Decision of the Committee of Permanent Representatives

of 13 June 2001

setting up a high-level working party

(2001/C 183/01)

THE COMMITTEE OF PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community and in particular, Article 207(1) thereof,

Having regard to the Rules of procedure of the Council and in particular Article 19(3) thereof,

Whereas:

(1) The Council agreed on 5 June 2001 that a high-level working party should be established in order to assure the coordination of work and to achieve parallel progress on the tax package.

(2) The Council may entrust other tasks in the tax area to that working party,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

A high-level working party, hereinafter referred to as the "working party", is hereby set up to assure the coordination of work and to achieve parallel progress on the tax package.

Article 2

The working party shall be composed of high-level representatives designated by the Member States. The Commission shall designate a high-level representative to take part in the working party proceedings. It shall be chaired by a representative of the Member State holding the Presidency of the Council.

Article 3

Reporting to the Council shall be done in full respect of Article 207 of the EC Treaty.

Article 4

When dealing with issues of relevance to overall economic developments and economic policies, reports of the working party should, without prejudice to the role of the Committee of Permanent Represenstatives, be also transmitted to the Economic and Financial Committee and/or to the Economic Policy Committee with a view to a possible opinion.

Article 5

The future of the working party will be examined once final agreement on the tax package has been reached.

Article 6

This Decision shall take effect on the day of its adoption.

It shall be published in the Official Journal of the European Communities.

Done at Brussels, 13 June 2001.

For the Committee of Permanent Representatives

The President

G. Lund