PART 4Advisory Commission: composition, procedure and costs etc
CHAPTER 9Costs
Costs of the Advisory Commission52.
(1)
The Commissioners may agree, with each other competent authority concerned, the costs of the Advisory Commission including, in particular—
(a)
the fees and expenses of the chair, and of each of the independent persons of standing, of an Advisory Commission, and
(b)
who is to pay (and in what proportion) those fees and expenses.
(2)
Where the chair or an independent person of standing has acted in contravention of any of the provisions in these Regulations, or the Rules of Functioning applicable to them, the Commissioners may agree, with each other competent authority concerned, any reasonable reduction to those fees having regard to the contravention.
(3)
Where the Commissioners, and each other competent authority concerned, do not agree otherwise, the costs of the Advisory Commission referred to in points (a) and (b) of Article 12(1) of the Directive are to be shared equally by the member States concerned.
Costs incurred by the complainant53.
(1)
The Commissioners are to have no liability to costs incurred by the complainant, or any other affected person, in relation to any proceedings brought under these Regulations.
(2)
Paragraph (5) applies to the cases mentioned in paragraphs (3) and (4).
(3)
The case is where a notification of withdrawal of a complaint has been made by the complainant in accordance with regulation 17 (withdrawal of the complaint by the complainant).
(4)
The case is where—
(a)
a request under regulation 15(3) (request to set up an Advisory Commission for the purposes of giving opinions on decisions to accept and reject the complaint) has been made, and
(b)
the Advisory Commission has subsequently given an opinion that each competent authority concerned which rejected the complaint was correct to reject it.
(5)
If the Commissioners and each other competent authority concerned agree, some or all of the costs of the Advisory Commission, referred to in regulation 52, are to be borne by the complainant.