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1. The Advisory Forum shall be composed of members from technically competent bodies in the Member States which undertake tasks similar to those of the Centre, on the basis of one representative designated by each Member State recognised for his/her scientific competence, as well as three members without the right to vote nominated by the Commission and representing interested parties at European level, such as non-governmental organisations representing patients, professional bodies or academia. Representatives may be replaced by alternates, appointed at the same time.

2. Members of the Advisory Forum shall not be members of the Management Board. Advisory Forum members’ term of office shall be three years and may be extended.

3. The Advisory Forum shall support the director in ensuring the scientific excellence and independence of activities and opinions of the Centre.

4. The Advisory Forum shall constitute a mechanism for an exchange of information on health threats and the pooling of knowledge. It shall ensure close cooperation between the Centre and the competent bodies in the Member States in particular on the following items:

(a) coherence of the Centre’s scientific studies with Member States;

(b) in those circumstances where the Centre and a national body cooperate;

(c) the promoting, starting up and supervising of the European networks within the fields of the Centre’s mission;

(d) where the Centre or a Member State identifies an emerging public health threat;

(e) the setting up of scientific panels by the Centre;

(f) scientific and public health priorities to be addressed in the work programme; and (g) key publications under preparation by the Centre, such as forecasting studies.

5. The Advisory Forum shall be chaired by the director or, in his/her absence, by a deputy from within the Centre. It shall meet regularly at the invitation of the director, or at the request of at least a third of its members, and not less than four times per year. Its operational procedures shall be specified in the Centre’s internal rules and shall be made public.

6. Representatives of the Commission’s departments may participate in the work of the Advisory Forum.

7. The Centre shall provide the technical and logistic support necessary for the Advisory Forum and provide a secretariat for its meetings.

8. The Centre shall engage with public health experts, with representatives of professional or scientific bodies and non-governmental organisations, in particular those having recognised experience in disciplines related to the work of the Centre, as well as in other areas such as environmental protection, with dedicated networks and with the Advisory Forum, to cooperate on specific tasks. In addition, the Commission, the Member States or the Advisory Forum may propose experts, including experts from third countries, or representatives of professional or scientific bodies, or non-governmental organisations to be consulted by the Centre on an ad-hoc basis.