4.7.2001 Official Journal of the European Communities L181/1 (Acts adopted pursuant to Title V of the Treaty on European Union) COUNCIL DECISION of 25 June 2001 on the rules applicable to national military staff on secondment to the General Secretariat of the Council in order to form the European Union Military Staff (2001/496/CFSP) THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in partic- ular Article 28(1) thereof, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 207(2) thereof, Whereas: (1)  On 22 January 2001 the Council adopted Decision 2001/79/CFSP setting up the Military Committee of the European Union (!). (20 On 22 January 2001 the Council adopted Decision 2001/80/CFSP on the establishment of the Military Staff of the European Union (). (3)  Members of the Military Staff are subject to rules which will be established in a Council Decision. (4) It is therefore appropriate to establish these rules, HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS: CHAPTER 1 GENERAL PROVISIONS Article 1 Definition 1. These rules apply to national military staff, hereinafter ‘military staff, on secondment to the Council General Secre- tariat, hereinafter ‘General Secretariat, in accordance with Decision 2001/80/CESP. 2. The persons covered by these rules shall remain in paid employment in an armed force of a Member State of the European Union throughout the period of secondment. 3. Military staff on secondment shall be nationals of a Member State of the European Union. () O] L 27, 30.1.2001, p. 4. () O] L 27, 30.1.2001, p. 7. Article 2 Period of secondment 1. Military staff on secondment may be seconded for a maximum of three years. In exceptional cases, and taking account of particular tasks to be performed, the secondment may be extended for a period of up to one year. They shall serve on a full-time basis throughout the period of secondment. 2. The probable period of secondment shall be fixed at the outset in the Exchange of Letters mentioned in Article 18(2). 3. As a general rule, no military staff may be seconded to the General Secretariat more than once. However, a member of military staff who has already been seconded may be the subject of a fresh secondment measure after at least three years, save in exceptional cases, have elapsed between the end of the prior secondment and the fresh secondment, if conditions justify this and by agreement with the Secretary-General/High Representative. Atrticle 3 Duties 1. Acting under the authority of the Secretary-General/High Representative, military staff on secondment shall fulfil the mission, carry out the tasks and perform the duties assigned to them in accordance with the Annex to Decision 2001/80/CFSP. 2. Unless special instructions to the contrary are given under the authority of the Secretary-General/High Repres- entative, military staff on secondment shall not enter into any commitment on the General Secretariat's behalf with third parties. Atrticle 4 Level, professional experience and knowledge of languages 1. To qualify for secondment to the General Secretariat, military staff must work at administrative or advisory level and show a high degree of competence for the duties to be carried out.