Commission Implementing Decision of 22 November 2013 on setting up the European Social Survey as a European Research Infrastructure Consortium (ESS ERIC) (2013/700/EU)

Article 11 U.K. Committees of the General Assembly

1. Subject to the Statutes, the General Assembly may establish any committee. Subject to the Statutes, the constitution, membership and proceedings of any committee shall be determined by the General Assembly. The membership of any committee of the General Assembly may include persons who are not National Representatives. The General Assembly shall appoint members to its committees following consultation with the Director and with any such special appointments panels as the General Assembly may consider appropriate establishing when necessary.

2. The Director (or his/her nominated alternate) shall have the right to attend meetings of all committees of the General Assembly and shall organise their administration and minute keeping. The General Assembly shall determine the renewal options for its committees.

3. The following committees shall be in place at all times:

(a) Scientific Advisory Board (or SAB);

(b) Methods Advisory Board (or MAB); and

(c) Finance Committee (or FINCOM).

4. The SAB shall normally comprise eight senior social scientists, drawn from the international social scientific research community, appointed by the General Assembly, following written nominations from the Members. Members of the SAB shall be appointed for a term of 4 years, renewable.

5. The SAB shall provide advice and guidance to the General Assembly, the Director and the CST on the substantive coverage of the ESS ERIC. The opinion of the SAB shall not, except as provided in Article 11(6), bind the General Assembly, the Director or the CST.

6. The SAB shall also hold delegated authority from the General Assembly to select the members of the questionnaire design team for the rotating modules at each Biennial Period from among applications received following an international competition.

7. Meetings of the SAB shall take place at least twice in every 12-month period. The SAB shall elect its own Chair and deputy Chair by simple majority vote after an appropriate nomination process. All members of the SAB shall have one vote. The Chair of the SAB shall have a casting vote in the event of a tie.

8. The chair of the SAB may, at his/her discretion, invite such persons as observers to the meetings of the SAB as he or she considers appropriate when necessary.

9. The MAB shall comprise six senior methods specialists, drawn from the international social scientific research community, appointed by the General Assembly, following written nominations from the Members. Members of the MAB shall be appointed for a term of 4 years, renewable.

10. The MAB shall provide advice and guidance to the General Assembly, the Director and the CST on the methodology. The opinion of the MAB shall not bind the General Assembly, the Director or the CST.

11. Meetings of the MAB shall take place at least once in every 12-month period. The MAB shall elect its own Chair and deputy Chair by simple majority vote after an appropriate nomination process. All members of the MAB shall have one vote. The Chair of the MAB shall have a casting vote in the event of a tie.

12. The chair of the MAB may, at his/her discretion, invite such persons as observers to the meetings of the MAB as he or she considers appropriate when necessary.

13. FINCOM shall comprise four specialists in budgeting and financial control, appointed by the General Assembly, following written nominations from the Members. At least two members of FINCOM shall not be National Representatives. Members of FINCOM shall be appointed for a term of 4 years, renewable.

14. FINCOM shall provide guidance to the General Assembly and the Director on the financial health of the ESS ERIC, including (without limitation) on resource and related financial issues by the ESS ERIC.

15. Meetings of FINCOM shall take place at least once in every 12-month period. The members of FINCOM shall determine its own meeting and between-meeting procedures but shall nominate one of them to represent FINCOM at meetings of the General Assembly in order to report its assessments and advice.