Responsibilities of the Steering Commitee
In the Consortium Agreement the Responsibilities of the Steering Committee are described as:
Section 6: Governance structure for Small Collaborative Projects
6.1 General structure
The Steering Committee is the decision-making body of the Consortium
The Coordinator is the legal entity acting as the intermediary between the Parties and the European Commission. The Coordinator shall, in addition to its responsibilities as a Party, perform the tasks assigned to it as described in the Grant Agreement and this Consortium Agreement.
The Project Management assists the Steering Committee and the Coordinator.
6.2 Members
The Steering Committee shall consist of one representative of each Party (hereinafter Member).
Each Member shall be deemed to be duly authorised to deliberate, negotiate and decide on all matters listed in Article 6.3.6 of this Consortium Agreement.
The Coordinator shall chair all meetings of the Steering Committee, unless decided otherwise by the Steering Committee.
The Parties agree to abide by all decisions of the Steering Committee.
This does not prevent the Parties to submit a dispute to resolution in accordance with the provisions of settlement of disputes in Article 11.8 of this Consortium Agreement.
6.3 Operational procedures for the Steering Committee
6.3.1 Representation in meetings
Any Member:
should be present or represented at any meeting;
may appoint a substitute or a proxy to attend and vote at any meeting;
and shall participate in a cooperative manner in the meetings.
6.3.2 Preparation and organisation of meetings
Convening meetings:
The Coordinator shall convene ordinary meetings of the Steering Committee at least 4 times during the project coinciding with the project workshops and shall also convene extraordinary meetings at any time upon written request of any Member.
Notice of a meeting:
The Coordinator shall give notice in writing of a meeting to each Member as soon as possible and within at least 30 calendar days preceding an ordinary meeting and14 calendar days preceding an extraordinary meeting.
Sending the agenda:
The Coordinator shall send each Member a written original agenda within at least 14 calendar days preceding the meeting.
Adding agenda items:
Any agenda item requiring a decision by the Members must be identified as such on the agenda.
Any Member may add an item to the original agenda by written notification to all of the other Members within at least 7 calendar days preceding the meeting.
During a meeting of the Steering Committee the Members present or represented can unanimously agree to add a new item to the original agenda.
Any decision may also be taken without a meeting by circulating to all Members a written document which is then signed by the defined majority of Members (see Article 6.3.3 of this Consortium Agreement).
Meetings of the Steering Committee can also be held by teleconference or other telecommunication means.
Decisions may only be executed once the relevant part of the Minutes is accepted according to Article 6.3.5 of this Consortium Agreement.
6.3.3 Voting rules and quorum
The Steering Committee shall not deliberate and decide validly unless a quorum two-thirds (2/3) of its Members are present or represented.
Each Member shall have one vote.
Defaulting Party Members may not vote.
Decisions shall be taken by a majority of two-thirds (2/3) of the votes.
6.3.4 Veto rights
A Member which can show that its own work, time for performance, costs, liabilities, intellectual property rights or other legitimate interests would be severely affected by a decision of the Steering Committee may exercise a veto with respect to the corresponding decision or relevant part of the decision.
When the decision is foreseen on the original agenda, a member may veto such a decision during the meeting only.
When a decision has been taken on a new item added to the agenda before or during the meeting, a member may veto such decision during the meeting and within 15 days after the Minutes of the meeting are sent.
In case of exercise of veto, the members shall make every effort to resolve the matter which occasioned the veto to the general satisfaction of all of all its members.
A Party may not veto decisions relating to its identification as a Defaulting Party. The Defaulting Party may not veto decisions relating to its participation and termination in the Consortium or the consequences of them.
A Party requesting to leave the Consortium may not veto decisions relating thereto.
6.3.5 Minutes of meetings
The Coordinator shall produce written Minutes of each meeting which shall be the formal record of all decisions taken. He shall send these drafts to all of its members within 10 calendar days of the meeting.
The Minutes shall be considered as accepted if, within 15 calendar days from sending, no member has objected in writing to the Coordinator with respect to the accuracy of the draft of the Minutes.
The accepted Minutes shall be sent to all of the members of the Consortium Body and the Coordinator, who shall safeguard them. If requested the Coordinator shall provide authenticated duplicates to Parties.
6.3.6 Decisions of the Steering Committee
The Steering Committee shall be free to act on its own initiative to formulate proposals and take decisions in accordance with the procedures set out herein.
