3. 10. 86 Official Journal of the European Communities No L 282/23 COMMISSION DECISION of 18 September 1986 establishing an Advisory Committee on the protection of the environment in areas under serious threat (Mediterranean basin) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, Whereas the action programme of the European Commu- nity on the environment (1982-86) adopted by the Council on 7 February 1983 (*) expressly states that the environment must be regarded as the basis constituting the limits to further economic and social development ; Whereas the Commission adopted on 11 April 1984 a communication defining a strategy and a plan of action for the protection of the environment in the Mediterra- nean (3, calling for the implementation of a range of coordinated measures which would create conditions conducive to the harmonious development of the region’s socio-economic activities ; Whereas the European Parliament has adopted a resolu- tion on the abovementioned communication approving the proposal to establish an advisory committee (%) ; Whereas the Mediterranean basin is a region with parti- cular physical, socio-economic and cultural characteristics whose problems and potential demand special attention in Community policies ; Whereas the Commission must consult experts from the Member States on pollution in areas where the environ- ment is under particular threat ; Whereas it is also necessary for the Community to have a forum in which the experts can meet to pool national information and experience, thus facilitating coordination of the measures taken or planned at national, interna- tional and Community level, HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS : Article 1 An Advisory Committee on the protection of the environ- ment in areas under serious threat, hereinafter referred to as ‘the Committee’, is hereby set up under the aegis of the Commission. () OJ No C 46, 17. 2. 1983, p. 1. () OJ No C 133, 21. 5. 1984, p. 12. () OJ No C 141, 10. 6. 1985, p. 493. (86/479/EEC) Article 2 The Committee shall assist the Commission in the imple- mentation of the programme set out in the communica- tion on the protection of the environment in the Mediter- ranean basin, and in particular it shall: 1. Gather information on present and foreseeable envi- ronmental problems and on measures under way or planned; 2. Identify and deliver -opinions on - feasibility studies, descriptive analyses and pilot or demonstration projects for which a financial contribution by the Commission is proposed from the budgetary appropri- ations for direct Community measures in regions where the environment is under particular- threat; 3. Direct its work towards the study and examination of questions whose solution will require the deployment of more substantial resources and in respect of which results may only be expected in the longer term ; 4. Develop, with the help of the abovementioned resources, a medium- and long-term strategy and plan of action for the protection of the environment in the Mediterranean basin. Article 3 The Committee shall comprise a maximum of 16 highly-qualified specialists who are experts in the areas set out in Article 2. o Article 4 The experts shall be appointed by the Commission upon proposals from the Member States. Article 5 An alternate shall be appointed for each member of the Committee, in accordance with the procedure set out in Article 4. Without prejudice to Article 9, an alternate shall attend meetings of the Committee and participate in its work only if the member for whom he is deputizing is prevented from attending. Article 6 The term of office of members of the Committee shall be two years. On expiry of the two-year period, the members - of the Committee shall remain in office until they are replaced or their term of office is extended. The term of