Overview

The Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development expert groups are advisory bodies providing the European Commission with advice and expertise. Expert groups as well as all relevant documents prepared by expert-groups and their sub-groups, including the agendas, the minutes and the participants’ submissions, are published on the Register of Commission expert groups and other similar entities.

The rules on the creation and operation of expert groups are established by Commission Decision C(2016)3301.

Expert groups advise the Commission in relation to:

• the preparation of legislative proposals and policy initiatives;
• the preparation of delegated acts;
• the implementation of EU legislation, programmes and policies, including coordination and cooperation with EU countries and stakeholders in that regard;
• where necessary, the preparation of implementing acts at an early stage, before they are submitted to the committee in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 182/2011.

Transparency

The Commission will publish all relevant documents such as agendas, minutes, conclusions, partial conclusions or working documents on the activities carried out by expert groups.

Exceptions to systematic publication will be made where disclosure of a document would undermine the protection of a public or private interest as defined in article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 regarding public access to European Parliament, Council and Commission documents.