition of the conciliation body
Article 40
1. The conciliation body shall be composed of at least five members selected among eminent persons offering every guarantee of independence and who are highly qualified in matters regarding the financing of the common agricultural policy, including rural development, or in the practice of financial audit. They must be nationals of different Member States. 2. The chairperson, the members and the substitute members shall be appointed by the Commission for an initial term of office of 3 years after consultation of the Committee on the Agricultural Funds. The terms of office may be renewed for a year at a time only, the Committee on the Agricultural Funds having been informed. However, if the chairperson to be appointed is already a member of the Conciliation Body, the initial term of office as chairperson shall be three years. The names of the chairperson, the members and the substitute members shall be published in the C series of the Official Journal of the European Union . 3. The members of the conciliation body shall be remunerated having regard to the time which they are required to dedicate to the task. Costs shall be compensated in accordance with the rules in force for Commission staff. 4. After expiry of the term of office, the chairperson and the members shall remain in office until they are replaced or their term of office is renewed. 5. The term of office of members who no longer meet the conditions required for the accomplishment of their duties with the conciliation body or who, for whatever reason, are unavailable for an indeterminate period may be terminated by the Commission after consultation of the Committee on the Agricultural Funds. In that case, the member concerned shall be replaced for the remainder of the period for which that member was appointed by a substitute member, the Committee on the Agricultural Funds being informed. If the chairperson’s term of office is terminated, the member who is to perform the chairperson’s duties for the remainder of the period for which the chairperson was appointed shall be appointed by the Commission after consultation of the Committee on the Agricultural Funds.