29.10.98 Official Journal of the European Communities L 290/61 COMMISSION DECISION of 23 October 1998 on the creation of the European Research Forum (notified under document number C(1998) 3069) (Text with EEA relevance) (98/611/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, Whereas the Commission needs a reflection, debate and advisory body, consisting of high-level figures from the scientific community, industry, the services sector and research users, in order to examine general research policy issues; Whereas, on the grounds of rationalisation and in order to increase the synergy between industry and research, it is appropriate to replace the two existing committees, namely the Industrial Research and Development Advisory Committee, IRDAC, and the European Science and Technology Assembly, ESTA, by a single body en- titled ‘European Research Forum’ comprising a maximum of 60 members appointed by the Commission and distributed more or less evenly between two ‘chambers’ working in close coordination: an academic and scientific chamber and an industrial, services and users chamber; Whereas the ‘European Research Forum’ should be set up, its terms of reference should be defined and its internal operation should be organised, HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS: Article 1 A consultative committee, hereinafter referred to as the ‘European Research Forum’, is hereby established by the Commission. The Forum shall be a reflection, debate and advisory body on research and technological development policy. Article 2 The Forum shall, on its own initiative or at the Commis- sion’s request, study strategic issues relating to the formu- lation and implementation of Community research, tech- nological development and innovation policy, as well as scientific and technological policy issues of European interest in general. It shall discuss these issues and may prepare opinions for the Commission. Article 3 1. The Forum shall comprise a maximum of 60 members from the Member States and the States asso- ciated with the framework programmes among which will tigure the chairmen of the expert groups set up by the Commission to assist it in connection with the content and direction of the key actions of the fifth framework programme. 2. The members of the Forum shall represent the inter- ests of the various scientific and industrial fields; they shall be distributed more or less evenly between two chambers: — an academic and scientific chamber comprising high- level scientists and figures from the various parts of the scientific community, in particular universities and national and European research organisations, — an industrial, services and users chamber comprising high-level figures from industry and service enter- prises (including SMEs), European organisations in this field and organisations of research users. Article 4 The members of the Forum and of each chamber shall be appointed in a personal capacity by the Commission, according to the objective criteria of proven competence and recognised experience. Article 5 1. The term of office of members shall be two years, renewable once. Where members interrupt their term of office before the expiry of this period, they shall be replaced for the remainder of their term of office in accordance with the provisions of Article 4.