h shall be
binding on the institutions of the Community, on the ECB and on
Member States.
4. Subject to paragraph 1, the Council shall, on a proposal from the
Commission and after consulting the ECB, acting by a qualified
majority decide on the position of the Community at international level
as regards issues of particular relevance to economic and monetary
union and, acting unanimously, decide its representation in
compliance with the allocation of powers laid down in Articles 103 and
105.
5. Without prejudice to Community competence and Community
agreements as regards economic and monetary union, Member States
may negotiate in international bodies and conclude international
agreements.
CHAPTER 3
INSTITUTIONAL PROVISION
ARTICLE 109a
1. The Governing Council of the ECB shall comprise the members of
the Executive Board of the ECB and the Governors of the national
central banks.
2 (a) The Executive Board shall comprise the President, the Vice-
President and four other members.
(b) The President, the Vice-President and the other members of the
Executive Board shall be appointed from among the persons of
recognized standing and professional experience in monetary or
banking matters by common accord of the Governments of the Member
States at the level of Heads of State or of Government, on a
recommendation from the Council, after it has consulted the European
Parliament and the Governing Council of the ECB.
Their term of office shall be eight years and shall not be renewable.
Only nationals of Member States may be members of the Executive
Board.
ARTICLE 109b
1. The President of the Council and a member of the Commission may
participate, without having the right to vote, in meetings of the
Governing Council of the ECB.
The President of the Council may submit a motion for deliberation to
the Governing Council of the ECB.
2. The President of the ECB shall be invited to participate in Council
meetings when the Council is discussing matters relating to the
objectives and tasks of the ESCB.
3. The ECB shall address an annual report on the activities of the
ESCB and on the monetary policy of both the previous and current
year to the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission, and
also to the European Council. The President of the ECB shall present
this report to the Council and to the European Parliament, which may
hold a general debate on that basis.
The President of the ECB and the other members of the Executi