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HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH SESSION OF COUNCIL

RESTRICTED AND CLOSED SESSIONS

19 March 2009

 

RESTRICTED SESSION
19 March 2009

 

NON-MEMBER STATE MATTERS

First Report from the Working Group on the Scientific and Geographical Enlargement of CERN

The Council took note of the reports by Mrs Kokkinakis and Professor Spiro, the Co-Chairs of the Working Group on the Scientific and Geographical Enlargement of CERN, on the first meeting of the Working Group, noting that the Preparatory Group and the Co-Chairs had since held a joint meeting to prepare the Group's further work.

In the light of statements by delegations during the discussion, the Council encouraged the Working Group, inter alia, to research equivalent enlargement debates in other European research Organizations, in particular with regard to the definition of Europe, and to review the terms of Associate status in parallel with the scope for further enlargement of full membership. The Council further took note that the Working Group would submit draft terms of reference for the High-Level Advisory Panel in June.

 

APPLICATIONS FOR ACCESSION TO CERN

The Council took note of the information provided by the President of Council on the submitted membership applications. Recognising the need for consistency between its response to such applications and the ongoing deliberations of the Working Group on Scientific and Geographical Enlargement, the Council agreed, to organise a dedicated discussion at its June meeting on how to handle membership applications pending the conclusions and recommendations of the Working Group.

The Council took note of the information provided by the Director-General on progress towards the conclusion of the Framework Agreement with Romania, the precondition for the latter’s "Candidate for Accession" status becoming effective.

 

LHC MATTERS

The Council expressed appreciation for the rate of progress being achieved with regard to the LHC repairs and for the investment and commitment of the CERN staff towards maintaining the goal of first collisions at the end of 2009.

 

REPORT BY THE CHAIRMAN OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE

Letter from the Chairman of the Pension Fund Governing Board (PFGB)

In line with the proposal of the PFGB Chairman in a letter to the External Auditors of Italy’s Corte dei Conti and the President of Council, the Council agreed to endorse the following procedure for the additional external audit of the Pension Fund:

  1. the external auditor appointed by the PFGB, currently PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC), will submit its audit to the PFGB;
  2. the PFGB will examine the PWC audit report;
  3. the PFGB will forward the PWC report, together with its own comments, to CERN’s external auditors, for their considerations as part of the general audit of the Organization.

 

ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT FOR 2008

The Council took note of the information set out in document and of the presentation by the Director for Administration and General Infrastructure and expressed appreciation for the format and content of the document, recognising that the first Annual Progress Report was unusual in that it could not be matched to any specific aims and objectives set the previous year.

With a view to the preparation, in 2010, of the first fully-fledged Annual Progress Report in line with the new governance principles, the Council agreed to invite the Finance Committee and the Scientific Policy Committee to provide input on the format and content of the present transitional Annual Progress Report. The Council further agreed that the President of Council would write to the External Auditors requesting similar feedback also having in mind the report being the basis for possible future efficiency audits of selected activities of the Organization. In that connection, the Council agreed that future reports would compare the income and expenditure out-turn figures with those of the Budget for the year concerned.

 

CERN AUDIT COMMITTEE

The Council decided to approve the programme of work of the CAC.

 

QUESTIONS FROM THE COUNCIL TO THE SPC

No new questions were formulated.

 

ACCESS STATUS OF COUNCIL DOCUMENTS AS FROM 01.04.2009

The Council unanimously decided to approve the proposals relating to the access status of Council documents set out in therein, with the amendment that the Council agenda should henceforth include a final standing item allowing the Council to confirm or rescind its initial decisions to make specific documents available for public access.

 

REPORT OF THE WORKING GROUP ON THE PROCEDURE FOR FUTURE ELECTIONS OF THE PRESIDENT OF COUNCIL AND THE CHAIRS OF THE CERN COMMITTEES

The Council unanimously decided to approve the recommendations of the Working Group on the procedure for future elections of the President of Council and the Chairs of the CERN Committees.

 

OTHER BUSINESS

Representation at the Working Group on Scientific and Geographical Enlargement

The Council agreed that alternates would be permitted to attend meetings of the Working Group in an advisory capacity, and that the Member States can decide according to their needs, if their member or alternate member should take the place at the table.

Procedure for the Council decisions on the remit and composition of the High-Level Advisory Panel (HLAP) to the Working Group on Scientific and Geographical Enlargement

The Council agreed to the following course of action:

  1. the co-Chairs of the Working Group will circulate to the Working Group members a draft remit for the HLAP in May;
  2. the Working Group will seek to converge on the HLAP’s remit and the profile of its members at its June meeting;
  3. the Member States will then be invited to submit additional nominations in the light of the proposed remit;
  4. the full package will then be submitted to the Council at its Restricted Session in June;
  5. at its June Restricted Session, the Council will decide on a balanced distribution of profiles for membership of the HLAP.

 

CLOSED SESSION

 

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS FOR THE PRESIDENT OF COUNCIL

The Council took note of the information provided by the President regarding the procedure for the call for nominations for the position of President of Council.

 

CERN AUDIT COMMITTEE (CAC)

The Council took note of the information provided by the President on the lack of available candidates and of the views expressed by delegations, and agreed to resume the discussion in June to allow delegations time for further reflection.

 

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