L 85/30 Official Journal of the European Communities 24.3.2001 COMMISSION COMMISSION DECISION of 21 March 2001 concerning the appointment of new members, chairmen and vice-chairmen of the expert groups to assist the Commission on the content and direction of the key actions in the field of research and technological development (notified under document number C(2001) 695) (Text with EEA relevance) (2001/238/EC, Euratom) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community, Having regard to Commission Decision 98/610/EC, Euratom of 22 October 1998 setting up expert groups to assist the Commission on the content and direction of the key actions in the field of research and technological development ('), as amended by Decision 1999/506/EC, Euratom (?), Whereas: (1) By Decision 98/682/EC, Euratom (*) on 20 November 1998 the Commission appointed the members, chairmen and vice-chairmen to assist it on the content and direction of the key actions in the field of research and technological development. That Decision was amended by Commission Decisions of 26 July 1999 (¥ and 29 February 2000 (). (2)  The decisions of the association councils adopting the terms and conditions for the participation of Bulgaria (%), Estonia (), Hungary (¥), Latvia (’), Lithuania ('), Poland ('), Romania ('?), the Czech Republic (**), the Slovak Republic (**) and Slovenia (**) in Community Programmes in the field of research and technological development and demonstration (1998 to 2002) and, where appropriate, in programmes for research and L 290, 29.10.1998, p. 57. L 194, 27.7.1999, p. 65. L 318, 27.11.1998, p. 51. C 216, 29.7.1999, p. 5. C 61, 3.3.2000, p. 4. L 253, 28.9.1999, p. 10. L 181, 16.7.1999, p. 24. L 245, 17.9.1999, p. 43. L 265, 13.10.1999, p. 23. L 270, 20.10.1999, p. 17. L 281, 411.1999, p. 71. L 245, 17.9.1999, p. 35. L 258, 5.10.1999, p. 19. L 249, 22.9.1999, p. L 256, 1.10.1999, p. 16. 73. ] training activities (1998 to 2002) provide for the poss- ibility of experts from those countries sitting as members of the consultative groups which assist the Commission in implementing the fifth framework programme and, where appropriate, the Euratom fifth framework programme. Similar provisions appear in the Additional Protocol to the Agreement establishing an Association  between the  European  Economic Community and the Republic of Cyprus (*f). In accordance with the provisions of Article 100 of the Agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA), the Decision of the EEA Joint Committee amending Protocol 31 of the EEA Agreement on cooperation in specific fields outside the four freedoms (research and technolog- ical development) provides for the possibility of experts who are nationals of the countries in question taking part in the work of the bodies advising the Commission in the fields covered by the fifth framework programme (V7). Under Article 4(1), first subparagraph, of Decision 98| 610/EC, Euratom, the members of the expert groups are appointed by the Commission in a personal capacity for a maximum period of two years. The appointment may be renewed once only, for a maximum of two years. The period of appointment of the members listed in the Commission Decisions of 20 November 1998, 26 July 1999 and 29 February 2000 came to an end on 20 November 2000. New members should now be appointed. L 180, 15.7.1999, p. 37. L 148, 22.6.2000, p. 54.