Operation
Article 7
1. The group shall act at the request of the responsible Commission services, in compliance with the horizontal rules on expert groups ( 6 ) (‘the horizontal rules’). 2. Meetings of the group shall, in principle, be held on Commission premises or virtually, depending on the circumstances. 3. The responsible Commission services shall provide secretarial services. Commission officials from other departments with an interest in the proceedings may attend meetings of the group and its sub-groups. 4. In agreement with the Chair, the group may, by simple majority of its members, decide that deliberations shall be public. 5. Minutes on the discussion on each point on the agenda and on the opinions delivered by the group shall be meaningful and complete. Minutes shall be drafted by the secretariat under the responsibility of the Chair. 6. As far as possible, the group shall adopt its opinions, recommendations or reports by consensus. In the event of a vote, the outcome of the vote shall be decided by simple majority of the members. Members who have voted against or abstained shall have the right to have a document summarising the reasons for their position annexed to the opinions, recommendations or reports.