L 344/48 Official Journal of the European Union 28.12.2011 COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION of 22 December 2011 providing the rules for the establishment, the management and the functioning of the network of national responsible authorities on eHealth (2011/890/EU) THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION, Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, Having regard to Directive 2011/24/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 March 2011 on the appli- cation of patients’ rights in cross-border healthcare ('), and in particular Article 14(3) thereof, Whereas: (1)  Article 14 of the Directive 2011/24/EU assigned the Union to support and facilitate cooperation and the exchange of information among Member States working within a voluntary network connecting national authorities responsible for eHealth designated by the Member States (‘the eHealth Network’). () In accordance with Article 14(3) of Directive 2011/24[EU the Commission has an obligation to adopt the necessary rules for the establishment, management and transparent functioning of the eHealth Network. (3)  Participation in the eHealth Network being voluntary, the Member States should be able to join at any time. For organisational purposes, the Member States wishing to participate should inform the Commission of this intention in advance. (4)  Personal data of representatives of Member States, experts and observers participating in the Network should be processed in accordance with Directive 95/46/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 October 1995 on the protection of indi- viduals with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data(?) and Directive 2002/58/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 July 2002 concerning the processing of personal data and the protection of privacy in the electronic communications sector (Directive on privacy and electronic communications) (3). (") OJ L 88, 4.4.2011, p. 45. () OJ L 281, 23.11.1995, p. 31. () OJ L 201, 31.7.2002, p. 37. (5 The 2009 Council conclusions on safe and efficient healthcare through eHealth called for an alignment of eHealth with health strategies and needs at the Union and national levels through the direct involvement of national health authorities. To achieve this, the Council conclusions also called for a high-level mechanism of governance following which a Joint Action (*) and a Thematic Network were launched in the framework respectively of the Health Programme (°) and the ICT Policy Support Programme of the Competitiveness and Innovation Programme (°) (hereafter ‘the Joint Action’ and ‘the Thematic Network). To ensure coordination, coherence and consistency of the work on eHealth at Union level and to avoid duplication of work, it is appro- priate to ensure continuation of the work of the high level mechanism above mentioned within the framework of the eHealth Network, in so far as this work is compatible with the objectives assigned to the Network by Article 14(2) of Directive 2011/24/EU, and to link the Joint Action and the Thematic Network to the eHealth Network. (6)  The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee set up by Article 16 of Directive 2011/24/EU, HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: Atticle 1 Subject matter This Decision sets the necessary rules for the establishment, the management and the functioning of the Network of national responsible authorities on eHealth, as provided for by Article 14(1) of Directive 2011/24/EU. Article 2 Task 1. The eHealth Network shall pursue the objectives assigned to it by Article 14(2) of Directive 2011/24/EU. (#) Joint Action on eHealth Governance Initiative; Commission Decision C(2010) 7593 of 27 October 2010 on the awarding of grants for proposals for 2010 under the second Health Programme (2008-2013), Contract number 2010/2302. Decision No 1350/2007/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2007 establishing a second programme of Community action in the field of health (2008-2013) (OJ L 301, 20.11.2007, p. 3). Decision No 1639/2006/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 October 2006 establishing the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (2007 to 2013) (O] L 310, 9.11.2006, p. 15). — ) — <=