Membership
Article 4
1. The Prevention Network shall be composed of up to 50 members. 2. Members shall be: (a) Member States’ competent authorities with responsibility for the coordination of prevention of child sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children online and offline; (b) individuals appointed in a personal capacity active in the field of prevention of child sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children online and offline; (c) organisations active in the field of prevention of child sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children online and offline; (d) public entities other than Member States’competent authorities, including third countries’ authorities, Union bodies, offices or agencies and international organisations dealing with prevention of child sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children online and offline. 3. Members appointed in a personal capacity as referred to in paragraph 2, point (b), shall act independently and in the public interest. They shall be specialists from the Union or third countries with outstanding knowledge and experience in the field of prevention of child sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children online and offline. 4. The following organisations, including from third countries, operating at Union, international or national level in a Member State, may be appointed as members as referred to in paragraph 2, point (c): (a) associations; (b) Non-Governmental Organisations (‘NGOs’); (c) universities; (d) research institutes. 5. To be appointed as members, organisations referred to in paragraph 2, point (c), must have proven and relevant knowledge and experience at national, Union or international level, in areas relevant to prevention of child sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children online and offline in the Union, including with providing preventive intervention programmes or measures at all stages of prevention, as well as with victim support, and on the child-rights based and integrated approach to child protection. 6. Members referred to in paragraph 2, point (c), shall nominate a representative and two alternate representatives to perform the tasks in the Prevention Network. Those members shall be responsible for ensuring that their representatives provide a high level of expertise. The Commission may refuse the nomination by the organisation concerned of a representative if it considers this nomination inappropriate in the light of the requirements specified in the call for applications referred to in Article 5(1). In such case, the Commission will ask the organisation concerned to appoint another representative. Each organisation shall be represented in each meeting of the Prevention Network only by one representative. 7. Members referred to in paragraph 2, points (a) and (d), shall nominate a representative in the Prevention Network serving as the main contact point, and two alternate representatives. Those members shall be responsible for ensuring that their representatives provide a high level of expertise relevant to the tasks of the group or sub-group(s), namely on prevention of child sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children online and offline. They shall be represented in each meeting only by one representative. They shall only be represented by civil servants or public employees. 8. Members who are no longer capable of contributing effectively to the Prevention Network’s deliberations, who, in the opinion of the Commission department concerned do not comply with the conditions set out in Article 339 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union or who resign, shall no longer be invited to participate in any meetings of the Prevention Network or its sub-groups and may be replaced for the remainder of their term of office.