resident shall be held in turn by each Member State in
the Council for a term of six months, in the following order of Member
States:
- for a first cycle of six years: Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Greece,
Spain, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal,
United Kingdom;
- for the following cycle of six years: Denmark, Belgium, Greece,
Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Ireland, Netherlands, Luxembourg,
United Kingdom, Portugal.
44) The following Article shall be inserted:
"ARTICLE 147
The Council shall meet when convened by its President on his
initiative or at the request of one of its members or of the
Commission."
45) Article 149 shall be repealed.
46) The following Article shall be inserted:
"ARTICLE 151
1. A committee consisting of the Permanent Representatives of the
Member States shall be responsible for preparing the work of the
Council and for carrying out the tasks assigned to it by the Council.
2. The Council shall be assisted by a General Secretariat, under the
direction of a Secretary-General. The Secretary-General shall be
appointed by the Council acting unanimously.
The Council shall decide on the organization of the General
Secretariat.
3. The Council shall adopt its rules of procedure."
47) The following Article shall be inserted:
"ARTICLE 154
The Council shall, acting by a qualified majority, determine the
salaries, allowances and pensions of the President and members of
the Commission, and of the president, Judges, Advocates-General and
Registrar of the Court of Justice. It shall also, again by a qualified
majority, determine any payment to be made instead of remuneration."
48) The following Articles shall be inserted:
"ARTICLE 156
The Commission shall publish annually, not later than one month
before the opening of the session of the European Parliament, a
general report on the activities of the Community.
ARTICLE 157
1. The Commission shall consist of seventeen members, who shall be
chosen on the grounds of their general competence and whose
independence is beyond doubt.
The number of members of the Commission may be altered by the
Council, acting unanimously.
Only nationals of Member States may be members of the Commission.
The Commission must include at least one national of each of the
Member States, but may not include more than two members having
the nationality of the same State.
2. The members of the Commission shall, in the general interest of the
Community, be complete