HUNDRED AND NINETY-SIXTH SESSION OF THE COUNCIL
12-13 December 2019
RESTRICTED COUNCIL - 12 December 2019
DIRECTOR GENERAL’S REPORT
The Director-General gave an oral report on the following matters:
- Study on the career trajectories of people with experience of working at CERN
- Staff survey
- Recent bilateral meetings
- Protocol visits in 2019
- Update on the Science Gateway
OVERVIEW OF PROTOCOLS CONCLUDED SINCE NOVEMBER 2018
The Council took note of the overview of protocols signed since November 2018, set out in document CERN/3462.
THE COST-VARIATION INDEX FOR 2020
The Council unanimously decided to approve, for 2020:
- a basic salary and stipend index of 0.80% and a subsistence allowances and family benefits index of 0.40%, bringing the overall cost-variation index for the personnel budget to 0.76%, including the applicable indexation for home leave of 2.35 %;
- a materials budget cost-variation index of 4.10 %;
- an overall cost-variation index of 2.40 %.
The Council took note that the indexation of the Member States’ contributions for 2020 would be limited to 2%, in line with the “corridor principle” set out in document CERN/FC/5644-CERN/3023.
FINAL BUDGET OF THE ORGANIZATION FOR THE SIXTY-SIXTH FINANCIAL YEAR 2020
The Council took note of the final Budget for 2020 in 2020 prices set out in document CERN/FC/6367-CERN/3464.
PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE 11TH EDITION OF THE STAFF RULES AND REGULATIONS - TECHNICAL ADJUSTMENTS
The Council unanimously decided to approve the proposed amendments to Articles S II 4.09, S IV 2.02, S VIII 1.03 of the Staff Rules, set out in document CERN/FC/6368-CERN/3465.
The Council took note that the Finance Committee had approved the proposed amendments to the Staff Regulations also set out in the document and that the new provisions would enter into force on 1 January 2020.
SCIENTIFIC POLICY COMMITTEE
The Council heard a report by the Scientific Policy Committee (SPC) Chair, Professor Ellis, on items discussed at the SPC’s December 2019 meeting not covered elsewhere on the agenda, in particular on open data policy and discussions with the Member State delegations attending the SPC relating to the ongoing review of the SPC’s terms of reference.
CERN PENSION FUND
The Council heard a report by the Chair of the Pension Fund Governing Board, Ms Jamieson, on the activities of the Board, the Actuarial and Technical Committee and the Investment Committee since the last Council Session in September 2019, and notably that the Fund’s year-to-date performance had stood at 5.4% at the end of November, which resulted in an increase in the net asset value to 4.4 BCHF.
* * *
CLOSED COUNCIL - 12 December 2019
APPOINTMENTS
- Scientific Policy Committee
Composition of the Scientific Policy Committee (SPC): appointment of three new members and re-appointment of three members
The Council unanimously decided:
- to appoint Professor Klaus Blaum, Professor Nigel Glover and Professor Pilar Hernandez as SPC members for first terms of three years as of 1 January 2020, and
- to reappoint Professor Caterina Biscari, Professor Beate Heinemann and Professor Hugh Montgomery as SPC members for second terms of three years as of 1 January 2020.
- Update of the European Strategy for Particle Physics
Appointment of the outgoing SPC Chair as an additional member of the Strategy Secretariat
The Council unanimously decided to appoint the outgoing SPC Chair, Professor Ellis, as an additional member of the Strategy Secretariat as of 1 January 2020.
- Council
- Re-election of the President of the Council
The Council unanimously re-elected Dr U. Bassler as President of the Council for a second period of one year as of 1 January 2020.
- Re-election of one Vice-President of the Council
The Council unanimously re-elected Professor P. Levai as Vice-President of the Council for a second period of one year as of 1 January 2020.
