L 160/72 Official Journal of the European Union 28.6.2003 COUNCIL DECISION of 16 June 2003 concerning the rules applicable to national experts and military staff on secondment to the General Secretariat of the Council and repealing the Decisions of 25 June 1997 and 22 March 1999, Deci- sion 2001/41/EC and Decision 2001/496/CFSP (2003/479/EC) THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, (8)  Since these rules replace those laid down in the Deci- Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in parti- cular Article 28(1) thereof, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Commu- nity and in particular Article 207(2) thereof, Whereas: (1) Seconded national experts (hereinafter referred to as SNEs) and seconded national military staff (hereinafter referred to as seconded military staff) should enable the General Secretariat of the Council (hereinafter referred to as the GSC) to benefit from the high level of their knowledge and professional experience, in particular in areas where such expertise is not readily available. (2)  This Decision should foster the exchange of professional experience and knowledge of European policies by temporarily assigning to the GSC experts from Member States' administrations. It also seeks to ensure close colla- boration between the Council and national administra- tions or international organisations, by means of the secondment of GSC officials to them. (3)  SNEs should be drawn from governments or ministries in Member States or from international organisations. (4)  The rights and obligations of SNEs and seconded mili- tary staff set out in this Decision should ensure that they carry out their duties solely in the interests of the GSC. (5)  In view of the temporary nature of their work and their particular status, SNEs and seconded military staff should not take responsibility on behalf of the GSC for the exer- cise of its public law prerogatives. (6)  This Decision should set out all the conditions of employment of SNEs and seconded military staff and be applicable regardless of the origin of the budgetary appropriations used to cover the expenditure. (7)  Special provision should moreover be made for military staff seconded to the GSC to form the European Union military staff. sions of 25 June 1997 and 22 March 1999, as well as in Decision 2001/41/EC and in Decision 2001/496/CESP, those Decisions should be repealed, HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS: CHAPTER I GENERAL PROVISIONS Article 1 Scope 1. These Rules are applicable to seconded national experts (SNEs) seconded to the GSC by a national, regional or local public administration. They shall also apply to experts on secondment from an international organisation. 2. The persons covered by these Rules shall remain in the service of their employer throughout the period of secondment and shall continue to be paid by that employer. 3. The GSC shall recruit SNEs in accordance with require- ments and budgetary possibilities. The Deputy Secretary- General shall establish the arrangements for such recruitment. 4. Except where the Deputy Secretary-General grants a dero- gation which is not applicable in the area of the CFSP/ESPD, SNEs must be nationals of a Member State. SNEs shall be recruited on as wide a geographical basis as possible among the nationals of the Member States. The Member States and the GSC shall cooperate to ensure, as far as possible, a balance between men and women and observe the principle of equal opportunities. 5. Secondment shall be implemented by an Exchange of Letters between the Directorate-General for Personnel and Administration of the GSC and the Permanent Representation of the Member State concerned or the international organisa- tion, as appropriate. A copy of the rules applicable to SNEs on secondment to the GSC shall be attached to the Exchange of Letters.