(6) For reasons of data protection, it is necessary to make the processing of personal data relating to members of the Group subject to Community legislation on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data by the Community institutions and bodies,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

The European Consumer Consultative Group

A European Consumer Consultative Group, hereinafter referred to as ‘the Group’, is hereby set up.

Article 2

Task

1. The Group may be consulted by the Commission on all issues related to consumer interests at Community level.

2. The Group:

(a) constitutes a group for general discussions on issues related to consumer interests;

(b) prepares consumer input into other fora and participates as requested in groups advising the Commission on issues relevant to EU consumer policy;

(d) may give an opinion on Community matters affecting consumers;

(e) informs the Commission of developments in consumer policy in the Member States;

(f) acts as a source of information and a sounding board on Community action for the national organisations.

Article 3

Membership

1. The Group shall be composed of:

(a) one member representing national consumer organisations for each Member State;

(b) one member for each European consumer organisation.

2. The national consumer organisations referred to in paragraph 1(a) must be representative, in accordance with national rules or practice, of consumers and active at national level.

3. The European consumer organisations referred to in paragraph 1(b) must meet one of the two following sets of criteria:

(a) be non-governmental, non-profit-making, independent of industry, commerce and business or other conflicting interests, and

(i) have as their primary objectives and activities the promotion and protection of the health, safety and economic interest of consumers in the Community,

(ii) have been mandated to represent the interests of consumers at Community level by national consumer organisations 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

(iii) have provided to the Commission satisfactory accounts of their membership, internal rules and sources of funding,

(b) be non-governmental, non-profit-making, independent of industry, commerce and business or other conflicting interests and

(i) have as their primary objectives and activities to represent consumer interests in the standardisation process at Community level and

(ii) have been mandated in at least two thirds of the Member States to represent the interests of consumers at Community level by:

— bodies representative, in accordance with national rules or practice, of national consumer organisations in the Member States, or

— in the absence of such bodies, by national consumer organisations in the Member States that are representative, in accordance with national rules and practice, of consumers and are active at national level.