10.10.2003 Official Journal of the European Union L 258/35 COMMISSION DECISION of 9 October 2003 setting up a European Consumer Consultative Group (2003/709/EC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Whereas: (1)  Within the framework of consumer protection as provided for in Article 153 of the Treaty it is appro- priate for the Commission to consult consumers on problems concerning the protection of their interests at Community level. (2)  Since 1973 the Commission has been assisted by a forum created for this purpose by consecutive Decisions, the latest one being Commission Decision 2000/323/EC of 4 May 2000 setting up a Consumer Committee (!). (3)  That Decision should be adapted to the evolution of the political and legal framework to take into account the accession of new Member States and the need for harmonising the definitions of consumer organisations with those used in other Community legislation. At the same time the possibility to associate representatives of other organisations should be provided for. Moreover, in accordance with the rules on the creation of Commit- tees (}), the current Consumer Committee should be renamed ‘European Consumer Consultative Group’. (4) It is further appropriate to increase the transparency and the efficiency of the operation of the Group, in parti- cular by amending the procedure for the nomination of the candidates, making the term of office of members representing national consumer organisations renewable only once, putting in place effective reporting mechan- isms and providing for the adoption of the rules of procedure of the Group. (5) Given the rather extensive nature of the amendments, Decision 2000/323/EC should be replaced for the sake of clarity, HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS: Article 1 1. The Commission hereby sets up a European Consumer Consultative Group, hereinafter referred to as ‘the Group’. () OJ L 111, 9.5.2000, p. 30. (%) Council Decision 1999/468/EC of 28 June 1999 (O] L 184, 17.7.1999, p. 23); Commission Decision of 24 July 2000, SEC(2000) 1230. 2. The Group may be consulted by the Commission on all problems relating to the protection of consumer interests at Community level. Atticle 2 1. The Group shall be composed of: (a) one member representing national consumer organisations from each Member State; (b) one member from each European consumer organisation. 2. For the purposes of this Decision ‘national consumer organisations’ means consumer organisations representative, in accordance with national rules or practice, of consumers and active at national level. 3. For the purposes of this Decision ‘European consumer organisations’ means consumer organisations fulfilling one of the two following sets of criteria: they must: (@) 1. be non-governmental, non-profit-making, independent of industry, commercial and business or other conflicting interests and have as their primary objectives and activities the promotion and protection of the health, safety and economic interests of consumers in the Community, and 2. have been mandated to represent the interests of consu- mers at Community level by national consumer organi- sations in at least half of the Member States that are representative, in accordance with national rules or practice, of consumers and are active at regional or national level, and 3. have provided to the Commission satisfactory accounts of their membership, internal rules and sources of funding, or (b) 1. be non-governmental, non-profit-making, independent of industry, commercial and business or other conflicting interests, and have as their primary objectives and activities to represent consumer interests in the standardisation process at Community level, and