PURPOSE: to define the organisation and operation of the Publications Office of the European Union following major technological advances taking place in publishing.

ACT: Decision 2009/496/EC, Euratom of the European Parliament, the Council, the Commission, the Court of Justice, the Court of Auditors, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on the organisation and operation of the Publications Office of the European Union.

CONTENT: the Council approved a draft decision on the organisation and operation of the EU's Publications Office, with a view to replacing the current Decision (2000/459/EC) in order to take account of certain reforms and decisions made since July 2000, in particular regarding the financial regulation and the staff regulations of officials of the European Communities. To recall, the main reason for drafting a new Decision was to take account of an observation made by Parliament in the course of the discharge procedure for the 2001 financial year. In its resolution of 29 January 2004, on the discharge for 2001, Parliament had pointed out that there should be a clear allocation of political and administrative responsibilities, and this request was taken into account in the decision. The decision is intended to lay down in more detail the competences and tasks of the Publications Office of the European Union, the respective responsibilities of the institutions, the roles of the Management Committee and the Director of the Publications Office.

Article 8 of the Decision of the representatives of the governments of the Member States of 8 April 1965 on the provisional location of certain institutions and departments of the Communities provided for an Office for Official Publications of the Communities to be located in Luxembourg. That provision was last implemented by Decision 2000/459/EC, ECSC, Euratom.

The rules and regulations applicable to officials and other servants of the European Communities apply to the Office. Account should be taken of the recent amendments to those rules and regulations. Major technological advances are taking place in publishing and these need to be taken into account in the way the Office operates.

The other institutions and bodies concerned are called upon to approve the text in accordance with their own procedures.

DATE OF EFFECT: 1 July 2009.

By 445 to 5 with 16 abstentions, the European Parliament decided to adopt the draft Decision of the European Parliament, the Council, the Commission, the Court of Justice, the Court of Auditors, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on the organisation and operation of the Publications Office of the European Union, together with the modifications proposed by the Council as annexed to the Decision.

The draft decision is intended to lay down in more detail the competences and tasks of the Publications Office of the European Union, the respective responsibilities of the institutions, the roles of the Management Committee and the Director of the Publications Office. The Secretaries General of the institutions involved approved the draft decision on 18 April 2008 and the Bureau of the Parliament gave its approval on 3 September 2008.

The Committee on Constitutional Affairs adopted a report drafted by Hanne DAHL (IND, DK), and approved the draft Decision of the European Parliament, the Council, the Commission, the Court of Justice, the Court of Auditors, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on the organisation and operation of the Publications Office of the European Union.

The report recalls that the main reason for drafting a new Decision was to take account of an observation made by Parliament in the course of the discharge procedure for the 2001 financial year.

In its resolution of 29 January 2004, on the discharge for 2001, Parliament had pointed out that there should be a clear allocation of political and administrative responsibilities, and this request was taken into account in the draft decision. The draft decision is intended to lay down in more detail the competences and tasks of the Publications Office of the European Union, the respective responsibilities of the institutions, the roles of the Management Committee and the Director of the Publications Office.

The draft Decision on the organisation and operation of the Publications Office allocates in a clear way the responsibilities with regard to administrative and political matters. This was not the case with its predecessor of 2000. The draft text takes account of the requests made by Parliament in the discharge procedure for the financial year 2001 and can therefore be approved on behalf of the European Parliament.

PURPOSE: to present a draft Decision on the organisation and operation of the Publications Office of the European Union.

CONTENT: Article 8 of the Decision of the representatives of the Governments of the Member States of 8 April 1965 on the provisional location of certain Institutions and departments of the Communities provided for an Office for Official Publications of the Communities to be located in Luxembourg. That provision was last implemented by Decision 2000/459/EC, ECSC, Euratom. The rules and regulations applicable to officials and other servants of the European Communities apply to the Office. Account should be taken of the recent amendments to those rules and regulations.

Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 on the Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities contains specific provisions concerning the operation of the Office. Major technological advances are taking place in publishing and need to be taken into account in the way the Office operates.

Therefore, for the sake of clarity it is appropriate to repeal Decision 2000/459/EC, ECSC, Euratom and to replace it by the present Decision.

PURPOSE: to present a draft Decision on the organisation and operation of the Publications Office of the European Union.

CONTENT: Article 8 of the Decision of the representatives of the Governments of the Member States of 8 April 1965 on the provisional location of certain Institutions and departments of the Communities provided for an Office for Official Publications of the Communities to be located in Luxembourg. That provision was last implemented by Decision 2000/459/EC, ECSC, Euratom. The rules and regulations applicable to officials and other servants of the European Communities apply to the Office. Account should be taken of the recent amendments to those rules and regulations.

Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 on the Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities contains specific provisions concerning the operation of the Office. Major technological advances are taking place in publishing and need to be taken into account in the way the Office operates.

Therefore, for the sake of clarity it is appropriate to repeal Decision 2000/459/EC, ECSC, Euratom and to replace it by the present Decision.