- Audit Committee
Appointment of one expert member
The Council unanimously decided to appoint Mr Gijs de Vries as an expert member of the Audit Committee for a period of three years, from 1 January 2020 to 31 December 2022.
ENLARGEMENT PROCESS
The Council heard a report by the Director-General on the status of the ongoing applications of Brazil and Estonia and of the latest discussions with the Russian Federation.
Revised Standard Agreements for the Granting of the Status of Associate Member
The Council approved revised standard terms for agreements granting the status of Associate Member State and Associate Member State in the pre-stage to Membership, as set out in the Annex to the document.
ESTABLISHMENT OF A TASK FORCE FOR THE FIVE-YEAR REVIEW OF PAKISTAN'S ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP
The Council unanimously decided to establish a Task Force for the five-year review of Pakistan’s Associate Membership, with the following composition:
- Ms C. Warakaulle, CERN Director for International Relations, Convenor
- Professor E. Elsen, CERN Director for Research and Computing,
- Professor E. Rabinovici, member of the Israeli delegation,
- Professor E. Tsesmelis, CERN Head of Associate and non-Member State Relations.
DRAFT TERMS OF REFERENCE OF A WORKING GROUP ON CERN GOVERNANCE
The Council unanimously decided to approve the mandate, composition and work schedule of a working group on the governance of CERN.
APPOINTMENT OF THE NEXT DIRECTOR-GENERAL
The Council unanimously decided to appoint Dr Fabiola Gianotti as Director-General of CERN for a second term of office of five years, with effect from 1 January 2021.
* * *
OPEN COUNCIL - 13 December 2019
OVERVIEW REPORT FOR 2019 BY THE CHAIR OF THE SCIENTIFIC POLICY COMMITTEE
The Council heard a report by the Chair of the Scientific Policy Committee, Professor Ellis, on matters discussed by the Committee over the course of 2019.
PROGRESS REPORT ON THE ORGANISATION OF THE UPDATE OF THE EUROPEAN STRATEGY FOR PARTICLE PHYSICS
The Council heard a report by the Strategy Secretary, Professor Abramowicz, on progress with the update of the European Strategy for Particle Physics, including details of the preparations for the drafting session to be held in Bad Honnef, Germany, in January 2020.
LHC MATTERS
The Council heard a report by the Director for Accelerators and Technology, Dr Bordry, on the progress of the LHC Injector Upgrade (LIU) and High-Luminosity LHC (HL-LHC) projects, on the outcome and follow-up of the cost and schedule review held in November 2019, and on the earned-value management (EVM) status of the LIU and HL-LHC projects, namely earned values of 83% and 29%, respectively, with 93% and 53% of the cost to completion committed, as set out in document CERN/FC/6370/RA-CERN/3466/RA.
The Council heard another report by the Director for Research and Computing, Professor Elsen, on the progress of the experiments’ upgrade activities during Long Shutdown 2 (LS2), details of preparations for the Phase II upgrades, the status of the signature of the related Memoranda of Understanding and the outcome of the recent operation and shutdown scheduling meeting held on 27 November, in particular the decision to extend Run 3 by one year, with LS3 starting in January 2025 instead of 2024, and to extend LS2 by two months.
The Council congratulated and expressed appreciation to all CERN staff, fellows, users and other associated members of personnel, as well as contractors’ personnel for the excellent progress achieved in 2019.
COUNCIL TIMETABLE FOR 2021
The Council approved the timetable for the meetings of the Council and its subsidiary bodies in 2021, as set out in Annex 2 of document CERN/3468.
OTHER BUSINESS
- End of the terms of office of the Chairs of the Scientific Policy Committee and the Finance Committee
- Departure of one Council Delegate
The Council expressed appreciation and sincere gratitude to the outgoing Chair of the Scientific Policy Committee, Professor Keith Ellis, to the outgoing Chair of the Finance Committee, Mr Ossi Malmberg, and to the departing member of the Italian delegation, Professor Fernando Ferroni.
* * *